With updated CDNI documentation for European inland tanker shipping set to go in effect as of 1 July, software innovator UAB-Online has developed a digital method to help liquid bulk operators complete the attestation of unloading without errors.

Providing  international rules for the proper disposal of gaseous residues, CDNI addresses the important environmental issues around tanker degassing in open air, which include air pollution, health risks, ecosystem damage, and odour nuisance, primarily due to the release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other harmful substances. The CDNI prohibits the practice of open-air degassing for vessels carrying specific hazardous cargoes, particularly those that release harmful VOCs. There are reporting requirements involved meaning ships must maintain records of their waste management practices, including the handling of gaseous emissions, by properly filling out the updated CDNI attestation.

Says Hans Bobeldijk, CEO of UAB-Online: “It’s important to the environment to prevent degassing in open air. The first steps are taken, but we see that the new rules are making the attestation of unloading more complicated, which leads to human errors and discussions between enforcement agencies, barges and terminal operators. For that reason, we have collaborated with key government entities to develop a digital method to fill out the new CDNI unloading declaration easily, error-free and without room for discussions.”

UAB-Online worked with Rijkswaterstaat, the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT), which resides under the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, and Transafe, a leading company specialising in improving health, safety, environment, quality and security-related processes, in developing the digital method of completing the CDNI attestation.

According to Cristiaan Heuvelman, Managing Director from Transafe, “The new digital version of the CDNI documentation significantly enhances the quality of the compliance process. By minimising human error and streamlining the attestation process, it ensures that operators meet environmental standards more effectively, reducing the risk of non-compliance and associated penalties.”

The digital CDNI attestation created by UAB-Online offers numerous benefits to tanker operators including: a format consisting of five simple questions for filling out the CDNI quickly and error-free with links to a prohibited substances table; the ability to prepare CDNI before or during the visit to a terminal; document availability in accordance with the retention period of the CDNI; safeguarded data; automatic sharing with ship and terminal via email with a non-changeable, secure PDF; and the ability to add proof of exclusive transport or compatible cargo directly to the file.