Eliminate your blind spot with ScanTank

Founder Abel Noordanus explains how objective tank inspection improves product integrity, operator safety and trust across the supply chain.

Why ScanTank was started

Abel Noordanus is the founder of ScanTank. During his time as tank terminal manager, he identified the need for improved and safe cleanliness inspection of tank trailers and tank containers, which inspired him to start ScanTank in 2023.

In chemical and food production facilities, cleanliness protocols are strictly followed. Operators wear protective gear and product samples are taken at every step. Yet when product is ready to ship, it is often loaded into a tank trailer or tank container without definitive proof that the tank itself is clean.

Current inspection methods have a blind spot because the operator's view through the manhole is not comprehensive, leaving parts of the tank uninspected and creating potential cause for contamination.

There is an important distinction between cleaned and clean. The EFTCO Cleaning Document (ECD) outlines cleaning steps performed—it supports the process, but it is not a certification and does not guarantee the tank's cleanliness on its own.

Shippers expect clean tank trailers and tank containers. The greatest value in the supply chain lies in product integrity and the producer's reputation. ScanTank was developed to eliminate the blind spot and strengthen quality assurance across the chain.

How ScanTank's technology works

ScanTank is an automated camera inspection system that provides an objective view of the interior of tank trailers and tank containers. Real-time AI analysis offers the operator advice on what is being observed.

The license plate or container ID is automatically recognised, and the paper ECD can be scanned. Together with the inspection images, this forms a complete record.

Proof that a truck or container is clean before loading offers significant benefits: poorly cleaned equipment is identified and rejected early, and if a future claim arises, stored images confirm the tank was clean—ruling out that unit as the source of contamination.

Why cleanliness before loading matters

Everyone in this industry knows an ECD alone does not guarantee that a tank is actually clean. Producers work hard to uphold quality standards but often load product into tanks without certainty of cleanliness, which carries contamination risk.

ScanTank eliminates that blind spot by storing a visual record and making it possible to confirm the cleanliness of a specific tank at a specific moment. If contamination occurs, customers can retrieve the ScanTank file and rule out the trailer or container as the root cause.

After scanning more than 50,000 tanks, the effect is visible in daily operations: rejected trucks have declined as cleaning quality improves and carriers know inspections will be thorough.

Safety and operator conditions

With ScanTank, operators and drivers no longer need to position their head above the manhole or enter the tank for a first-pass visual. The system acts as the operator's smart eyes, providing an objective cleanliness check.

That means better working conditions, improved safety around the hatch, and inspections conducted more consistently and objectively.

Where ScanTank is used today

ScanTank systems are mainly deployed at loading stations for chemical and food producers. Discussions are underway with cleaning and depot companies about installing ScanTank at their facilities.

A mobile Cleanliness Inspection module supports inspection just after cleaning or at handover—bringing visual proof earlier in the process and reducing rejections downstream.

Combining structured inspection with cleaning documentation benefits the entire supply chain by reducing contamination risk and preventing rejections at loading stations.

ScanTank's ambition

The goal is to eliminate the supply chain blind spot regarding tank cleanliness and improve safety for operators and drivers in the field.

Linking cleaning documentation with a ScanTank visual record saves time, reduces risk and gives every stakeholder a stronger basis for quality decisions.