“We are fully committed to supporting our members and will do all we can to find the right resolution for those affected by the truck cartel.” The Federation of Petroleum Suppliers (FPS) is assisting its members across the UK in making damages claims against truck manufacturers MAN, Volvo Renault, Daimler, Iveco, and DAF, who were found guilty by the European Commission (EC) in July 2016 of price fixing. The FPS is now working closely with Hausfeld Solicitors with company currently representing over 44 UK-based FPS members in making a claim against the manufacturers on a no-win no-fee basis.

Unite has called on the government to fully enforce new European Union regulations which will improve safety by placing import duties on inferior quality tyres being imported from China. Unite has been increasingly alarmed that low cost inferior quality tyres have been flooding the market from China and other Asian countries. The tyres are of an inferior quality to those produced in the UK. Due to the poorer quality of these tyres there are significant safety concerns associated with them as they have a much shorter road life and are more likely to ‘blowout’. There are also concerns that if no action is taken against the cheap imports it could lead to job losses among UK based tyre manufacturers, who are unable to compete on price. Under the provisional regulations published last month by the European Union, inferior quality tyres made in China for use on buses and lorries will be subject to anti-dumping duties of between 29% and 68%. There will now be a six-month consultation period to decide if the new duties are correct and Unite will be lobbying the government to ensure that not only are the new regulations fully implemented in the UK immediately, they continue after the country leaves the EU next year. “The regulations currently only apply to tyres for lorries and buses and we believe that it should apply to all imported tyres,” said Tony Devlin, Unite national officer for rubber. “Safety concerns should never be comprised on the grounds of price.  It is imperative that the government fully implements these new regulations and ensures that they remain in place after the UK leaves the European Union next year.” www.unitetheunion.org  

Thirty years on from the world’s worst offshore disaster, an Act of Remembrance will take place in Aberdeen on Friday 6th July with families, friends and industry representatives gathering to remember the 167 men who lost their lives.  The reverend Gordon Craig, chaplain to the UK offshore oil and gas industry, who is organising the Act of Remembrance said: “Thirty years may seen a long time to some, but for those who lost a father, son, brother, husband, partner, uncle, nephew, friend or colleague, the tragedy is still very much part of their life. “Our commemoration is an opportunity to gather together and remember those loved ones who never came home.  By naming every person who tragically lost their life, the city and industry together can demonstrate that the loss of these men will not be forgotten.” “It’s hard to believe that three decades have passed since the Piper Alpha tragedy,” added the lord provost of Aberdeen, Barney Crockett. “The shocking events of that night thirty years ago are imprinted on the Aberdeen memory forever.  Beginning at 7pm the names of the perished will be read aloud and a lone piper will play a lament followed by a minute’s silence.  The service, which takes place in the Piper Alpha memorial garden, is also open to anyone who wants to remember and pay their respects.

To assist with the hours of television coverage of the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Certas Energy partnered with FTVS (Film & Television Services) to deliver a cleaner, greener broadcast by fuelling its specialist twin set generators with Shell GTL Fuel. The fuel, which is exclusively available from Certas Energy in the UK, reduced emission levels, noise and strong-smelling fumes for the thousands of spectators lining the streets in Windsor. “Diesel powered generators can often be noisy and pump out strong-smelling fumes so when Certas Energy first told us about the performance benefits of Shell GTL Fuel last year we were keen to trial it,” explained FTVS technical director, Chris Pratt, “Our clients are increasingly specifying the use of cleaner, greener fuels and we have now used this fuel for a range of projects including BBC Springwatch, Big Brother and the Open at Royal Birkdale.” “As a direct replacement for diesel, we haven’t had to make any modifications to our equipment or storage tanks. The fuel’s improved combustion properties reduce emission levels of harmful pollutants such as nitrogen oxide (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) to immediately improve local air quality. Paraffinic fuels are also free of unwanted components such as sulphur, metals, and aromatics, making them non-toxic and less harmful to the environment. GTL offers another important advantage when used in back-up generators. Contamination issues can often occur when storing fuel for long periods of time caused by bacterial growth. Shell GTL however is FAME free which reduces the risk of bacterial growth resulting in a longer shelf life for the fuel. GTL Fuel also has a better starting performance in cold conditions compared to conventional diesel which is another benefit when working on outdoor sets although hopefully the royal couple and well-wishers will enjoy good weather on their special day! “We were delighted to work with FTVS to fuel the coverage of the royal wedding which was watched on television by millions of people across the world,” commented Certas Energy marketing manager, Emma-Jayne Brown. “It’s been great to see the immediate benefits FTVS has experienced having switched to Shell GTL and the positive response they’ve had from broadcast and production companies looking to reduce their environmental footprint without affecting performance or reliability.” To find out more about the benefits of Shell GTL Fuel please click here.

Mabanaft’s James Alden presents top scoring Ian Gibson of Certas Energy with his GoPro HERO5 action camera at FPS Expo 2018 Mabanaft is delighted to announce that Ian Gibson of Certas Energy won their MABAMAYHEM competition at FPS EXPO this year. It was a challenging contest but Ian really persevered to achieve 24,000 points, making him this year’s top scorer! Ian, who won a fabulous GoPro HERO5 action camera – made to capture photos and videos in extreme conditions, said: “I was delighted with the prize. I have booked a ride on a massive zip wire in Wales soon and was thinking of buying a GoPro to capture the experience, so this was perfect! This was my second visit to FPS and it was great to catch up with James and Martin at the event.  Mabanaft is a great company to work alongside and we genuinely appreciate the support that we receive from their professional, dedicated marketers.” Mabanaft’s commercial director, Martin Cook, said: “Ian is a regional supplies coordinator at Certas Energy, a long-standing customer of Mabanaft.  We were all delighted to see him achieve such a high score and win the coveted prize.” www.mabalive.co.uk/news

The recently updated Blue Book produced by the Association for Petroleum and Explosives Administration (APEA) and Service Station Panel of The Energy Institute (EI), states that it will be a fundamental expectation of any forecourt operator with single-skin pipes or tanks to implement wetstock management going forward reports Suresite.

Guy Pulham – the FPS has been active in voicing members concerns and lobbying government about the impact of changes to oil storage in Scotland Last month, the Federation of Petroleum Suppliers (FPS) met with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) regarding the introduction of new legislation which affects over 95 heating oil and fuel distribution depots across Scotland. The new legislation, which came into force in January 2018, has made changes to regulation for sites which store oils under the existing Oil Storage Regulations (OSR) (Scotland), such that they now come under the scope of the amended Controlled Activities Regulations (CAR). Voicing members concerns about the impact of the new legislation and the timings to comply, FPS was encouraged by positive dialogue during the meeting and has subsequently reached agreement with SEPA on:

Valero Logistics UK, a subsidiary of Valero Energy Corporation, has completed the purchase of DCC Energy’s fuel storage terminal in Belfast. With the purchase of DCC’s terminal, Valero will now have equity storage in Belfast, a platform from which the company can strengthen its supply position in Northern Ireland. “It was a natural step for us to buy DCC’s terminal,” said Mike Lewis, Valero’s vice president Europe product supply. “It anchors us in the Northern Ireland market and reinforces our long-term commitment to our customers there. It will give us added flexibility and will ensure we can continue to deliver a competitive and reliable service.” Valero has been using the DCC fuel storage terminal and the nearby NuStar terminal to supply its Northern Ireland customers, and will continue to use both terminals to supply fuel for the foreseeable future. “The two terminals will act as twin platforms from which we can provide our customers with a reliable supply of fuel,” added Mike. “For our existing customers, the change of ownership will be seamless – business as usual – while any new customers can feel confident they’ll get a reliable service, backed by the robust Valero supply chain centred on our refinery at Pembroke in Wales.” The fuel terminal has ten storage tanks for fuel oil and distillates. www.valero.com

The Scottish Secure Parking Group (SSPG), of which the Freight Transport Association (FTA) is a member, is seeking views on secure HGV parking across the UK, but particularly in Scotland.  Having created a short survey, the SSPG is hoping to hear from industry including HGV companies, members of the public and other interested parties such as local authorities, government representatives and councillors. It is the first time, on a national basis, that the public, elected representatives and those involved in haulage and logistics will be able to provide an accurate snapshot of the situation as it currently exists at the moment. The SSPG wants to hear about incidents of crime directly or indirectly attributable to off-site, insecure parking and its impact on business and communities.  It is gathering evidence on whether the current lack of secure parking is impacting on the haulage and logistics industries as well as having a detrimental effect on local communities, and what needs to be done to improve the situation. The anonymous survey, which opened on Monday (23rd), takes about 10 minutes to complete and is open until Friday 25th May. The online survey can be found at: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/MQ2HK3Q The survey is not the end of the story, it is intended that the information will be used to inform further debate, discussion and ultimately action, to alleviate the current situation.

Guy Pulham – the FPS has been active in voicing members concerns and lobbying government about the impact of changes to oil storage in Scotland Last month, the Federation of Petroleum Suppliers (FPS) met with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) regarding the introduction of new legislation which affects over 95 heating oil and fuel distribution depots across Scotland. The new legislation, which came into force in January 2018, has made changes to regulation for sites which store oils under the existing Oil Storage Regulations (OSR) (Scotland), such that they now come under the scope of the amended Controlled Activities Regulations (CAR). Voicing members concerns about the impact of the new legislation and the timings to comply, FPS was encouraged by positive dialogue during the meeting and has subsequently reached agreement with SEPA on:

The government’s amendments to the road user levy charges announced last month are another step on the road to improving air quality for all of us, but at the expense of small and medium-sized businesses, which will be unfairly penalised by the changes in money payable, says the Freight Transport Association (FTA). According to FTA the new charges place an increased burden on the small and medium sized businesses across the UK, delivering the goods and services needed to keep the economy moving: “The reduction of 10% in the road user levy for Euro VI lorries is good news,” says Christopher Snelling, FTA’s head of UK policy. “This shows recognition for the success of the HGV Euro VI vehicles, which have 80% lower real world local emissions than previous lorries.  However, the introduction of the increased levy on pre-Euro VI trucks will actually hurt those small and medium sized business that already face increased costs as many need to upgrade to Euro VI vehicle early to be compliant with the planned Clean Air Zones. “It hurts them because the re-sale value of their slightly older lorries, the Euro IV and Vs, has fallen so much – making the jump to afford a new Euro VI so much greater.” FTA believes the government should have loaded the increase on to older most polluting lorries (Euro III and below) to create a short-term market for the Euro IV and V vehicles that those delivering to city centres will be seeking to sell on. “Trucks have been getting cleaner for decades,” added Christopher. “We’re not dealing with an intractable problem but merely the question of how soon do the beneficial changes come.  The government’s approach to cleaner air risks putting some smaller hauliers’ livelihoods at risk for only a temporary gain on air quality.  The reform of the Levy was an opportunity to help, and for the most part the Government has failed to take it.” www.fta.co.uk

UKPIA director general, Stephen Marcos Jones, attended the annual reception for the UK downstream oil industry where Martin Vickers MP acknowledged the sector to ‘be a valuable and strategic asset which we rely on in our daily lives’ The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on the UK oil refining sector, in partnership with the UK Petroleum Industry Association, held its annual parliamentary reception for the UK downstream oil industry last month. “This successful event presented an ideal opportunity to highlight the importance of the downstream oil sector,” said Martin Vickers MP and APPG chair on the UK oil refining sector, who hosted the event. “This sector is a valuable and strategic asset and one with a long track record as a reliable supplier of energy, fuels and feedstocks for other industrial sectors and processes, providing the building blocks of countless products which we rely on in our everyday lives. “It is also a sector that offers incredible career opportunities. Through the APPG’s programme of events and roundtables, we have celebrated the extraordinary talent of the young people working in this sector and we continue to raise awareness of the exciting opportunities that are available to them within the downstream oil industry at every educational level.” “We were also delighted to welcome Claire Perry MP, energy and clean growth minister, as guest of honour and keynote speaker,” said Stephen Marcos Jones, UKPIA’s director general “Our sector plays a central role in spurring innovation, advancing technological breakthroughs and enabling our daily lives.  As we look to the future, we have work to do, together, to ensure that it can continue to deliver and thrive.”www.ukpia.com

Paul Denmead director of terminal operations UK for World Fuel Services In late March Paul Denmead, director of terminal operations UK for World Fuel Services and vice-president of the Tank Storage Association (TSA) took over as president when Andrew Amos stepped down as president. To help with the implementation of TSA’s forward plans, Andrew has taken over Paul’s vice-president role for a period of 12 months. “As I have now retired from my position as projects director for UM Storage, it is appropriate that I also hand over presidency of the TSA to Paul Denmead,” said Andrew Amos. “The past 18 months leading the TSA has been a privilege and I have seen a dramatic change in the direction and growth of our association. Our status and visibility with government and related agencies has grown significantly which is critically important to serving the needs of our expanding membership. “I am confident that Paul Denmead and Peter Davidson will continue to drive forward change, ensuring that we continue to be the focus of knowledge and experience for bulk liquid storage and terminal operations. I will remain as vice-president of the TSA so that I can offer any support and guidance required.”www.tankstorage.org.uk

Fuel has become an important market for Clugston Distribution which has dedicated tankers providing a 24/7 service to the Immingham, Kingsbury and Tees terminals The Clugston Group will be taking the opportunity to showcase the entire Group’s capabilities at next week’s FPS EXPO in Liverpool.  Over the last three years, the company’s distribution and fleet management division has maintained a significant presence at the show. Using the broader capabilities of its construction, property development and facilities management companies, the Clugston Group can offer bespoke solutions to refineries, distributors and retailers of fuel. Offered as either stand-alone services or as an integrated package, Clugston has a long history of developing, building and maintaining process facilities and retail outlets across the UK. With a combined fleet of over 100 vehicles, Clugston Distribution entered the fuel market in 2012, with dedicated tankers providing a 24/7 service to the Immingham, Kingsbury and Tees terminals. The division’s commercial vehicle facility at its headquarters in Scunthorpe is also ideally located close to the terminals, carrying out vital servicing and repair work for all trucks and trailers in the area. A DVSA, Authorised Testing Facility, the Brigg Road Service Centre, has recently undergone a six-figure investment to extend its range of services to commercial fleet operators across the Humber and Lincolnshire region Tim Doggett, Clugston’s recently appointed director of distribution said: “Alongside a number of sectors, fuel has become an important market for the distribution division, and we are already recognised as a top ten fuel logistics provider. “With our wider expertise, however, we believe the FPS Expo provides the ideal occasion for Clugston to showcase the Group’s broader capabilities for the first time. “As a company we are always examining ways in which we can maximise market opportunities, whilst continuing to provide our customers with the excellent service for which we have become renowned throughout our 80-year history.”www.clugston.co.uk 

Mabanaft to showcase new online administration at FPS EXPO 2018 – the company is looking forward to attending this year’s event where they will be showcasing the latest development on Mabalive which allows their customers to manage deal administration online with real-time reporting. The new functionality (launched Q4, 2017) is receiving fantastic reviews, with customers saying it is easy to use, saves them time, and is the most advanced online system offered by any fuel wholesaler in the UK. Members of the Mabanaft sales team will be demonstrating the system on their stand to show how it works and the advanced level of reporting that it provides.

One of FAST’s key objectives for 2018 is to engage with customers in terms of highlighting and identifying opportunities that are being missed or not exploited.