An oil tanker is one of the largest ships sailing across the oceans. These enormous vessels transport crude oil and refined fuels between continents. Some of the biggest tankers are called Very Large Crude Carriers. They can carry more than two million barrels of oil in a single journey. Because they carry such heavy loads, they move slowly and steadily across the open water.
Modern oil tankers have a special safety feature called a double hull. This means the ship has two thick steel bottoms and two strong side walls with an empty space between them. If the outer steel shell gets damaged in an accident, the inner hull stays sealed and keeps the oil safely inside the cargo tanks. This important design protects ocean water, sea birds, and fish from dangerous oil spills.
A small crew of twenty to thirty sailors lives on board the ship for months at a time. The captain and navigation officers work on the bridge, using radar and satellite systems to guide the vessel. Deep inside the engine room, engineers maintain the giant diesel engine that turns the ship’s massive propeller.
