Product Tanker
A Product Tanker is a tanker that carries refined petroleum products — such as gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, naphtha and fuel oil — from refineries to distribution terminals and markets, as opposed to unrefined crude. To keep these clean products uncontaminated and allow switching between grades, product tankers have epoxy- or zinc-coated cargo tanks, multiple segregated tanks with their own pumps, and are carefully cleaned between cargoes.
They are classed by size, commonly MR (Medium Range, ~25,000–55,000 dwt) and the larger LR1 and LR2 (Long Range) tankers, matching the parcel sizes and ports of the products trade. A distinction is drawn between “clean” products (light refined fuels) and “dirty” (fuel oil, residuals). Product tankers form the crucial link that distributes refined fuels around the world after crude has been refined, and are a large, active segment of the tanker market alongside crude and chemical carriers.
Once crude is refined, product tankers are what get the fuel to market — the distribution layer of the oil trade, kept clean by coated, segregated tanks. Their MR and LR size classes and clean/dirty split define a large, distinct tanker segment. They are the link between refineries and the pumps, ports and power stations that use the fuel.
What do product tankers carry?
Refined petroleum products such as gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and naphtha, rather than unrefined crude.
Why do product tankers have coated tanks?
Coatings keep refined products clean and uncontaminated and allow the ship to switch between different grades after cleaning.