Ultra Large Crude Carrier (ULCC)

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What is an Ultra Large Crude Carrier (ULCC)?

Built for long-haul crude oil transport at very high volumes, an ultra large crude carrier (ULCC) is one of the largest tanker types in commercial shipping. Its scale is designed to move more cargo per voyage, which can reduce unit transport cost on major trade lanes where ports and terminals can support vessels of this size.

ULCCs are primarily defined by their size and carrying capacity:

Typical length: often over 400 metres
Capacity range: roughly 320,000 to 550,000 deadweight tonnage (DWT)
Purpose: maximise volume per sailing to improve cost efficiency on large-scale crude movements

These vessels support high-volume crude flows between major exporting and importing regions. By carrying more cargo per departure, ULCCs can reduce the number of sailings needed to handle the same volume, especially in stable, high-demand lanes.