Tanker categories

1. Oil Tankers – by size

• Handysize
  Deadweight: 10,000–50,000 DWT
  Use: Short and regional routes, smaller ports.

• MR (Medium Range)
  Deadweight: 45,000–55,000 DWT
  Application: Transportation of petroleum products, regional and medium distances.

• Panamax
  Deadweight: 55,000–80,000 DWT
  Usage: Maximum size for transiting the Panama Canal.

• Aframax
  Deadweight: 80,000–120,000 DWT
  Use: Regional transportation of crude oil, often in Europe and Asia.

• Suezmax
  Deadweight: 120,000–200,000 DWT
  Usage: Maximum size for passage through the Suez Canal.

• VLCC (Very Large Crude Carrier)
  Deadweight: 200,000–320,000 DWT
  Use: Long-distance transport of crude oil between continents.

• ULCC (Ultra Large Crude Carrier)
  Deadweight: 320,000–550,000 DWT
  Use: Largest tankers, limited quantities, transporting huge volumes of oil.

2. Tankers by product transported

• Crude Oil Tankers
  Crude oil transportation.

• Product Tankers
  Transportation of refined products (gasoline, diesel, kerosene, LPG).

• Chemical Tankers
  Transportation of chemicals and special liquids.

• LNG Tankers
  Transport of liquefied natural gas (LNG).

• LPG Tankers
  Transport of liquefied petroleum gases (propane, butane).

• Bitumen/Asphalt Tankers
  Transportation of asphalt and bitumen.

3. Special tankers

• Shuttle Tankers
  Transporting oil from oil platforms to land.

• Bunkering Tankers
  Fueling ships in ports.