Rajan Wilcox
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 (320,000 m3) of oil. Supertankers often cannot enter ports fully loaded and must take on their cargo at offshore platforms. They are propelled by either oil-fired boilers with steam turbines or diesel engines, with top speeds of around 25 knots. The New Aden supertanker features a wind power system that reduces fuel consumption by nearly 10% on long voyages. Container ship fuel capacity varies depending on size and route, with ultra-large ships carrying up to 4.5 million gallons of fuel. Shipping is the biggest transport polluter, with 90,000 vessels burning approximately 370 million tons of fuel per year.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Capacity | Over 441,500 DWT, or 3,166,353 barrels (503,409,900 L) |
| Length | 380.0 metres (1,246.7 ft) |
| Cargo capacity | 3,166,353 barrels (503,409,900 L) |
| Route | Long routes, around 70 days at sea at a time |
| Speed | 15 knots |
| Fuel consumption | 330 metric tons (320 long tons; 360 short tons) of heavy oil per day |
| Fuel reduction | 9.8% reduction with 4 retractable sails |
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What You'll Learn
- Supertankers are the largest oil tankers and can carry 2,000,000 barrels of oil
- The cost of transporting oil by tanker is $0.02 per gallon
- Supertankers are the largest mobile man-made structures
- The New Aden supertanker uses 9.8% less fuel with 130-foot sails
- Supertankers can be powered by diesel engines or oil-fired boilers with steam turbines
Supertankers are the largest oil tankers and can carry 2,000,000 barrels of oil
The largest working supertankers as of 2011 were the TI-class supertankers TI Europe and TI Oceania, with a capacity of over 441,500 DWT and a length of 380 metres. They were the first ULCCs to be double-hulled.
Supertankers are propelled by diesel engines, with top speeds of around 25 knots. When fuel prices are low, faster speeds are preferred to get cargo to market quicker. When fuel prices are high, slower speeds are adopted to save costs. Supertankers typically operate at a relatively low maximum speed of around 15 knots. Due to their huge size, engine weight and volume are not important factors, and supertankers have free space beneath the crew accommodation superstructure.
The shipping industry is a major source of pollution, with 90,000 cargo ships burning approximately 370 million tons of fuel per year and emitting 20 million tons of sulphur oxides. This equates to 260 times more sulphur oxide emissions than the world's entire car fleet. As a result, the industry is seeking to decarbonise, with some supertankers adopting large sails to reduce fuel consumption and emissions. For example, the New Aden supertanker uses four retractable sails to reduce fuel consumption by nearly 10%.
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The cost of transporting oil by tanker is $0.02 per gallon
The cost of transporting oil by tanker is a mere $0.02 per gallon, making it the most cost-effective way to move oil, second only to pipelines. Worldwide, tankers carry around 2 billion barrels (3.2 x 10^11 litres) annually.
The tanker, or petroleum tanker, is a ship designed for the bulk transport of oil and its products. There are two main types: crude tankers and product tankers. Crude tankers move large quantities of unrefined crude oil from its point of extraction to refineries, while product tankers are much smaller and move refined products from refineries to points near consuming markets.
The size of tankers varies, from inland or coastal tankers of a few thousand metric tons of deadweight (DWT) to ultra-large crude carriers (ULCCs) of 550,000 DWT. The largest tankers, known as supertankers, are the largest mobile man-made structures, with capacities over 250,000 DWT. Due to their size, supertankers often cannot enter ports fully loaded and may need to pump their cargo off to smaller tankers at designated points off the coast.
In recent years, there has been a push for the shipping industry to adopt more environmentally friendly practices. One example is the New Aden supertanker, which is equipped with four retractable sails that reduce its fuel consumption by nearly 10%. While this technology is a step in the right direction, it is important to note that the shipping industry is a major contributor to global pollution, with 90,000 cargo ships burning approximately 370 million tons of fuel per year and emitting high levels of pollutants.
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Supertankers are the largest mobile man-made structures
Supertankers include very large and ultra-large crude carriers (VLCCs and ULCCs) with capacities over 250,000 deadweight tons (DWT). They can transport 2,000,000 barrels (320,000 m3) of oil/318,000 metric tons. To put this into perspective, the United Kingdom consumed about 1.6 million barrels (250,000 m3) of oil per day in 2009.
Supertanker routes are typically long, requiring them to stay at sea for extended periods, often around seventy days at a time. Because of their size, supertankers often cannot enter ports fully loaded. They take on their cargo at offshore platforms and single-point moorings, and pump it off to smaller tankers at designated lightering points off the coast.
The largest supertanker ever built was the 555,843 DWT Seawise Giant, which was later refitted and renamed the Knock Nevis. As of 2011, the world's two largest working supertankers were the TI-class supertankers TI Europe and TI Oceania, with a capacity of over 441,500 DWT and a cargo capacity of 3,166,353 barrels (503,409,900 L).
As the shipping industry moves to decarbonize, huge sails could be making a comeback. China Merchant Energy Shipping's New Aden is a supertanker that uses four retractable 40-metre sails to reduce fuel consumption by nearly 10% on long voyages.
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The New Aden supertanker uses 9.8% less fuel with 130-foot sails
The New Aden is a supertanker, a very large crude carrier, that uses sails to reduce fuel consumption. Supertankers are the largest oil tankers and the largest mobile man-made structures. They typically carry around two million barrels of oil and stay at sea for long periods, often around 70 days.
The New Aden, launched on September 24, is 333 metres (1,093 feet) long and features a groundbreaking wind power system. It has four retractable sails, each 40 metres (130 feet) tall, presenting a 1,200-square-metre (13,000-square-foot) surface. These sails are made of lightweight, corrosion-resistant carbon fibre composite blades that can be raised or lowered automatically. An Aerofoil Sails Intelligent Control system constantly monitors conditions and adjusts the sails to maximise wind power.
The sails are expected to reduce the New Aden's fuel consumption by 9.8% on long voyages, saving an estimated 2,900 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per trip. This is a significant achievement as the shipping industry moves towards decarbonisation. While modern sail technology is not yet mature enough to be a primary power source, it can supplement engine power, reducing fuel costs and environmental impact.
The New Aden is not the first attempt to revive sails on cargo ships. Ireland's B9 Shipping proposed a 100% sail-powered cargo ship in 2012, but the idea did not come to fruition. The New Aden will test the economics of adding large sail systems to modern ships, proving or disproving their viability.
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Supertankers can be powered by diesel engines or oil-fired boilers with steam turbines
Supertankers are the largest class of vessels at sea, typically operating at low maximum speeds of around 15 knots. They are characterised by their significant size, which allows for substantial free space beneath the crew accommodation superstructure.
Oil-fired boilers with steam turbines were once the primary method of marine propulsion for large ships. Steam plants convert thermal energy into mechanical energy by using boilers to transform fresh water into steam and turbines to convert that pressurised steam into usable power to turn a ship's propellers. However, due to the high speeds of the turbines, a system of reduction gears is required to lower the rpms to a practical speed. Additionally, condensers are used to cool the steam and revert it to fresh water, which is then returned to the boilers. This "steam cycle" is repeated continuously to propel the ship.
While diesel engines and oil-fired boilers are common propulsion systems for supertankers, there is a growing trend towards decarbonisation and the exploration of alternative power sources. For example, the China Merchant Energy Shipping company (CMES) has acquired a new supertanker equipped with four large sails that reduce fuel consumption by nearly 10%. This shift towards more environmentally friendly solutions is driven by the shipping industry's contribution to global greenhouse emissions, with approximately 50,000 merchant ships emitting around 1.7% of global emissions.
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Frequently asked questions
The amount of fuel used by a supertanker depends on its speed and distance travelled. For example, the Pierre Guillaumat supertanker consumes about 330 metric tons of heavy oil per day. The New Aden supertanker uses sails to reduce fuel consumption by 9.8%.
The fuel capacity of a supertanker depends on its size. For example, the CMA CGM Benjamin Franklin, an ultra-large container ship, holds approximately 4.5 million gallons of fuel. Panamax ships, which are smaller, hold 1.5-2 million gallons.
Supertankers consume a significantly larger amount of fuel compared to trucks. For example, the CMA CGM Benjamin Franklin consumes about 4.5 million gallons of fuel, while a truck consumes around 200 gallons.
Supertankers are major contributors to pollution due to their high fuel consumption and the use of low-grade bunker fuel, which contains up to 2,000 times more sulfur than diesel fuel. A single large container ship can emit pollutants equivalent to 50 million cars in a year.
