Outokumpu has delivered one of the largest orders of 245 tons of Forta LDX 2101 lean duplex stainless steel for the construction of three big oil storage tanks at the Antwerp harbor in Belgium. Each storage tank has a capacity of 4,200 m3 which equals a total of 12,600,000 lts of oil transported to the oil terminal by tanker ships.
The expected service life of the tanks is around 50 to 60 years. The usage of Forta LDX 2101, with inherent qualities of stainless steel, makes the tanks absolutely maintenance free and the strength of duplex stainless steel allows for material and fabrication cost savings and offers good corrosion resistance. The construction of the tanks is taken up by Ivens, which specializes in building and renovation of tanks for the storage of chemicals and fuels with 85 years of experience in construction with different types of materials.
Duplex stainless steel is chosen mainly because of its good price-performance ratio and corrosion resistance. Tank construction is majorly dependent on the material weldability and its quality. The Forta LDX 2101, lean duplex grade is patented and developed by Outokumpu and has a low nickel content of 1.5%.
