INTRODUCTION TO PRODUCT TANKERS
Oil product tankers are non-specialized tankers below 60,000 dwt as well as coated tankers above this size. These ships carry a spectrum of cargoes, ranging from relatively unsophisticated dirty products such as fuel oil through to clean products such as naphtha. Vessel that trade at one end of this spectrum are unlikely to be able to switch easily to the other end. At the most sophisticated end of the fleet there is an overlap with the chemical sector with a significant volume of swing tonnage that can operate in either. Chemical tankers are modern parcel tankers with either full or partial S.S. tanks that cover the sophisticated end of the chemical market, for which IMO grade 1/11 is required. Many product tankers are purpose built with coated tanks and have sophisticated pumping system capable of handling 12 or more grades. So, basically product carriers are of two types...