OT scans for Alkion Terminals. Alkion Terminals has several terminals, 9 to be precise, located in 5 European countries. They store chemicals, fuels and niche products in the tanks at the terminals. Alkion needed to have an OT scan of the automation layer performed at 6 of the 9 terminals. We have now performed scans for 5 terminals, resulting in recommendations for the short term and long term.
Need for a better understanding of the terminal assets
Alkion Terminals’ main motivation was to gain a better understanding of the terminal assets. And of course: all the terminals are different and needed an appropriate approach. It was agreed that we would carry out an OT scan at 6 terminals. These scans were intended to provide a detailed picture of the assets. The result? An advisory report containing several recommendations relating to automation. The goal? Optimal business continuity for Alkion Terminals.
The first question: is the industrial automation up-to-date?
Assurance and reliability. That is what Alkion Terminals requires. So they were eager to gain a better picture of their industrial automation. Is the current automation still correct and up-to-date? Were there any Cyber Security risks that had not been identified previously? Are any PLCs outdated, meaning that service and support would be hard to come by?
To analyse this, specialist engineers from DWG were flown in. We started with a scan that accurately assesses the status of the automation layer. This scan is also capable of highlighting any Cyber Security risks that had not yet been identified.
This is what we have done
We have now performed a scan for 5 of the terminals. These scans provide an excellent picture of the automation layer within the terminals. As a result, Alkion can now assess if and when the current hardware needs to be replaced. What if the systems break down? Alkion can accurately predict the consequences of breakdowns based on the scans.
All in all, the scans provide short-term and long-term advice. What are the risks and what actions are needed to improve business continuity?
This process involved multiple DWG experts. On the one hand, E&I engineers with their thorough knowledge of applied hardware and instrumentation. On the other hand, software engineers who contributed their knowledge of PLCs and SCADA. Both DWG disciplines were involved from A to Z: from the initial site visit and performance of the scan to final evaluation with the customer.
Alkion Terminals sees DWG as a pragmatic and goal-oriented collaborative partner. We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the customer and collaborate intensively with the in-house team. Alkion is already very knowledgeable about IT – DWG’s role here was to contribute its extensive knowledge in the field of OT. In addition, Alkion welcomed a fresh look in order to achieve even more assurance. As a result, Alkion’s budget and CAPEX schedule is now even more accurate because the expected hardware and automation investments are clearer.
A pragmatic partner
“We had several good options but in the end we chose DWG, mainly because of the short lines of communication and the pragmatic approach.”
John van Soest, COO Alkion Terminals.
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