04.12.2025 - 09:00:00

Spotlight Day on Liquid Bulk Logistics

In line with the event motto ‘Innovations for efficiency, safety and sustainability in inland waterway transport and tank storage’, the CoboTank research project will be concluded in the presence of representatives from the Federal and State Ministries of Transport and relevant industry representatives.

To mark the completion of their CoboTank research project, Port of Hamburg Marketing and DST – Development Centre for Ship Technology and Transport Systems, together with the entire project consortium, will host the Spotlight Day on Liquid Bulk Logistics at the DST premises in Duisburg on 4 December 2025.

The chemical industry is one of Germany's three most important industries. Liquid goods such as chemicals and petroleum products are produced, processed, and delivered here. Inland waterway transport plays a central role as it accounts for half of all liquid goods transport in the country. The most important transshipment points for chemical products and mineral oils are located on the major waterways. Despite its economic weight, the industry faces challenges such as global competition, changes in the product portfolio, the transition to climate neutrality, a steadily exacerbating shortage of skilled workers, and the potential offered by automation and digitalisation. Under the event motto ‘Innovations for efficiency, safety and sustainability in inland waterway transport and tank storage’, this event will give a voice to representatives from politics, cargo owning industries, tank storage industry, inland tank shipping companies, and research & development, who will present their respective perspectives.

In addition, the CoboTank research project, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Transport in the IHATEC II funding programme, will present its final results, in particular its numerous technical demonstrators, at this event. Under the leadership of a tank storage company and an inland tank shipping company, and with the support of the relevant industry associations and research partners, various collaborative and automated robot systems to support the loading process of inland tankers were developed and tested over the project period. In addition, the findings from the accompanying research, such as stress analysis and market analysis, will be presented.

The research project thus demonstrates the great innovative strength of the market segment of liquid bulk logistics and addresses an important interface between automation efforts on the vessel side and the great innovation potential on the land side.

Admission to the (German-language) event is free. Advance registration is required and can be completed at the following link:
https://portnet.hafen-hamburg.de/eventonline/event.aspx?contextId=8887782FF6B249E65A1C72A1CEC4576D&event=0x064CE05526F94DFBA8BDB1976CF03038&language=de

Contact persons:
Marvin Budde, Phone: 0203 / 99 369 76, Mail: budde@dst-org.de
Cyril Alias, Phone: 0203 / 99 369 52, Mail: alias@dst-org.de

(Photos: DST)