Loading arm

Both types of loading arms may be mounted on a column or via a plate to an existing wall.

Top loading arms can also be used for tight-fill, vapor recovery, marine and other applications when used with specially designed and engineered components, such as vapor plates, tapered hatch plugs, and inflatable hatch seals.

[1] Depending on the nature of the product (not dangerous, without any toxic vapors...), the connection may be “open”, this means that the manhole is not sealed.

A Marine Loading Arm offers a significant improvement over a hose in the transfer of liquids between vessel and shore because It provides an easier and more ergonomic operation, gives longer service life and permits Emergency Release Action without any spillage of product and without any pollution.

The OCIMF (Oil Companies International Marine Forum) and ASME have established guidelines for matters of strength calculations, working envelope and accessories.

Nowadays marine loading arms can also be built on an independent support frame as is required for LNG and highly corrosive liquids.

This new concept offers many advantages such as the equal distribution of forces on the swivel joints under all conditions, less force within the structure, reduces the weight of the loading arm, and permits larger working envelopes without requiring significantly stronger construction.

The symmetric design is also applicable to marine loading arms requiring an independent support frame.