Ameer Randolph
Supertankers are the largest oil tankers and the largest mobile man-made structures. They can transport 2,000,000 barrels of oil and are capable of staying at sea for long periods, often around seventy days at a time. Supertankers are huge consumers of fuel, burning between 20,000 and 37,000 liters per hour. In a year, a single large container ship can emit pollutants equivalent to 50 million cars. The shipping industry is trying to move towards decarbonization, with China Merchant Energy Shipping company's New Aden supertanker, for example, using sails to reduce fuel consumption by 9.8%.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Fuel burned by supertankers per hour | Between 20,000 and 37,000 liters |
| Fuel burned by supertankers per year | 370 million tons |
| Fuel burned by supertankers per journey | 2 million barrels of fossil fuel |
| Largest supertanker capacity | 564,763 DWT |
| Largest supertanker length | 458.45 meters |
| Largest supertanker draft | 24.611 meters |
| Largest working supertanker capacity | 441,500 DWT |
| Largest working supertanker length | 380 meters |
| Largest working supertanker cargo capacity | 3,166,353 barrels |
| Largest working supertanker cargo capacity in liters | 503,409,900 |
| Number of cargo ships worldwide | 90,000 |
| Amount of fuel burned by cargo ships per day | 7.29 million barrels |
| Amount of fuel burned by cargo ships per year | 370 million tons |
| Amount of sulfur oxide emitted by cargo ships per year | 20 million tons |
| Number of cars in the world | 760 million |
| Amount of sulfur oxide emitted by cars per year | 78,599 tons |
| Amount of fuel that can be saved by a supertanker with 130-foot sails | 9.8% |
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What You'll Learn
Supertankers burn 20,000-37,000 litres of fuel per hour
Supertankers are the largest oil tankers and the largest mobile man-made structures. They include very large and ultra-large crude carriers (VLCCs and ULCCs) with capacities over 250,000 deadweight tons (DWT). These massive vessels can transport up to 2,000,000 barrels of oil, or approximately 318,000 metric tons.
Despite being essential for global commerce, supertankers have a significant environmental impact. The fuel they burn is highly polluting, and these ships consume it not by the gallons, but by tons per hour. On average, a supertanker burns between 20,000 and 37,000 litres of fuel per hour. To put this into perspective, in one year, a single large container ship can emit pollutants equivalent to that of 50 million cars.
The shipping industry is taking steps towards decarbonization. For example, the China Merchant Energy Shipping company (CMES) has introduced a supertanker with four large sails that reduce fuel consumption by almost 10%. Nuclear marine propulsion is another alternative, as it has been used safely for over 50 years and can operate continuously for long periods without refuelling.
While these advancements are promising, the technology is not yet widely adopted. The high cost and voluntary nature of regulations are barriers to implementing more efficient and cleaner energy alternatives on a large scale.
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They are the largest mobile man-made structures
Supertankers are the largest mobile man-made structures. They are ships designed for the bulk transport of oil or its products. These ships can take on their cargo at offshore platforms and single-point moorings. They often pump their cargo off to smaller tankers at designated lightering points off-coast due to their large size.
Supertankers include very large and ultra-large crude carriers (VLCCs and ULCCs) with capacities over 250,000 deadweight tons (DWT). The world's two largest working supertankers as of 2011 are the TI-class supertankers TI Europe and TI Oceania. Each of these ships has a capacity of over 441,500 DWT, a length overall of 380.0 metres (1,246.7 ft) and a cargo capacity of 3,166,353 barrels (503,409,900 L).
The world's largest supertanker was built in 1979 at the Oppama shipyard by Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd., named Seawise Giant. This ship was built with a capacity of 564,763 DWT, a length overall of 458.45 metres (1,504.1 ft) and a draft of 24.611 metres (80.74 ft). ULCCs commissioned in the 1970s were the largest vessels ever built, but have all now been scrapped.
Supertankers burn a lot of fuel. The world's 90,000 cargo ships consume about 7.29 million barrels of low-grade bunker fuel each day, which is more than 84% of all exported oil production from Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter. Supertankers are among the world's 90,000 vessels that burn approximately 370 million tons of fuel per year. In a year, a single large container ship can emit pollutants equivalent to that of 50 million cars.
To reduce fuel consumption, the China Merchant Energy Shipping company (CMES) has taken delivery of a new supertanker with four large sails that will cut down average fuel consumption by nearly 10%.
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Supertankers often can't enter ports fully loaded
Supertankers are the largest oil tankers and the largest mobile man-made structures. They include very large and ultra-large crude carriers (VLCCs and ULCCs) with capacities over 250,000 DWT. These ships can transport 2,000,000 barrels (320,000 m3) of oil/318,000 metric tons. Due to their massive size, supertankers often cannot enter ports fully loaded. They can take on their cargo at offshore platforms and single-point moorings. At the end of their journey, they often pump their cargo to smaller tankers at designated lightering points off the coast.
The largest supertanker ever built was the Seawise Giant, with a capacity of 564,763 DWT, a length overall of 458.45 metres (1,504.1 ft), and a draft of 24.611 metres (80.74 ft). Due to its size, the Seawise Giant could not navigate the English Channel at full load. The TI-class supertankers TI Europe and TI Oceania, built in 2002 and 2003, are the world's two largest working supertankers. Each of these ships has a capacity of over 441,500 DWT, a length overall of 380.0 metres (1,246.7 ft), and a cargo capacity of 3,166,353 barrels (503,409,900 L).
The Suez Canal and the Panama Canal restrict tanker size, and only a few supertankers can fit through them fully loaded. For example, the ULCC Seawise Giant and Batillus are the only ULCCs that can fit in the Suez Canal fully loaded. Similarly, no U.S. harbor, except Puget Sound in Washington, can accommodate deep-draft supertankers. Constructing deep-water mooring sites offshore and pumping oil from supertankers to onshore facilities through underwater pipelines has been proposed as a solution. However, there are concerns about the possibility of oil spills.
Supertankers burn a significant amount of fuel, with a range of 20,000 to 37,000 liters per hour. The fuel used is often the cheapest and most polluting, containing up to 2,000 times more sulfur than diesel fuel. As a result, a single large container ship can emit pollutants equivalent to 50 million cars in a year. The UN's International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has reported that a 10% reduction in fuel burning is possible on existing ships and 30-40% on new ships, but the regulations are largely voluntary.
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They are highly polluting, emitting 260x more SOx than cars
Supertankers, the largest oil tankers, are the largest mobile man-made structures. They include very large and ultra-large crude carriers (VLCCs and ULCCs) with capacities over 250,000 deadweight tons (DWT). These ships can transport 2,000,000 barrels of oil, or 318,000 metric tons.
The shipping industry is a major polluter, with 90,000 cargo ships burning 7.29 million barrels of low-grade bunker fuel each day. This fuel contains up to 2,000 times more sulfur than diesel fuel used in automobiles. As a result, the world's cargo ships emit 20 million tons of Sulphur Oxides (SOx) annually, which is 260 times more than the global car fleet.
The health impacts of these emissions are significant. Research by The Guardian found that in a year, a single large container ship emits pollutants equivalent to that of 50 million cars, contributing to cancer and asthma.
While some efforts are being made to reduce emissions, such as the use of sails on supertankers, which can reduce fuel consumption by nearly 10%regulations suggested by the UN's International Maritime Organisation (IMO) in 2007 are largely voluntary and underutilized. Nuclear propulsion, for example, has been used in naval vessels for over 50 years but is not mentioned as an alternative power source for cargo ships.
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Sails can reduce supertanker fuel consumption by 10%
Supertankers are the largest oil tankers and the largest mobile man-made structures. They include very large and ultra-large crude carriers (VLCCs and ULCCs) with capacities over 250,000 deadweight tons (DWT). These ships can transport 2,000,000 barrels of oil. Supertankers often burn between 20,000 and 37,000 liters of fuel per hour.
The shipping industry is a major polluter, with 90,000 cargo ships burning approximately 7.29 million barrels of low-grade bunker fuel each day. This fuel contains up to 2,000 times more sulfur than diesel fuel used in automobiles, emitting large amounts of pollutants that cause cancer and asthma.
To reduce fuel consumption and emissions, the China Merchant Energy Shipping company (CMES) has introduced sails on its new supertanker. The M/V "New Aden" is a 333-meter (1,093-foot) supertanker with four retractable sails, each rising 40 meters (130 feet) from the deck. These sails are expected to reduce the ship's fuel consumption by nearly 10% on long voyages. This equates to a savings of 2,900 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per trip.
The use of sails on supertankers is a return to a historical source of power for ships. While diesel engines have been the primary source of power for over a century, the shipping industry is now seeking to decarbonize and reduce emissions. The implementation of sails on modern ships is a significant piece of technology that can help achieve these goals.
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Frequently asked questions
Supertankers burn approximately 20,000 to 37,000 liters of fuel per hour.
According to a report by the Guardian, a single large container ship can emit pollutants equivalent to that of 50 million cars in a year.
Supertankers use low-grade bunker fuel, which contains up to 2000 times more sulfur than diesel fuel used in automobiles.
Supertankers are one of the biggest transport polluters globally, emitting about 260 times more sulfur oxides than the world's entire car fleet.
Yes, China's Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co. has introduced retractable sails on the M/V "New Aden" supertanker, which is expected to reduce fuel consumption by about 10%.
