A Shuttle Vessel, also known as a shuttle tanker, is a petroleum tanker that is designed for bulk transportation of crude oil, refined products and liquefied natural gas from one place to another. These vessels are filled up with crude oil from various offshore wellhead platforms and transfer it to onshore refineries for further processing. Similarly, the LNG vessels can also be regasification shuttle vessels that have the ability to regasify liquefied natural gas and transfer it to the gas transmission system while the vessel is anchored at the buoy.
Beningson explains Shuttle Vessel
Shuttle vessels fall under different classes. They have a specified maximum dead weight tonnage decided as per their class. Carrying capacities more than the specified dead weight tonnage is dangerous and risky as dead weight tonnage of a vessel is decided based on its design, shape and size. The dead weight of a vessel can be defined as the maximum weight a ship can take such that its plimsoll line is just submerged under the sea.
Various classes of shuttle vessels are as follows:
|
Class |
Size in DWT |
|
Seawaymax |
10-60,000 |
|
Panamax |
60-80,000 |
|
Aframax |
80-120,000 |
|
Suezmax |
120-200,000 |
|
Malaccamax (VLCC) – Very Large Crude Carrier |
200-320,000 |
|
ULCC – Ultra Large Crude Carrier |
320-550,000 |