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Vessel Size Classification

Vessel Size Classification

It can sometimes be confusing when looking at the various tanker size classifications that are used. Some terms seem to be used interchangeably while others seem only to be used in certain situations. Also, there is often a great deal of overlap between classifications such as Aframax and VLCC. For that reason, we have put together a list of how we define the tankers we track and how we classify them here on the website.

Our primary classification criteria is the tanker’s deadweight (DWT), a measure of a vessel’s carrying capacity, not including the empty weight of the ship. In addition to this, some size-releated criteria sometimes apply based on the areas through which these vessels travel. In the case of Panamax, for example, the length restriction is due to the size of the locks in the Panama Canal.

Name	Minimum DWT	Maximum DWT	Carrying Capacity	Other Criteria
Handysize		40,000	less than 300,000 barrels
Handymax	40,000	60,000	~400,000 barrels
Panamax	60,000	80,000	~500,000 barrels	Length below 275 meters.
Aframax	80,000	120,000	~750,000 barrels
Suezmax	120,000	200,000	~1,000,000 barrels
VLCC	200,000	320,000	~2,000,000 barrels
ULCC	320,000	550,000	up to 4,000,000 barrels

The “Carrying Capacity” numbers above are calculated using the average weight of Crude Oil and represent the typical amount of Crude Oil that we see these tankers carry. Were these vessels to carry product of an API gravity considerably lighter or heavier than Crude Oil, these numbers would no longer be accurate.