The vessel classes that carry crude
| Class | Approx. dwt | Role |
|---|---|---|
| VLCC | 200,000-320,000 | Long-haul bulk crude, Middle East and West Africa to Asia |
| Suezmax | 120,000-200,000 | Mid-haul, West Africa/Black Sea to Europe and Asia |
| Aframax | 80,000-120,000 | Regional and cross-basin, shorter voyages |
Crude cargoes are also carried on smaller tankers where port or terminal draft restricts access, but the three classes above account for the large majority of internationally traded crude tonnage.
Where crude actually flows
- Middle East (Arabian Gulf) to Asia — the largest single crude flow by volume, dominated by VLCCs.
- West Africa to Asia and Europe — Suezmax and VLCC, with Nigeria and Angola the principal origins.
- US Gulf exports to Asia and Europe — a flow that grew substantially following US crude export liberalisation.
- Intra-regional and short-haul flows within Asia, the Mediterranean and the Americas on smaller tonnage.
How crude freight is priced
Crude freight is quoted almost universally on the Worldscale index, a system that expresses a fixed rate for each specific route and standard cargo size as a flat rate (WS 100), with actual fixtures done at a percentage of that flat rate. This lets brokers and charterers compare freight economics across many different routes on one consistent scale.
Crude tanker freight moves with the balance of tonne-mile demand against available tonnage — a function of production levels at origin, refinery demand at destination, sanctions and trade-flow disruption, and the age and phase-out profile of the trading fleet.
Frequently asked questions
What is the biggest single crude oil trade route?
The Arabian Gulf to Asia route is the largest crude flow by volume, moved predominantly on VLCCs, and is the primary reference point for global crude tanker freight benchmarking.
Why is crude freight quoted in Worldscale points rather than dollars per tonne?
Because Worldscale expresses freight as a percentage of a fixed flat rate calculated for each specific route and cargo size, which lets the market compare rates across many different, non-comparable routes on a single common scale.
Does all crude oil move on VLCCs?
No. VLCCs dominate long-haul bulk flows, but Suezmax and Aframax tankers carry substantial crude volumes on shorter and mid-haul routes, and smaller tankers handle crude where port draft restricts larger vessels.