Two segments, two different jobs
Suezmax tankers run roughly 120,000 to 200,000 dwt - sized to transit the Suez Canal fully laden, which is the origin of the name. Aframax tankers run roughly 80,000 to 120,000 dwt, named after the AFRA (Average Freight Rate Assessment) tariff system rather than any canal.
| Suezmax | Aframax | |
|---|---|---|
| Deadweight range | ~120,000-200,000 dwt | ~80,000-120,000 dwt |
| Defined by | Suez Canal laden transit | AFRA rate category |
| Typical trades | West Africa, Black Sea, North Sea to Europe/Asia | Regional and cross-basin: Caribbean, Med, North Sea, Southeast Asia |
| Flexibility | Lower - fewer ports can accommodate the draft | Higher - wider port and terminal access |
Where each trades
Suezmax is the workhorse of the West African and Black Sea crude export trades into Europe and Asia, and increasingly on US Gulf export runs where a full VLCC parcel is not required. Aframax dominates shorter-haul, higher-frequency trades - the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, the North Sea, and increasingly the growing regional trades within Asia.
Both segments trade crude and, less commonly, dirty products. A charterer choosing between a Suezmax and splitting the cargo across two Aframaxes is weighing port draft restrictions, cargo parcel size, and freight economics against operational flexibility.
Chartering considerations
- Port and terminal draft restrictions often decide vessel size before freight economics do.
- Suezmax freight is quoted on dedicated Worldscale routes distinct from the VLCC benchmark.
- Aframax markets are more regionally fragmented - a rate in the Caribbean does not track the Mediterranean closely.
- Both segments see meaningful spot market activity alongside period business, more so than VLCCs.
Frequently asked questions
Why is it called Suezmax?
Because the size class was originally defined by the maximum draft that could transit the Suez Canal fully laden. Canal dimensions have since been expanded, but the name and the approximate size class have stuck.
Is Aframax named after a canal too?
No - Aframax comes from AFRA, the Average Freight Rate Assessment, a tanker rate reporting system. The size class was defined by that system's largest bracket at the time, not by any physical transit limit.
Which segment sees more spot fixing?
Both trade actively in the spot market, but Aframax markets tend to be more regionally fragmented and see higher fixture frequency given shorter voyage lengths and more diverse regional trades.