Vessel · Marine
Crude Oil Tanker
A ship built to carry crude oil in bulk. Its size class depends on how much it carries and which ports and canals it can use.
What it does
Aframax ships of about 80,000 to 120,000 deadweight tons serve many regional routes and terminals. Very large crude carriers (VLCC) carry about 1.9 to 2.2 million barrels and handle long haul trade from deepwater terminals.
Basics
| Aframax | About 80,000 to 120,000 dwt |
| VLCC | About 1.9 to 2.2 million bbl |
| ULCC | About 2 to 3.7 million bbl |
Common failures
- Ship loaded below its capacity because of draft limits at the terminal
Troubleshooting
- Symptom
- Ships cannot load to full capacity
- Likely cause
- Draft limit at the berth or channel
- What to check
- Plan partial loads (at Westridge, Aframax loads are capped near 660,000 bbl)