VLCC
Very Large Crude Carrier
Meaning
A VLCC is a very large crude carrier of roughly 200,000 to 320,000 deadweight tonnes, carrying about 2 million barrels of crude oil.
VLCC explained
VLCCs dominate long-haul crude trades: Arabian Gulf to China, West Africa to Asia and US Gulf exports to Asia. A typical modern VLCC is about 330 metres long with a laden draft around 22 metres.
At that draft a fully laden VLCC cannot transit the Suez Canal or the Panama Canal, and many ports are too shallow for it, which is why lightering and SPMs are common in its trades.
Related terms
ULCC
A ULCC is an ultra large crude carrier above about 320,000 deadweight tonnes, the largest tankers ever built.
Suezmax
A Suezmax is a tanker of about 120,000 to 200,000 deadweight tonnes, the largest size that can transit the Suez Canal fully laden, carrying around 1 million barrels.
Deadweight
Deadweight (DWT) is the total weight a ship can carry, cargo plus fuel, water, stores and crew, at its maximum permitted draft, in tonnes.
Draft
Draft (or draught) is the depth of the ship below the waterline. It limits which ports, berths and canals a laden tanker can use.
TD3C
TD3C is the Baltic Exchange benchmark VLCC route for a 270,000-tonne crude cargo from Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia, to Ningbo, China.
Lightering
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.