TANKER CARRIERS
Outsourced back-office operations for tanker carriers
Liquid and dry bulk tanker loads carry washout fees, heel charges, hazmat documentation, and product-specific insurance requirements. We run the desk behind those loads for tanker carriers and the logistics companies that move bulk freight. Invoices go out complete, carrier bills get checked before they are paid, and the receivables get worked instead of quietly aging. A dedicated team does it inside the systems you already run.
THE TANKER BACK OFFICE
Built for liquid and dry bulk freight
Tanker billing carries accessorials that do not exist on dry freight. Washout and tank cleaning fees between loads are a real cost that should be passed through or built into the rate. Heel charges for product remaining in the tank after offloading need to be documented and billed. Hazmat documentation, placarding requirements, tank testing certifications, and product compatibility records all need to be maintained and available.
We handle the post-dispatch workflow: carrier invoice audit with washout and product-specific fee verification, shipper billing with tanker accessorials, compliance documentation tracking, and accounts receivable (AR) follow-up.
Hazmat adds its own layer: shipping papers, placards, and emergency response information have to match the product on every movement, and billing files that cannot produce them slow both payment and audits. Demurrage at loading racks runs by the hour and is only collectible when arrival and release times are documented as they happen. The operations that capture washouts, heels, and rack time consistently are the ones where tanker margins survive the paperwork.
- Carrier invoice audit with washout and heel charge verification
- Shipper billing with tanker-specific accessorials
- Hazmat documentation and placarding record management
- Tank testing and product compatibility record tracking
- AR follow-up and collections
- Carrier compliance with hazmat safety permit, PHMSA registration, and insurance-limit monitoring
↓30%+
DSO Reduction
<24h
POD Chase
Weekly
Reporting
Where does tanker margin leak?
Washout fees not passed through
Tank cleaning between loads of different products is a direct cost that varies significantly by product type and cleaning requirements. A basic rinse may run a few hundred dollars, while a full kosher or food-grade washout can cost significantly more. When the washout invoice comes in after the customer invoice goes out, it becomes a rebill or an absorbed cost. On high-frequency tanker operations, missed washout passthroughs add up over a month.
Heel charges not documented
Product remaining in the tank after offloading (the heel) represents product loss or disposal cost. The heel amount depends on the product viscosity, tank design, and offloading method. When it is not documented at the delivery site and billed to the appropriate party, the carrier absorbs a cost that should be accounted for in the load economics.
Hazmat documentation incomplete
Hazmat loads require specific documentation at every stage. Incomplete records create compliance exposure and can delay payment when customers require full hazmat documentation with the invoice. Assembling that documentation after the fact is slow and error-prone. Complete files attached at billing time keep both the auditor and the customer satisfied.
Product-specific insurance not verified
Different products require different insurance coverage levels. When a partner carrier’s insurance does not match the product requirements, you carry uninsured risk. Coverage verification belongs at dispatch, not at claim time: confirming limits and endorsements per product class before the load moves, and tracking policy changes between loads so yesterday’s approved carrier is still covered today.
Tanker work carries pump, washout, and demurrage charges that rarely make it onto the original rate confirmation. That gap is what the pre-billing revenue recovery audit is built to close. Definitions are in the accessorial charge reference.
How we run your tanker back office
- 1
Discovery
We document your product roster, washout requirements between product types, hazmat documentation needs, and the billing rules for each customer.
- 2
Onboarding
Training covers your product types, washout schedules, hazmat documentation requirements, and customer billing rules. Go-live is about 2 to 3 weeks.
- 3
Ongoing operations
Carrier invoice audit, shipper billing with tanker accessorials, compliance documentation management, and AR follow-up on every load.
- 4
You scale
More products, more lanes, more washout complexity. The back office keeps up without new hires.
Back-office services for tanker carriers
Tank freight bills differently: demurrage clocks, washouts, heels, product transfers. A dedicated team makes sure each one reaches the invoice.
Document processing and POD retrieval
Learn more →Loading tickets, washout receipts, weight tickets, hazmat paperwork, signed PODs. Drivers hand them over once; after that they’re indexed to the load and ready wherever billing or a customer audit needs them.
Billing support and invoice preparation
Learn more →Demurrage billed from actual clock times, washouts from receipts, product transfers per the rate confirmation. The invoice goes out the day the delivery closes, formatted and submitted the way each customer requires.
Accounts receivable (AR) management and collections
Learn more →Tank customers run long terms and tight disputes. Receivables get worked on a standing cadence, disputes get the ticket copies that settle them, and anything sliding toward write-off reaches you first.
Pre-billing revenue recovery
Learn more →If ClearLane operates your billing, loads pass a final audit before invoicing: demurrage against the clock, washouts against receipts, every accessorial against the confirmation. The fee is tied to what gets recovered.
Bookkeeping
Learn more →Fuel cards, maintenance, wash bills: a dedicated bookkeeper reconciles the accounts, categorizes the spend, records accounts payable and accounts receivable, and closes each month. Your CPA keeps the taxes.
Ownership and transaction reporting
Learn more →Owners and lenders see the fleet’s numbers on schedule: weekly, monthly, or quarterly, per your SOP, from books that reconcile. Combined statements where operations span entities.
What tanker operations get back
The result is a back office that handles the complexity your freight demands:
- Washout and tank cleaning fees captured and passed through
- Heel charges documented and billed
- Hazmat documentation complete and organized
- Tank testing and product compatibility records tracked
- Carrier invoices audited for tanker-specific charges
- Consistent AR follow-up on tanker invoices
Works inside the systems you already run
We work inside the TMS platforms you already use for tanker dispatch, billing, and compliance, with no migration and no new software to learn.
Frequently asked questions
Can ClearLane handle washout fee billing for tanker carriers?
Yes. We track washout and tank cleaning invoices, match them to the correct shipment, and include them on the customer invoice as a documented passthrough or built-in cost, depending on your billing structure.
Do you track hazmat compliance documentation?
We manage the documentation side: hazmat shipping papers, placarding records, tank testing certifications, and product compatibility records. The regulatory compliance decisions remain with your operations team, but the documentation stays organized and available.
What does tanker carrier back-office support include?
Tanker back-office support covers carrier invoice audit with washout and heel charge verification, shipper billing with tanker-specific accessorials, hazmat and compliance documentation management, and AR follow-up.
How much does outsourced tanker back-office support cost?
Pricing is scoped to the functions you hand off and the team that work needs, including your product complexity, and resized as volume changes rather than metered per load. Book a 20-minute call and we will scope the right package for your tanker operation.
Will this work with our existing tanker TMS?
Yes. TMW, McLeod, and other dispatch systems used in liquid and dry bulk are all platforms we work inside. Billing, washout tracking, and compliance documentation run through your existing system.
How do you handle product compatibility and tank sequencing?
We track product compatibility records and washout requirements between loads. When a load requires a dedicated or food-grade tank, the billing reflects the correct equipment type and any washout or preparation charges. The compliance documentation for product compatibility is maintained per tank and per load.
Related services
Pre-Billing Revenue Audit
Learn more →Capture washout fees and heel charges before invoicing.
Carrier Compliance
Learn more →Keep your hazmat safety permit, PHMSA registration, and insurance limits current for the products you haul (49 CFR 387.9 minimums).
AR Management
Learn more →Follow-up on tanker invoices.
Bookkeeping
Learn more →Settlement and books kept current as you scale.
Get Started
See how we can help your tanker operation
Most tanker clients start with carrier invoice audit and hazmat documentation, then grow into full back-office management.