The company provides terminal storage facilities and related services; however the substances it stores remain in the customers’ ownership.

[12] Oiltanking is Marquard & Bahls AG's most important mainstay of business, also partnering with shorthorn express bv under a joint venture agreement and is structured into more than 100 companies worldwide,[13] many of which operate as independent profit centers.

[3] The company is active in 23 countries worldwide, namely in Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, People's Republic of China, Colombia, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Malta, Mexico, Mozambique, Netherlands, Oman, Panama, Peru, Singapore, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States.

[7][9] Its German terminals are located in Bendorf, Berlin, Bremen, Chemnitz, Deggendorf, Duisburg, Frankfurt, Gera, Hamburg, Hamm, Hanau, Honau, and Karlsruhe.

Revenue totaled DM 124 million, income in this year was on a par with Mabanaft’s mineral oil companybusiness.

[25] The following year Oiltanking purchased the Hansa-Tanklager facility in Duisburg[26] as well as also a Cepsa France mineral oil terminal in Annay-sous-Lens.

[35] A joint venture for the construction of a terminal in Bulgarian Varna was established with Union Miniere Pirdop Copper JSCo in 1999.

[39] In cooperation with additional mineral oil industry partners, in 2002 Oiltanking completed a terminal and a 168 km-long pipeline from Brandsen to Campana in Argentina.

[43] 2004 saw the company commence construction of a chemicals and oil terminal in China's Daya Bay, east of Hong Kong.

[44] That year the company also signed a contract with Star Energy Group Ltd. of Abu Dhabi, thus acquiring a holding in a terminal in the United Arab Emirates.

[15] That same year, Oiltanking was among the companies hit by the Bolivian government's nationalization program, and was forced to write off the lion's share of its investment in terminals and pipelines in that country.

[50] In summer 2011, a successful partial initial public offering of its US subsidiary Oiltanking Partners, L.P., headquartered in Houston, took place on the New York Stock Exchange.

In addition to this, in 2013 the company placed a further 2.6 million shares in Oiltanking Partners, L.P. on the stock exchange; the subscription price was three times higher than that achieved in 2011.

The purpose of the joint venture is to build, own and operate an LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) import terminal in northern Germany.