Ship Type Dictionary Entry
Oil Tanker
"A merchant ship designed for the bulk transport of oil or its products. There are two basic types: crude tankers and product tankers."
Definition
An Oil Tanker is a ship designed to carry liquid fluids in bulk. Major oil tankers carry crude oil from extraction sites to refineries, while product tankers move refined products (petrol, diesel, jet fuel) to consuming markets.
Safety Features
Due to the hazardous nature of their cargo, tankers are highly regulated:
- Double Hull: Mandatory requirement to prevent spills in case of grounding (MARPOL).
- Inert Gas System (IGS): Pumps low-oxygen gas into cargo tanks to prevent explosion.
- Cow (Crude Oil Washing): Uses cargo oil itself to clean tanks, reducing sludge.
Sizes
- Aframax: 80,000 – 120,000 DWT
- Suezmax: 120,000 – 200,000 DWT
- VLCC (Very Large Crude Carrier): 200,000 – 320,000 DWT
- ULCC (Ultra Large Crude Carrier): > 320,000 DWT
Related Terms
MARPOLInert Gas SystemDouble Hull