Hong Kong – Omni Composite Tank (“OCT”) has achieved the world’s first approval of a composite ISO tank container under the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code, enabling the international deep-sea transport of dangerous goods using advanced carbon fibre composite technology. The approval, together with ADR (road) and RID (rail) certification, represents a major advancement in the safe and efficient global transport of chemicals.
The Omni ISO Tank incorporates Omni Tank™ proprietary thermoplastic corrosion barrier technology, combining a seamless Omni Shield™ thermoplastic liner with a carbon fibre composite structure. The design provides exceptional resistance to corrosive chemicals, long-term durability without the need for relining, and significant weight savings compared with conventional steel tanks. The reduced tare weight enables higher payloads across road, rail and sea transport while supporting a broad range of corrosive, toxic, oxidising, high-purity, pharmaceutical and food-grade liquids.
The tanks are manufactured at OCT’s large-scale production facility in Zhuhai, China. With the support of notified body TÜV SÜD, the design was awarded type approval by Germany’s Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM) in June 2026.
The achievement follows more than a decade of technology development, international regulatory changes and strategic investment. Development commenced in 2014, when Omni Tanker began designing a composite ISO tank container for road and rail transport under ADR and RID. At the time, the IMDG Code did not permit composite ISO tank containers for international maritime transport.
Recognising that international deployment would require a new regulatory framework, Omni Tanker joined the United Nations Sub-Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods (UN SCE-TDG) Fibre Reinforced Plastics (FRP) Working Group in 2019, contributing to the development of Chapter 6.9 of the United Nations Model Regulations for FRP Portable Tanks which was adopted in 2021. These regulations were subsequently incorporated into the IMDG Code as Chapter 6.10 in 2022, and into ADR and RID as Chapter 6.9 in 2023, establishing the international regulatory pathway for composite ISO tank containers.
In parallel, OCT established large-scale manufacturing capability in Zhuhai, China, while completing product development, prototype testing and certification of the Omni ISO Tank. Together, these achievements culminated in the world’s first IMDG approval for a composite ISO tank container, establishing a new benchmark for lightweight, corrosion-resistant equipment for the global chemical logistics industry.
Dr Luke Djukic, Director of Global Operations at OCT, said “This approval represents a significant milestone for the global tank container industry. It validates more than a decade of engineering, testing and international collaboration, and demonstrates that advanced composite materials can deliver a safe, light-weight and durable solution for transporting dangerous goods worldwide.”
Daniel Rodgers, Director of OCT, Chief Executive Officer of Omni Tanker and inventor of Omni Tank™ technology, said “Achieving this milestone required more than developing new technology—it required helping establish the international regulatory pathway for its adoption. We are proud to bring this capability to the global market and provide customers with a next-generation solution for chemical transport.”
Mark Evans, Director of OCT and co-owner of McConaghy Boats, said “Our investment in large-scale manufacturing capability means we are ready to supply customers worldwide with this new generation of composite ISO tank containers. This achievement opens significant new opportunities for global growth.”
About Omni Composite Tank
Omni Composite Tank Ltd. (OCT) is a Hong Kong-based joint venture between Omni Tanker and McConaghy Boats. The company combines Omni Tanker’s proprietary composite tank technology with McConaghy’s world-leading advanced composite manufacturing expertise to produce next-generation composite ISO tank containers for global markets.
About Omni Tanker
Founded in 2006, Omni Tanker is an Australian advanced manufacturing company specialising in composite transport and storage solutions for dangerous liquids and gases. The company designs, develops and manufactures specialised tank vessels and road tanker equipment based on its patented Omni Tank™ technology.
About McConaghy Boats
McConaghy Boats is a world-renowned builder of advanced composite racing yachts, multihulls and high-performance composite structures. Backed by Tiger Group, the company has more than 40 years’ experience delivering innovative composite manufacturing solutions to global markets.
