Capacity and time
Check whether rent is based on contracted capacity, occupied volume or another agreed basis. Record the unit, billing period and minimum term. Ask whether unused capacity affects the commitment.
Product movements
Receipt, dispatch, tank-to-tank transfer and additional throughput may be priced separately. Confirm the movements included in the base quotation and the basis for any additional charge.
Additional services
Heating, blending, circulation, sampling and testing can add cost where required. Ask about setup charges, energy assumptions and tax treatment. Use written inclusions and exclusions when comparing proposals.
Build the cost comparison from a shared scenario
Write down capacity, units, storage period, expected receipts and dispatches and additional service requirements before entering rates. Keep an unknown charge blank until clarified; entering zero would imply that the item is included or waived. Compare quotations in the same currency or obtain an explicit conversion basis outside the worksheet. A subtotal is only as complete as the charges supplied.
- Capacity charge: identify the unit and charging period.
- Movement charges: identify the activity and quoted basis.
- Minimums and exclusions: record them beside the total.
Test what happens when the plan changes
Ask how the proposal treats a delayed arrival, longer holding period, extra movement or unused capacity. These questions expose differences that a headline rate cannot show. Use the expected case and one plausible changed scenario when reviewing the commitment. The worksheet does not supply market prices or interpret contractual conditions; request written clarification where the quote is incomplete.
Record the decision and the remaining conditions
Keep the quote reference, date, assumptions, stated total and unresolved questions together. A cheaper quote with an unconfirmed operational condition may not be comparable with a complete proposal. Review the commercial and operational conclusions before proceeding, and preserve the final accepted scope for the contract and cargo handover.