Low Water Levels Are Reshaping Barge Logistics in Europe

River-based logistics are facing a critical disruption across Europe. Inland barge transport, long considered a cost-effective and environmentally friendly mode of moving liquid bulk cargo, is being tested by the increasing occurrence of low water levels.

Traditionally, water levels fluctuate within manageable seasonal cycles. However, due to changing weather patterns and reduced rainfall in key regions, we are now observing sustained periods of low water. These conditions reduce the draft available for barges, effectively limiting their capacity and increasing the number of trips needed to move the same volume of product.

This shift has created a ripple effect across terminal operations. More barges on the water mean longer wait times, increased congestion at port entry points, and tighter scheduling demands for loading and unloading windows. From a cost perspective, efficiency drops while operational complexity rises. Additionally, the environmental promise of barge transport diminishes if more vessels are needed to complete the same job.

Terminal operators, shippers, and logistics providers must now reevaluate route planning, fleet management, and inventory cycles. Contingency planning becomes critical. Investments in data-driven water level monitoring, flexible routing, and modal diversification (e.g., shifting to rail or pipeline where possible) could become competitive differentiators.

What was once a stable and reliable mode of transport now requires active management and risk mitigation. Climate variability is no longer just a weather issue—it’s a logistics issue.

Are your inland logistics and terminal assets ready to handle prolonged water-related disruptions?

What’s next?

Are you ready to face your challenges head-on?

We now offer a FREE customized trial to our BargeINSIGHTS tool, an all-in-one platform for liquid bulk barge transport optimization.

With BargeINSIGHTS, you get instant insights into barge freight rates, bunker gas oil prices, water levels, vessel tracking, and barge availability—all in one place. No more time-consuming data collection; everything you need is at your fingertips.

Click here to schedule your demo and get access to BargeINSIGHTS for free!

Are Europe’s Refineries Losing the Global Race?

Europe’s refining sector is under significant strain. With margins being compressed by rising operational costs and declining demand, European refiners are finding it increasingly difficult to compete with newer, more efficient facilities in other parts of the world.

Regions like the United States, India, and the Middle East benefit from cheaper crude feedstock, lower energy prices, and newer infrastructure. This allows them to weather market volatility and absorb price shocks more effectively than their European counterparts. In contrast, many European refineries operate on legacy infrastructure with higher energy and compliance costs, and reduced flexibility in processing varied crude slates.

Adding to the pressure, massive new refineries have come online in the last two years in regions like the Middle East, Latin America, and West Africa. These facilities boast higher complexity, modern configurations, and large production capacities. Their scale and integration enable superior cost-efficiency and product yields compared to aging European plants.

Take Shell Pernis, for example — Europe’s largest refinery. Despite its size and history, it now faces stiff competition from newer facilities that can operate at a fraction of the cost with superior output flexibility. This changing landscape threatens to erode Europe’s historical position as a refining powerhouse.

Strategic Implications: European refiners must rethink their business models. Options include investing in modernization, pivoting toward specialty products and biofuels, or transitioning assets toward import/export and storage hubs. Collaborating with terminals and traders could open up new value streams in the logistics ecosystem.

The refining map is being redrawn. If Europe doesn’t adapt, it risks losing more than margin — it could lose its relevance in the global energy equation.

Now is the time to assess competitiveness and define a long-term strategic pathway for your refining assets.

What’s next?

Are you ready to face your challenges head-on?

We now offer a FREE customized trial to our BargeINSIGHTS tool, an all-in-one platform for liquid bulk barge transport optimization.

With BargeINSIGHTS, you get instant insights into barge freight rates, bunker gas oil prices, water levels, vessel tracking, and barge availability—all in one place. No more time-consuming data collection; everything you need is at your fingertips.

Click here to schedule your demo and get access to BargeINSIGHTS for free!

Europe’s Fuel Demand Is on the Decline — What Comes Next?

Northern Europe is experiencing a steady decline in diesel demand, with reductions of 1–3% annually. While gasoline demand has remained relatively stable, it too is projected to decline as electrification and environmental regulations reshape transportation and energy use.

Several interlinked factors are contributing to this structural shift. First, the rapid electrification of vehicle fleets across the continent is a major driver. Countries in Northeast Europe are particularly aggressive in phasing out internal combustion engines in favor of electric vehicles (EVs), spurred on by generous subsidies and evolving infrastructure. Secondly, stringent EU emissions targets are making fossil fuels less viable, with penalties for exceeding carbon thresholds and incentives for cleaner alternatives.

These changes directly impact stakeholders across the liquid bulk supply chain. Terminal operators and distributors must reconsider long-term storage and blending strategies. If diesel and gasoline volumes drop steadily, the throughput models on which many tank farms were built will need to be recalibrated. At the same time, refiners must adapt their product slates to align with shifting demand profiles, and possibly integrate biofuels or e-fuels into their operations.

Moreover, these trends introduce uncertainty in fuel pricing, infrastructure investments, and asset utilization. Storage economics may shift, making some assets less viable while increasing demand for more versatile or modular infrastructure. Logistics providers and port authorities will also need to align with evolving modal mixes and regulatory frameworks.

Looking ahead, the declining demand for traditional fuels may create new opportunities in alternative energy storage and distribution. Terminals that embrace this transition early could become regional leaders in hydrogen, ammonia, or battery storage infrastructure.

This isn’t merely a fluctuation—it’s a long-term transformation. Companies that act now to future-proof their operations will be best positioned for profitability and relevance in a decarbonized Europe.

Is your organization prepared for a fuel mix dominated by low-carbon alternatives? Now is the time to assess your asset strategy and market positioning.

What’s next?

Are you ready to face your challenges head-on?

We now offer a FREE customized trial to our BargeINSIGHTS tool, an all-in-one platform for liquid bulk barge transport optimization.

With BargeINSIGHTS, you get instant insights into barge freight rates, bunker gas oil prices, water levels, vessel tracking, and barge availability—all in one place. No more time-consuming data collection; everything you need is at your fingertips.

Click here to schedule your demo and get access to BargeINSIGHTS for free!

European refining margins lagging, more closures expected?

As of April 2025, Europe’s refining industry is navigating a landscape of further diminishing margins, influenced by a combination of economic pressures, policy shifts, and global competition. This downturn is prompting significant strategic adjustments within the sector, which is already coping with various closures seen in the past months and more to come for 2025 and beyond.

Current State of European Refining Margins

In 2024, European refining margins experienced a notable decline. Northwest Europe’s ultra-low sulphur diesel margins, for instance, decreased from $42 per barrel in 2022 to $29.71 per barrel in 2023. Its cracking margins remained on low levels during 2023 and 2024 which means the region could no longer remain competitive compared to other key regions. This downward trend is also attributed to factors such as reduced local European demand due to the energy transition and electrification, increasing competition from new refineries worldwide, and elevated operating costs stemming from stricter emissions regulations. ​

Potential Consequences

The sustained pressure on margins is leading to significant restructuring. For example, ExxonMobil announced plans to downsize operations at its Port-Jerome complex in France while BP is scaling back its Gelsenkirchen refinery in Germany by a third (and open for interested buyers to acquire the facility). Ineos will shut down its Grangemouth refining this spring and Shell has turned off the crude distillation units at its Rheinland Wesseling site in March, which could drop total refining capacity in the Northwest European region by 650.000 bpd. This could weaken the European competitiveness of the region and increases its reliance on imports from other regions, increasing vulnerability to and volatility of prices, product availability and importance of the supply chain.

The introduction of tariffs and changing trade policies are reshaping global oil flows. European refiners may find opportunities in markets previously dominated by U.S. exports, but also face heightened competition from new refineries in regions like West Africa (Nigeria, Angola) and Latin America (Mexico, Argentina). This is already leading to a downturn in gasoline export out of key hubs in ARA and a steady flow of (more cost-effective) jet fuel from Nigeria’s Dangote refinery to the US Gulf Coast.

European refiners are increasingly investing in renewable energy projects to align with the energy transition. However, falling profits are testing the viability of these green initiatives, with various projects facing delays or cancellations due to economic constraints. ​The latest examples include postponing SAF production by BP in its Spanish refinery and various (green) hydrogen initiatives in the region.

In conclusion, Europe’s refining sector is at a pivotal juncture, contending with declining margins and the obligation to adapt to a rapidly evolving global energy landscape.  Strategic decisions made now will be crucial in determining the future resilience and competitiveness of the industry.

Barge volumes, prices, & disruption: navigating the impact of NW Europe refinery closures

Refinery closures in North-West Europe are triggering significant shifts across the liquid bulk supply chain. With capacity reductions and structural changes taking place, market participants are facing growing uncertainty in product availability, trade flows, and barge utilization.

The outlook for European liquid bulk logistics sector in 2025

The European liquid bulk sector, consisting of tank storage, tanker vessel and barging transport logistics, is dependent on global trade and is therefore influenced by geopolitics. Looking at current developments we conclude that there is a shift from globalization to global competition. The three major economic blocks, the US, China and the EU, are increasingly competing for economic power. In this race the EU is falling behind. The reason for this lag in economic development can be attributed to high energy prices, a strategic dependence on imports of critical raw materials, a poor track record of breeding high value innovative technology companies, and complicated, slow and indecisive decision making processes in the EU Council.

The report on EU competitiveness made by Draghi pinpoints three transformations that are needed to increase competitiveness: accelerate innovation and find new growth engines, bring down high energy prices while continuing to decarbonise, and cope with instable geopolitics by reducing dependencies and increasing defence investments. For Energy Intensive Industries and the transport sectors in Europe the report formulates a number measures along this line. Generally speaking the measures aimed at combatting high energy prices, aimed at supporting the automotive sector and aimed at spurring investments in chemical business and hydrogen are positive for tank storage and liquid bulk transport companies as business in chemical industries is supported. Hopefully these measures will be a priority for the European Commission and the European Council in the months and years to come. Much is at stake: our wealth, independence and way-of-life are under threat!

Short term market fundamentals are less favourable for tank storage and tanker transport markets. Oil prices are less volatile and the market is in backwardation. Natural gas prices are about four times as high compared to US markets leading to high marginal cost levels compared to other major competing regions. Petroleum refining and steam cracking margins are also depressed. The bearish market sentiment has translated into a lot of announced closures in Europe. Refineries and chemical plants across the continent are closing operations in a push to rationalize capacity. The effect on business is negative as this means less transport volumes and thus less need for tank storage capacity and shipping capacity. Our research has already confirmed decreasing tank storage rates and freight rates compared to previous periods. 2025 is set to become a difficult year for the liquid bulk supply chains and logistical operators in Europe.

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Patrick Kulsen’s exclusive interview with Inspenet: a deep dive into Insights Global’s market expansion

We are excited to announce that Insights Global is featured in an exclusive interview with Inspenet. This interview provides an in-depth look at our strategic initiatives, market insights, and our plans for expanding our presence in the U.S. market. Learn from our experts as they discuss the future of the liquid bulk and terminal industry, and how our advanced data-driven solutions are shaping the landscape. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain valuable knowledge and stay ahead in the industry.

In this interview, Patrick, our Managing Director, delves into the evolution of our company from its European origins to becoming a global leader. He shares insights on our commitment to innovation, the challenges and opportunities in the liquid bulk sector, and our vision for the future. This candid conversation is a must-watch for anyone looking to understand the dynamics of the industry and how we are positioning ourselves to provide unparalleled value to our clients worldwide.

Watch the interview here.

The impact of changing supply and demand balances on tank terminals

Covid-19 also has effects on tank terminals: As soon as the true scope of the Covid-19 pandemic became apparent, the oil market shifted from a backwardated market into a deep contango. Needless to say, this contango immediately led to a significant increase in demand for tank storage.

As the world is slowly emerging from the Covid-19 pandemic, it is safe to say that the corona virus has had a profound impact on nearly every aspect of our daily lives. Besides the more visible effects on public health, society, and transportation, Covid-19 also sent a shockwave through the global economy.

This shockwave also had its effects on tank terminals: As soon as the true scope of the Covid-19 pandemic became apparent, the oil market shifted from a backwardated market into a deep contango. Needless to say, this contango immediately led to a significant increase in demand for tank storage.

The road less traveled?

The demand for road and jet fuels has been affected most by the Covid-19 pandemic. While the short-term effects of national lockdowns on demand for fuels are relatively straightforward (fuel consumption is strongly linked with people’s mobility patterns), it will be the longer-term effects that are the most interesting to keep an eye on.

Large corporations like banks, IT companies, and insurers are already preparing for a ‘new normal,’ where their staff will work more from home after Covid-19 than they did before (source). As people will commute less to their offices, a decline in overall car traffic volume could be expected. Together with the ongoing electrification of road vehicles, we expect that the current surplus for gasoline will increase further.

When we take a look at diesel consumption, reversed dieselization of passenger cars will lead to a faster decline than we will see for gasoline. That being said, because the electrification of trucks is not expected to happen in the coming years, there will still be a large volume of diesel consumption left. 

For jet fuel, we forecast that the current deficit for North-Western Europe will grow at a slower pace. While it is expected air travel will largely recover, analysts forecast it will take at least towards 2023 until air travel is back at pre-pandemic levels (source).

Electric vehicles

Over the past few years, the market for electric mobility has seen incredible growth. In 2019, the global electric car fleet exceeded 7.2 million, up 2 million from the previous year. With more and more electric car models being introduced to the market and charging infrastructure improving, this strong growth is only expected to increase. The IEA estimates that by 2030, there will be over 250 million electric vehicles (excluding three/two-wheelers) on the world’s roads. According to the IEA, the projected growth in the Sustainable Development Scenario of electric vehicles would cut oil products by 4.2 million barrels/day. (source)

While battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are considered the preferred solution for short-distance and light vehicles (passenger cars, delivery vans) because of their high energy efficiency, their batteries have a limited energy density compared to traditional fuels. This means that for vehicles with high power demands, such as ocean liners, long-haul trucks, and airplanes, batteries are highly impractical. 

Alternative fuels

With an energy density that’s comparable to fossil fuels, e-fuels and green hydrogen are poised to play a crucial role in our transition to sustainable mobility. E-fuels are produced by electrolyzing water, creating hydrogen and oxygen. While hydrogen gas in itself is an excellent renewable energy carrier, it can be synthesized further with carbon dioxide or nitrogen into more stable and easier to handle e-fuels. When using electricity from renewable sources and circular carbon dioxide (such as direct capture from the air), net emissions are close to zero.

While this process’s overall energy efficiency is lower than that of chemical batteries used in BEVs, the much higher energy density of e-fuels makes them much better suited for applications with high power demands, like shipping, trucking, and aviation.

Circular economy

As the call for reducing plastic waste gets louder and louder, the concept of circular economy is gaining traction. While the market for recycled plastics is growing rapidly and will have its effect on the demand for chemicals, it is not foreseen yet that consumption of virgin material will decrease the coming years.

What’s next?

It is clear that both the covid-19 pandemic as well as the transition to sustainable fuel sources will greatly impact the tank storage terminals. The market outlook for the oil and chemical industry will see significant shifts in supply and demand, while the Covid-19 pandemic only adds further complexities to the market. That’s why market intelligence should be on the radar of every terminal operator. During our regular Market Update webinars, we offer our expert outlook on supply, demand, and trade flows and their impact on tank storage demand.

Do you want to make sure that you never miss out on important market updates? Sign up for the next webinar today, so that you are better prepared for what tomorrow will bring.

5 New Growth Markets for Tank Terminals

In this blog, we will take a close look at five alternative fuel candidates that promise to change the tank terminal landscape as we know it today.

As the world slowly but surely is going into an energy transition, new growth markets for tank terminals are emerging. As the demand for traditional fuels as diesel and gasoline will decline in the coming decades, new liquid bulk alternatives are currently being developed to take their places.

In this blog, we will take a close look at five alternative fuel candidates that promise to change the tank terminal landscape as we know it today.

The road towards sustainability

To meet the ambitious goals set out in the Paris Climate Agreement, signatory governments have pledged to drastically cut emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gasses and work towards a carbon-neutral economy.

In Europe, sectors like agriculture and industry have since made ample progress in cutting emissions. Yet the transport sector is lagging behind. Considering transport accounts for 23 percent of global CO2 emissions, significant efforts need to be made to reduce the environmental footprint of our trucks, boats, and airplanes. 

Thanks to advances in renewable energy sources, such as wind turbines and solar panels, we can generate vast amounts of energy in a sustainable way. The biggest challenge ahead of us is storing that energy for when it’s needed and carrying the energy to where it’s needed.

While battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are considered the preferred solution for short-distance and light vehicles (passenger cars, delivery vans) because of their high energy efficiency, their batteries have a limited energy density compared to traditional fuels. This means that for vehicles with high power demands, such as ocean liners, long-haul trucks, and airplanes, batteries are highly impractical. 

Future Fuels

With an energy density that’s comparable to fossil fuels, e-fuels and green hydrogen are poised to play a crucial role in our transition to sustainable mobility. E-fuels are produced by electrolyzing water, creating hydrogen and oxygen. While hydrogen gas in itself is an excellent renewable energy carrier, it can be synthesized further with carbon dioxide or nitrogen into more stable and easier to handle e-fuels. When using electricity from renewable sources and circular carbon dioxide (such as direct capture from the air), net emissions are close to zero.

While this process’s overall energy efficiency is lower than that of chemical batteries used in BEVs, the much higher energy density of e-fuels makes them much better suited for applications with high power demands, like shipping, trucking, and aviation.

Methanol

Feedstocks for methanol are green hydrogen, CO2, and electricity. Traditionally, these kinds of synthesizing processes use fossil fuels for their CO2 source, but they can be made almost carbon neutral by capturing the CO2 from the atmosphere. 

As methanol is a liquid and does not need to be compressed or chilled for storage and transport, it’s very suitable as a fuel. The energy density of methanol is relatively low compared to E-diesel and E-kerosine. Still, from an economic point of view (cost per GJ fuel energy), methanol has a lot of potential as a fuel for shipping and trucking operations.

E-Diesel

Like Methanol, E-diesel is also produced from green hydrogen and CO2. A Fischer-Tropsch process is required for the synthesis, with an efficiency of up to 69%. Like methanol, e-diesel is easily stored and transported. No modification is needed for existing diesel vehicles, making e-diesel an excellent replacement for fossil diesel applications.

Ammonia

Synthesized ammonia (NH3) consists of green hydrogen and nitrogen extracted from the atmosphere. The synthesis of hydrogen and nitrogen takes place in a Haber-Bosch reactor and can achieve yields of up to 70%.

Production of ammonia is relatively straightforward and easily scalable, but it has to be stored and transported under either cooled or compressed conditions. This requires relatively large tanks, making ammonia only a feasible option for large ocean-going vessels.

E-Kerosine

With a similar process to E-diesel, E-kerosene is produced by combining hydrogen and CO2 through a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. Compared to other e-fuels, synthesizing e-kerosine is quite expensive. Still, its high energy density and compatibility with existing jet engines make it the only viable e-fuel for aviation.

(Green) hydrogen

Green hydrogen (H2) is made by electrolyzing H2O (water) using green electricity. As electricity is the ‘main ingredient’ of green hydrogen, it’s an excellent energy carrier to store excess energy production from renewable sources like solar and wind. This way, hydrogen gas can act as a ‘battery’ to store electricity production during off-peak hours (let’s say, a windy and sunny Sunday afternoon). 

Because storage and transportation of hydrogen must be done either compressed or cryogenic, it is less suitable for long-haul transport applications like oceanic shipping. However, as green hydrogen is a key feedstock for other e-fuels, its importance to future supply chains for renewable fuels cannot be understated.

What’s next?

It is clear that the transition to sustainable fuel sources will greatly impact the tank storage terminals. That’s why market intelligence should be on the radar of every terminal operator. During our regular Market Update webinars, we offer our expert outlook on supply, demand, and trade flows and their impact on tank storage demand. 

Do you want to make sure that you never miss out on important market updates? Sign up for the next webinar today, so that you are better prepared for what tomorrow will bring.

5 Reasons you should invest in a tank terminal

Is investing in a tank terminal something you should consider? While in most cases the answer will be a sounding ‘yes,’ it will pay dividends to first learn more about the exciting world of tank terminals. Let’s take a look at the top 5 reasons why you should invest in a tank terminal.

We often see investors flocking to lower-risk investments during economic uncertainty, such as government bonds, real estate, and infrastructure. Therefore, it’s hardly surprising that we are seeing a significant uptick in interest for tank terminals investments.

Is investing in a tank terminal also something you should consider? While in most cases the answer will be a sounding ‘yes,’ it will pay dividends to first learn more about the exciting world of tank terminals. Let’s take a look at the top 5 reasons why you should invest in a tank terminal.

1. Tank terminals have typically always been a very profitable industry, with high return of investments and a low-risk profile

When we take a look at the profitability of tank storage companies over the past decades, they show in general very positive numbers. For example, Vopak, the worldwide market leader in tank terminals, has consistently demonstrated high EBITDA and EBIT percentages over the last 15 years; an excellent track record that most companies from other sectors can only dream of.

2. Tank terminals benefit from gross trade and product imbalances

As our national economies become more intertwined, gross trade keeps growing consistently. For some sectors, this increased gross trade and consequent product imbalances cause challenges. Because tank terminals are key in facilitating gross trade and correcting product imbalances, an increase in gross trade actually presents new business opportunities.

3. By using tank terminals as ‘forward stocking’ locations, products owners can save a considerable amount of supply chains costs

Tank terminals are not just about storage; smart product owners know that they can also leverage them as forward stocking locations.

Let’s say there is a South African refinery that has contracts in place with 20 European customers, selling them 10 tons of product per year each. The refinery could choose to ship 20 times 10t of product from South Africa to its individual customers in Europe. However, a smart product owner will ship the 200t of products to Europe in a single load, rent a tank in the region, and distribute the product when the customers need it. The cost advantage of the second option is huge; keep in mind that vessel costs are much higher than storage costs.

As pressure on supply chains to become more efficient is constantly rising, this forward stocking function of terminals will only become more important in the future.

4. As GDP is expected to keep on growing, it is also likely that gross trade keeps on growing

Historically speaking, there has always been a strong correlation between GDP and gross trade. If we take chemicals as an example, we have seen that historical chemical consumption growth percentages routinely exceed the GDP growth percentages. The main reason is that chemicals are heavily integrated into our daily lives and that chemicals have replaced other materials like wood, steel, paper, and glass.

5. Tank terminals are part of the supply chain of different value chains, like oil, gas, chemicals, and vegetable oils.

The location of a terminal is a very critical factor in determining the attractiveness of a terminal; if a terminal is located close to the sea is on average more attractive compared to more inland located terminals, as it saves time from marine vessels’ perspective and larger vessels can access the terminal.

What’s next?

These top 5 reasons are just the start. To become a successful investor in the tank terminal industry, there is still much more to learn. 

Download our whitepaper “What you must know before investing in tank terminals.”

5 biggest pitfalls to burn money in tank terminal investments

The tank terminal market is very fragmented, with more than a thousand terminal operators and five thousand terminals worldwide. Furthermore, the market dynamics these terminals operate within can be quite complex, making it hard for investors to assess the true value of a prospective asset. In this blog, we’d like to present you with the 5 biggest pitfalls to burn money in terminal investments.

Tank terminals are considered infrastructure assets with a low-risk profile that generate stable revenue streams. Therefore, it’s hardly surprising that we see a significant uptick in interest for tank terminals investments during these uncertain economic times.However, we have also seen even seasoned investors getting lost in the world of tank terminals.

The tank terminal market is very fragmented, with more than a thousand terminal operators and five thousand terminals worldwide. Furthermore, the market dynamics these terminals operate within can be quite complex, making it hard for investors to assess the true value of a prospective asset.

In this blog, we’d like to present you with the 5 biggest pitfalls to burn money in terminal investments. 

1. Lacking knowledge

When assessing the market worth for a tank terminal, only looking at the bottom line will not be enough. Competitive value comes from collecting and understanding data on a terminal’s location, infrastructure, activity level, et cetera. 

That’s why it’s key to get access to industry-specific knowledge and get a complete picture of the asset you are interested in.

2. Paying a price which is too high

Given the complexity and dynamic of the Tank terminal industry, make sure you have a solid understanding of the key performance indicators of the terminal. What are the throughput levels? What are excess throughput levels? How are contracts being structured? What are the occupancy rates of the jetties?

Only if and when you partner with an advisor who understands the industry and will provide you with the essential and detailed insights, you can build your investment case and valuation model, minimizing the risk of bidding too high.

3. Lacking an exit plan

Even though this is true for all sorts of investments, you’ll need to pair a sound investment plan with a solid divestment strategy. Knowing when to sell is just as valuable as knowing when to buy. When market dynamics are changing and divestment of your assets is the smart move to make, a solid exit strategy is invaluable when it’s time to act.

4. Low probability of winning the bid

Being a successful investor is not only about being able to identify a good investment opportunity; it’s also about knowing when to pass on a bid. 

If there is too much competition or if you expect you will be willing to pay the expected price, it is better to exit the process at an early stage. By using a phased approach, you’ll never end up investing a tremendous amount of time and money on a bid that would never be successful.

5. Expecting high returns for low-risk investment

You can’t have your cake and eat it, too. While investments in infrastructure assets like storage terminals are often a great addition to your investment portfolio, be sure to have realistic expectations of your return on investment. While it may seem a bit ‘boring’ in the world of stock shorting, high-frequency trading and venture capital, investing in tank terminals is considered a low-risk investment with respectable returns.

What’s next?

Now you know what you shouldn’t do, you might want to know what you should do to become a successful investor in the tank terminal industry. 

Download our whitepaper “What you must know before investing in tank terminals.”