A tanker is a ship designed to transport

liquids in bulk.

Tankers can range in size of capacity from

several hundred tons, which includes
vessels for servicing small harbours and
coastal settlements, to several hundred
thousand tons, for long-range haulage. A
wide range of products are carried by
tankers.
 Size
• Tankers used for liquid fuels are classified
according to their capacity.
• In 1954 Shell Oil developed the afra
system (average freight rate assessment)
for fiscal reasons. Tankers were divided in
groups of different sizes.
• 10,000–24,999 dwt: General Purpose
tanker
• 25,000–44,999 dwt: Medium Range tanker
• 45,000–79,999 dwt: LR1 (Large Range 1)
• 80,000–159,999 dwt: LR2 (Large Range 2)
• 160,000–319,999 dwt: VLCC (Very Large
Crude Carrier)
• 320,000–549,999 dwt: ULCC (Ultra Large
Crude Carrier)
 The following groups are used for use on
the oil market:
• 10,000 - 60,000 dwt - Product tanker
(Seawaymax)
• 60,000 - 80,000 dwt - Panamax
• 80,000 - 120,000 dwt - Aframax
• 120,000 - 200,000 dwt - Suezmax
• 200,000 - 315,000 dwt - VLCC
(Malaccamax)
• 320,000 - 550,000 dwt - ULCC
The term Seawaymax refers to vessels
which are the maximum size that can fit
through the canal locks of the St Lawrence
Seaway. Seawaymax vessels are 740 feet
in length, 78 feet wide, (maximum 226 m
length, 24 m beam) and have a draft of
26 feet (7.92 m). The size of the locks
limits the size of the ships which can pass
and so limits the size of the cargoes they
can carry.
Ships classified as Panamax are of the
maximum dimensions that will fit through
the locks of the Panama Canal. This size is
determined by the dimensions of the lock
chambers, and the depth of the water in
the canal. Panamax is a significant factor
in the design of cargo ships, with many
ships being built to exactly the maximum
allowable size.
 Panamax is determined principally by the dimensions of
the canal's lock chambers, each of which is 33.53 metres
(110 ft) wide by 320.0 metres (1050 ft) long, and
25.9 metres (85 ft) deep. The usable length of each lock
chamber is 304.8 metres (1000 ft). The available water
depth in the lock chambers varies, but the shallowest
depth is at the south sill of the Pedro Miguel Locks, and
is 12.55 metres (41.2 ft) at a Miraflores Lake level of
16.61 metres (54 feet 6 in). The height of the Bridge of
the Americas at Balboa is the limiting factor on a vessel's
overall height.
• The maximum dimensions allowed for a ship
transiting the canal are:
• Length: 294.1 metres (965 ft)
• Beam (width): 32.3 metres (106 ft)
• Draft: 12.0 metres (39.5 ft) in tropical fresh
water (the salinity and temperature of water
affect its density, and hence how deeply a ship
will sit in the water)
• Height: 57.91 metres (190 ft) measured from
the waterline to the vessel's highest point
• An Aframax ship is an oil tanker with capacity between
80,000 dwt and 120,000 dwt.
• The Aframax class tanker is largely used in the basins of
the Black Sea, the North Sea, the Caribbean Sea, the
China Sea and the Mediterranean. Non-OPEC exporting
countries may require the use of Aframax tankers
because the harbors and canals through which these
countries export their oil are too small to accommodate
VLCC's and ULCC's. The term is based on the Average
Freight Rate Assessment (AFRA) tanker rate system.
• Suezmax is a naval architecture term for the
largest ships capable of fitting through the Suez
Canal fully loaded, and is almost exclusively
used in reference to tankers. Since the canal has
no locks, the only serious limiting factor is draft
(maximum depth below waterline).
• The current channel on the canal allows for 16
m of draft, meaning many supertankers are of
too deep a draft to fit through. Currently, the
canal is being deepened to 18 - 20 m.
Malaccamax is a naval architecture term
for the largest ships capable of fitting
through the Straits of Malacca. The
restriction is caused by the shallow point
on the Strait, where maximum depth is 25
m, 5m deeper than the Sunda Strait 20m
maximum depth. A post malaccamax ship
would need to circumnavigate Australia,
use the Lombok Strait
 Displacement Tonnage:
• The weight of water displaced by a
vessel and contents – ie: cargo,
bunkers, stores, crew, etc – at any
particular time, thus being a variable
figure.
 Light Displacement Tonnage:
• The lightship weight is the actual
weight of an empty ship, and it is this
particular tonnage figure that is
utilised by sale and purchase brokers
when negotiating the disposal of a
vessel for demolition.
 Loaded Displacement Tonnage:
• The weight of a ship and her contents
when laden, this technically being
the total quantity of water displaced
by the vessel when floating at her
loaded draught.
 Deadweight Tonnage(DWT):
• The weight of cargo, water, bunkers and
constant-weights that may be carried
when a vessel is down to her load-line
marks. Since the load-line varies,
depending whether the ship is in a winter,
summer or a tropical zone, it is important
to specify to which condition the figure
applies, although it is normal practice to
utilise summer deadweight when
describing deadweight tonnage.
 Gross Registered Tonnage:
• Is obtained by adding to underdeck
tonnage, permanently enclosed spaces
above the tonnage deck. It is effectively of
the internal volume of the ship. Thus gross
tonnage is utilised as a basic figure for the
calculation of pilotage and towage dues,
as well as for dry-dock fees, and also
forms the base upon which certain
insurance premium is calculated.
1 gross register ton is equal to a volume of 100 cubic feet (2.83m3)
 Nett Registered Tonnage:
• Is a measure of a ship’s freight earning
capacity, and so is the figure usually
employed to assess Port and Light Dues,
etc. It is calculated by deducting from the
gross registered tonnage the capacities of
certain non-cargo carrying spaces, eg:
engine-room, radio-room, crew
accommodation.
Load Lines - Freeboard
Freeboard is the distance measured from the waterline
to the upper edge of the deck plating at the side of the
freeboard deck amidships. The load lines set out the
requirements for a minimum freeboard which must be
indicated on the ship’s side by a special load line mark.

A minimum freeboard is required principally to ensure

that the ship is seaworthy when loaded. The minimum
freeboard provides the ship with a reserve of buoyancy
which enables it to rise as it passes through waves and
thus remain largely dry on its decks. This reserve
buoyancy also improves the vessel’s stability and in the
event of damaged will enable it to remain afloat
indefinitely, or at least for a time, to effect the escape of
the crew.