Top 12 Tanker Ships in the World

Explore the top 12 tanker ships in the world and discover how these floating giants are shaping global energy trade. Learn about their size, technology, impact, and real-world significance in this comprehensive maritime guide.

Why Tanker Ships Matter in Global Maritime Trade

Every day, millions of barrels of crude oil, refined petroleum, and liquefied natural gas are transported across the oceans. The backbone of this complex system? Tanker ships. These massive vessels are responsible for safely carrying the world’s energy resources—from oil-rich ports in the Middle East to refineries in Asia, Europe, and North America.

According to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the UNCTAD Review of Maritime Transport, tankers make up about 30% of the global merchant fleet by tonnage. They play a critical role not just in energy logistics but also in economic security, environmental policy, and maritime innovation.

In this article, we take you on a deep dive into the world’s 12 biggest and most remarkable tanker ships—vessels that don’t just move oil, but move economies.

Seawise Giant (later Jahre Viking, Knock Nevis) – Retired

Deadweight Tonnage (DWT): 564,763 | Length: 458.5 m

Often considered the largest ship ever built, Seawise Giant was a ULCC (Ultra Large Crude Carrier) so massive it couldn’t navigate the English Channel or Panama Canal. Originally constructed in 1979 by Sumitomo Heavy Industries (Japan), she served under various names and flags.

⛴️ Legacy: Retired in 2009, she still holds the record for the largest gross tonnage and remains a legend in maritime engineering.

TI Class Super Tankers (TI Europe, TI Oceania, TI Africa, TI Asia) – Active

DWT: 441,585 | Length: 380 m

The TI class is the largest active tanker class in the world. Built by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (South Korea) for Euronav and Oman Shipping Company, these four VLCCs (Very Large Crude Carriers) were later converted to FSOs (Floating Storage and Offloading units).

📍 Use Today: Some remain active as oil storage units, especially in offshore fields near Qatar and the UAE.

Esso Atlantic and Esso Pacific – Retired

DWT: 516,000 | Length: 406 m

Owned by Esso (ExxonMobil), these sister ships were part of the golden age of supertankers in the 1970s. Though retired by the late 1990s, they remain iconic for their enormous size and capacity during an era when crude oil demand was surging globally.

🌍 Context: They served mainly on long-haul routes from the Persian Gulf to Europe and North America, bypassing canal limitations via the Cape of Good Hope.

Berge Emperor and Berge Empress – Retired

DWT: ~423,000 | Length: 381 m

These ships were among the largest in the Bergesen fleet (Norway) and were used to transport crude oil to Japan during Asia’s rapid industrialization phase in the 1980s.

🚢 Safety Focus: Built with double-bottom structures, they were ahead of their time in terms of design for oil spill prevention—now a requirement under MARPOL.

Pierre Guillaumat – Retired

DWT: 555,000 | Length: 414.2 m

Constructed by Chantiers de l’Atlantique (France) in 1977, this supertanker was one of the largest ever built, but it was also commercially inefficient due to size constraints at global ports.

🛢️ Short Service Life: Decommissioned within a decade, she highlighted the challenges of operating extremely large vessels in a changing port infrastructure environment.

Batillus – Retired

DWT: 553,662 | Length: 414.2 m

Part of the Batillus-class (which included Bellamya, Pierre Guillaumat, and Prairial), the Batillus was owned by Shell and served French oil terminals until being scrapped in the mid-1980s.

📈 Operational Challenge: The oil crises of the 1970s meant that supertankers like Batillus became too expensive to operate under low freight rates.

Prairial – Retired

DWT: 555,000 | Length: 414.2 m

The longest-serving of the Batillus-class, Prairial was renamed Sea Giant and continued working until 2003. It had an impressive safety record and demonstrated the durability of French naval engineering.

📊 Economic Note: Prairial saw commercial use far longer than its sister ships due to better fuel economy and improved routing strategies.

Hellespont Alhambra (now TI Asia) – Active as FSO

DWT: 441,585 | Length: 380 m

One of the original TI-class, the Hellespont Alhambra now serves offshore as an FSO, a testament to the adaptability of large tankers for new energy operations.

🛠️ Energy Transition: Its repurposing reflects broader industry trends—using retired tankers for offshore energy storage as global oil flows evolve.

Yuan Yang Hu – Active

DWT: 308,000 | Length: 333 m

Built by Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding, Yuan Yang Hu is a modern VLCC operating under China Shipping Development Co. It primarily transports crude oil between the Middle East and China.

🌐 Geostrategic Insight: As China increases energy imports, ships like Yuan Yang Hu are key players in national energy security policy.

Nave Galactic – Active

DWT: 319,000 | Length: 333 m

Operated by Navios Maritime Acquisition, this vessel represents the newer generation of tankers built to IMO 2020 sulphur cap and EEDI compliance standards, focusing on both efficiency and emissions reduction.

🌱 Green Design: Features include scrubbers, ballast water treatment systems, and optimized hull forms for fuel efficiency.

SeaWise Giant (as Knock Nevis) – Historical Note

While mentioned above as the largest ship ever, it’s worth reiterating her impact as a symbol of peak tanker design. She survived an attack during the Iran-Iraq war, was salvaged and returned to service—an example of resilience in naval architecture.

Shinyo Saowalak – Active

DWT: 320,000 | Length: 333 m

Built in Japan and currently flying the Panama flag, Shinyo Saowalak is part of the global spot charter market, often seen operating in Indian Ocean lanes and occasionally rerouted around geopolitical hotspots like the Red Sea.

📈 Market Impact: Its route shifts demonstrate how global conflicts and Suez Canal disruptions affect VLCC deployment patterns.

Real-World Applications: Why These Ships Matter

These tankers don’t just carry oil—they influence port planning, environmental regulation, energy economics, and naval architecture. According to Clarksons Research and Lloyd’s List Intelligence, the design of modern VLCCs is increasingly shaped by:

  • IMO MARPOL Annex I regulations for oil pollution prevention.

  • IACS class rules for hull integrity and cargo safety.

  • Port access restrictions—leading to draft and beam optimization.

  • Decarbonization targets, including dual-fuel propulsion and carbon capture.

In regions like Singapore, Rotterdam, and Ras Tanura, tanker berths, tug escorts, and oil spill response drills are part of port operations to safely accommodate these floating giants.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What does DWT mean in tanker ships?
DWT (Deadweight Tonnage) measures how much weight a ship can carry, including cargo, fuel, crew, and provisions. It’s the key indicator of a tanker’s size.

Are these tankers safe for the environment?
Modern tankers are built with double hulls, vapor recovery systems, and ballast water treatment to meet IMO and Paris MoU standards for pollution prevention.

Why were so many of the biggest tankers retired early?
Many of the largest tankers from the 1970s became commercially obsolete due to changing oil prices, canal limitations, and rising port fees.

What’s the difference between a VLCC and ULCC?
VLCCs carry 200,000–320,000 DWT, while ULCCs (Ultra Large Crude Carriers) exceed 320,000 DWT. ULCCs are rarer due to size constraints in ports.

Do these ships carry only crude oil?
Not always. Some are fitted to carry refined petroleum products or converted into Floating Storage and Offloading (FSO) units for offshore production support.

Which regulations govern these tankers?
Regulations include IMO MARPOL, SOLAS, ISGOTT, and classification standards from ABS, DNV, BV, and others.

Conclusion: Giants of Global Energy

The top 12 tanker ships in the world represent more than just cargo—they are floating infrastructures that connect oilfields to economies, and ports to energy security. From Cold War-era ULCCs to modern eco-VLCCs, these vessels reflect decades of maritime evolution.

Their size, power, and global routes highlight just how interconnected our world has become—and why safe, sustainable tanker operations will remain essential well into the future. As technology and environmental policy continue to evolve, so too will these ships, standing tall as both the workhorses and innovators of global maritime trade.

References

Rate this post

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *