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| Introduction to Shipping Tanker Classifications |
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Tankers are rated and classified by their size, typically by weight in deadweight metric tons (dwt) as well as carrying capacity and ability to travel through narrow passages such as the Panama Canal. For wet cargo such as oil, Aframax refers to the smallest tanker class. Aframax oil tankers are between 75,000 and 115,000 DWT and take their namesake from the average freight rate assessment (AFRA) scheme. The next size up is the Suezmax, which is the largest size which can traverse the Suez Canal. The Suez sees a karge percentage of ship traffic carrying oil. These vessels typically weigh between 120,000 and 170,000 DWT. |
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Very large crude carriers (VLCCs) are between 170,000 and 320,000 DWT and used to transport wet cargo around the world, from the Middle East Gulf to the Far East, to Northern Europe, to China. Even these behemoth boats have been upsized recently by Ultra large crude carriers (ULCCs) over 400,000 DWT. For dry goods shipping, Capesize is the largest class of tanker. The name derives from the necessary size of the ship so as to be capable of crossing both The Cape of Good Hope and Cape Horn in order to travel between the great oceans of the world. Panamax is the next largest size - the name is a reference to the Panama canal, that is, of a size limited by the 32 meter clearance width in order to pass through the Panama Canal. Handysize carriers are between 28,000 and 40,000 DWT. Moving up to just under Panamax, the Handmax class ranges between 40,000 and 50,000 DWT. |
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Capesize Panamax Handmax Handysize |
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