Oil tankers are a vital chain in many businesses. The movement of crude oil to refineries and refined oil products to consumers affects nearly every aspect of business life. Shipping oil is a difficult and dirty process requiring specialized transport systems both on land vehicles and on water-going vessels.

When dealing with petroleum transport, there's more to the process than boats. While oil tankers list among the most important of links, they don't make up the entire transport chain. Finding a reliable overland transport company to both load and offload the cargo is vital to the process. It's also important to familiarize yourself with the rules pertaining to oil transport, particularly over the ocean, and make sure you have all of the proper forms set before beginning. Consider the following when looking at an oil tanker:

1. The regulations surrounding oil tankers and their products are difficult to sort through.

2. Oil tanker companies ship petroleum products all over the world.

3. You need to find a good company to load and offload the product from the tanker.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Look up oil tankers information and regulations

The regulations pertaining to oil tankers are impressive. Nearly every aspect for the tanker is covered by some rule from some governing body. On top of that, the cargo itself has many separate laws regarding its handling and transport. Shifting through this information can be a real nightmare.

I recommend: The Maritime Administration, part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, is the U.S. authority on tankers and their cargo. The International Maritime Organization governs the international trade policies of its member nations, including all the laws governing oil and its transport. Both of these sites give quick access to the laws on this subject as well as online access to regulatory forms and contact information for important officials.

Find oil tankers and cargo specialists

There are several large and well-established companies that haul oil all over the world. These companies are usually very easy to schedule with, as they are constantly moving cargo.

I recommend: Maersk Tankers is part of an international conglomeration of shipping and natural resource companies. They have a proven track record and large fleet. The General Maritime Corporation does most of their hauling in the Atlantic, Europe and Middle Eastern arenas. They have one of the largest fleets in those areas and the majority of their ships are less than 10 years old.

Consider your overland company as well as your oil tankers provider

The water leg of oil transport is very important, but you also need to consider the company that will pick up your petroleum products and ship them to your customers or manufacturing facility.

I recommend: Crude Marketing & Transportation services the central part of the U.S. They allow both their workers and their clients to access load scheduling and pickup information directly through their website. Gibson Energy services western Canada and the northwestern U.S. They provide a wide range of petroleum and natural gas services.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  There are two types of oil tankers: crude carriers and product carriers. Crude carriers deal with the oil after it has left the ground but before it gets refined. Product carriers deal with the refined petroleum product. Make sure you get your oil tanker's information before you begin work with a company that specializes in one or the other.