petroliers

Petroliers, or petroleum tankers, are cargo ships designed to transport crude oil or refined petroleum products in bulk. They play a central role in global energy logistics, linking oil-producing regions with refineries and consuming markets. Tankers are broadly divided into crude oil tankers, which carry unrefined crude from loading ports to refineries, and product tankers, which transport refined fuels such as gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel. Some ships transport specialized cargoes like bitumen or lubricants, but those are typically handled by other tanker types.

Vessel sizes are measured by deadweight tonnage. Common categories include Handy/Handysize tankers (under about 50,000 DWT), Aframax (roughly 80,000–120,000 DWT), Suezmax (about 120,000–200,000 DWT), Very Large Crude Carriers or VLCC (approximately 200,000–320,000 DWT) and Ultra Large Crude Carriers or ULCC (over about 320,000 DWT). The largest tankers can exceed a length of 350 meters.

Most modern petroliers are double-hulled to reduce the risk of oil spills in case of a hull breach, a design requirement reinforced by international conventions since the 1990s. They use segregated cargo and ballast tanks, robust pumping and piping systems, and diesel propulsion, with some older vessels still in service on steam or dual systems.

Operations are typically conducted under charter, with oil majors or trading houses hiring ships for specific voyages. Routes connect major loading regions such as the Middle East and West Africa with consumer markets in Europe and Asia. The sector is governed by international and flag-state regulations, including MARPOL pollution prevention, ballast-water management, and class society standards for safety and hull integrity.