Lightering
Meaning
Lightering is transferring part of a large tanker's cargo to smaller ships so it can enter a port too shallow for it fully laden.
Also written as Lightering operations, Reverse lightering
Lightering explained
The US Gulf is the classic lightering area: VLCCs and Suezmaxes discharge offshore into Aframaxes that shuttle the crude into the ports. Reverse lightering does the opposite, filling a VLCC offshore from smaller ships to export US crude.
Lightering costs and time are usually for the charterer's account and should be covered in the recap.
Related terms
Ship-to-ship transfer
A ship-to-ship (STS) transfer moves cargo directly between two tankers moored alongside each other, at anchor or under way, instead of via a terminal.
LOOP
LOOP (Louisiana Offshore Oil Port) is the only US port that can load and discharge fully laden VLCCs directly, via offshore single point moorings.