Fears and fundamentals for independent storage operators

The worldwide independent storage business is not immune to downturns in leading economies – but structural trends are expanding demand for terminal operations

AT THE world's main refining centres, independent storage has developed into more than a commodity business. Changing product specifications, new fuels and new users have expanded the market for premium services, while high refinery utilisation has brought more business because region-to-region product imbalances have increased. The big terminal operators say their logistical operations will see them through a downturn in trading volumes, if that should result from the world's economic troubles. But, towards the end of last year, there were forecasts that storage fees would come under pressure in 2009 if volumes should decline significantly. Healthy demand in 2008 So far, however, business g