Understanding the design and operation of oil tankers and LNG carriers

Hello everyone, and welcome back to the Fluctus channel. Oil tankers have been around since the late 19th century, transporting tons of oil across hundreds of waterways and oceans. Incredibly enough, a whopping 60% of oil gets transported across the globe via tanker. Classified by Deadweight Tonnage, or DWT, some outstanding oil tankers can carry up to 550,000 WTs at a time. Speaking of oil tanker loading operations, shipping oil overseas is all about safety. Naturally, strict rules come into play when it comes to loading operations for tankers, too. Before a tanker arrives at a port, it's pre-inspected by a safety questionnaire to make sure the ship is in tip-top shape. Engineers also come aboard, inspecting everything from top to bottom, including team meetings, critical points, and international communication. The goal is simple, to protect the environment while transporting as much oil as possible. Anything from hazardous vapor to displacement can happen, from correct mooring to crude oil loading. But experience shows that monitoring prevents accidents like this. When it comes to safety, design, and shape, no one does it better than the U.S. Navy. Take HMM Universal Leader, for instance. Known as a MEGA, a Gigantic Crude Oil Carrier, or VLCC, this special tanker was equipped with a scrubber in preparation for International Maritime Organization, or IMO, regulations. That's because HMM is dedicated to reaching its 2050 net zero goal, meaning its tankers are more than ready to go with eco-friendly scrubbers, helping the environment and rising fuel costs. Not only that, but HMM also added four brand-new VLCCs to its fleet every couple of months until the end of 2019. So many high-velocity vessels at port, you might wonder how tankers perform double banking operations. By definition, this includes anything from bunkering, loading, or discharging from one crude oil tanker to another. That means these brave tankers must discharge some of their cargo before it berths at anchorage. Common at ports with draft restrictions or tanker congestion, this smooth maneuver may require some unloading to make it work. Have no fear, though. There's no way this move would be pulled off if it weren't necessary. With tankers this huge, it's only used for a tank-to-tank transfer operation. But what exactly is floating LNG anyway? Also known as floating liquefied natural gas stations, these offshore facilities create natural gas from remote places around the globe. Colloquially called floating transfer terminals, FLNGs are self-propelling barges that move to and fro LNG crude oil tankers, sometimes moored up to 800 meters offshore. As a safe place for holder transfer systems, these huge barges even handle hoses with hybrid systems to facilitate secure and safe connections with LNG tankers. Also known as floating liquefied natural gas stations, these offshore facilities create natural gas from remote places around the globe. What happens next is this. These high-tech tankers use floating hoses to transfer and boil off gases between shore-side facilities and offshore barges. Using the ingenious combination of long service life, reliability and flexibility, LNG contractors and operators know precisely which offloading rules to follow. This is particularly true in terms of overall operational availability and technical safety needs. Talk about a tanker in action. Since we're on the subject of ship-to-ship transfer processes, it goes without saying that sustainability is critical. With the goal of making oil transfers more eco-friendly, swapping oil-based gases for alternatives is a must. With liquefied natural gas, or LNG, on the rise, movers can use this chilled fuel to help people in popular areas and crowded waterways. Featuring a tank capacity of 7,500 cubic meters, Kairos happens to be the largest of its kind, measuring 117 meters overall. So how does such a big bunker supply vessel refuel at sea, you ask? The answer is easy. Floating LNG terminals to stop by at sea. From sustainable shipping to a shipping structure that functions flawlessly, there's no better way to transport oil than an LNG tanker. As you may already know, great prosperity means greater power needs for the community. And there's no better place to get energy than Bangladesh. Thanks to the brand new Moheskala floating LNG terminal, Bangladesh has the upper hand in the natural gas economy. On top of fueling the world with a natural oil alternative, floating LNG terminals are also filling Bangladesh's pockets in this global exchange. To set itself apart in a saturated industry, Moheskala floating LNG terminal, moored in the Bay of Bengal, is the first turnkey terminal. Co-created by IFC, a World Bank Group member, there's only one point of contact to deal with, making this terminal an extremely valuable one-stop shop. At the Manga LNG terminal in the heart of Tornio, Finland, you'll find a new way to switch energy for Nordic residents. Complete with two different loading bays to distribute LNG, this fully automatic station is ready to transfer gas at rapid speeds anytime and anywhere. As a more economical and cleaner fuel, the storage capacity of Finland's raw terminal is 1,400 cubic meters, taking about 60 minutes to unload fully. Transferred from truck to truck, these modular stations have what it takes to supply a whole nation with a clean fuel alternative, which is definitely something worth celebrating. As a fresh way of transferring natural gas, called Gas 3.0, by Galileo Technologies, LNG has already made headway in reducing its impact on the environment. Here's the craziest part. Since LNG is transported by trucks, there are absolutely no pipelines involved in the entire process. Plus, LNG can be derived from any source of gas and shipped directly to consumers. There's no messy intermediary in the process. With LNG produced right at the wellhead on site, it's super easy to transport and store. This makes gas distribution easygoing to many different parts of Galileo's gathering virtual pipeline. Want to know the real deal about LNG fueling ships? Come along to the port of Rotterdam, Amsterdam, where truck-to-ship bunkering is a regular part of their day. With everything from filling stations and the gate terminal to a prime port area for pristine bunkering, it doesn't get better than sustainable fueling here. From witnessing LNG powered inland vessels to watching the refueling itself, Seehaven is the spot where everything happens. At this crucial point, two hours is all it takes for a tanker truck to distribute fuel safely. Too bad for a massive LNG fueling transaction to take place. In an already extraordinary year for construction milestones, it's time to talk about LNG storage on land. We're talking gigantic tanks designed by LNG Canada at this exotic facility. Installed in 2021, this could possibly be the biggest cap of them all. This storage tank has a huge, circle-shaped roof that's completely made of steel. Averaging over 1,500 tons in weight, it takes time and precision to install such a remarkable roof. Now it's here to stay, adding a dramatic display of steel to the Canadian skyline. What about LNG-powered vehicles, and why are they so special? Introducing Alfredsson, a hauler from Sweden that handles three Volvo FH LNG trucks powered by gas, with several more being added to its fleet in the future. As a third-generation, family-owned company, sustainability means serious business for the people who run Alfredson. For this hauler in particular, FHLNG-powered trucks are clearly the king of the oil-hauling crop, both by lowering rising gas prices and saving the planet simultaneously. Plus, any of its current or potential clients won't be missing out on performance just because its futuristic trucks run on an alternative form of energy. Fortunately for cargo transport, LNG is the cleanest fuel alternative for the foreseeable fueling future. By reducing the output of carbon dioxide and silencing the noise that comes with a diesel truck, LNG-powered vehicles seriously pack a punch. Although it has a little less traction than the standard diesel truck, LNG-powered vehicles still have a lot of horsepower, especially in Nordic countries. Plus, it's worth it to go a little slower on the roads to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emissions in the surrounding environments. With LNG on the rise, its accompanying fuel stations are increasing in the Netherlands, and soon across the globe, too. Whether it's loading crude oil or making a mooring mission, there's almost nothing an oil tanker can't do. And with the rise of alternative fuels, such as liquefied nitrogen gas on the market, the sustainable future for the trucking industry is looking a lot brighter. That's the end of this video. I hope you enjoyed it. Make sure Make sure to subscribe to this channel so you don't miss any of our new content. See you next time.