TOP 30 TANKER COMPANIES

TAKEROperator’s
Top 30 owners and operators
This list has been compiled in terms of deadweight tonnage and includes companies
owning or operating mainstream large crude carriers, chemical and products tankers
of over 10,000 dwt. We have not included FPSOs or gas ships. The information
has been taken from company websites, Equasis database and other sources,
also from the companies themselves where they have submitted fleet details.

FRONTLINE
(18.9 mill dwt, plus 4.4 mill dwt newbuildings)
Similar to structures Frontline Management AS, a wholly-owned International Tanker Management and
1
commonly used by other shipping subsidiary, is responsible for the commercial Thome Shipmanagement.
companies, the John Fredriksen tanker vehicle management of Frontline's shipowning Frontline’s fleet list includes Suezmaxes
is responsible for the commercial operation of subsidiaries, including chartering and (29), Obos (8) and VLCCs (44). The
the fleet whose vessels are all owned by, or insurance. conglomerate also has eight Suezmaxes and
chartered to, separate subsidiaries or Frontline has a strategy of extensive 10 VLCCs on order. The numbers include
associated companies. outsourcing. For example, shipmanagement, those owned by subsidiaries and others that
Fredriksen’s shipping interests encompass crewing and accounting services are are long term chartered.
Frontline, Ship Finance International, Golden provided by a number of independent and Although operating less tankers than Teekay
Ocean, Golar LNG, Knightsbridge Tankers competing shipmanagement companies. in number, the VLCC total pushes Frontline
and Independent Tankers Corp, not all of These include V Ships, both in Norway and into first place in terms of deadweight tonnage
which are involved in the tanker sector. the UK; Wallem Shipmanagement; under its control. 

II TANKEROperator Annual Review  March 2009

 TOP 30 TANKER COMPANIES

Teekay Corporation
(15.4 mill dwt, plus 1.9 mill dwt newbuildings)
Through various companies,
2
at the end of December last year,
Teekay controlled a fleet totalling 149 vessels
and had another 16 either on order, or
newbuilding.
The affiliates include Teekay Offshore
Partners, Teekay Tankers and Teekay LNG
Partners and Teekay Corporation, all of which
own and/or operate tanker tonnage.
As at the end of last year, the total fleet
included Handysize, MR, Panamaxes,
Aframaxes, Suexmaxes, a VLCC, plus FSOs
and FPSOs.
Excluded from the figures was Teekay’s
fleet of one LPG carrier, plus five
newbuildings and 14 LNG carriers, plus one
newbuilding, all under the banner of Teekay
LNG Partners. 
Teekay’s Suezmax Algeciras Spirit often calls at the Algeciras SBM.

MOL Tankship Management

(13.7 mill dwt, plus at least 1.7 mill dwt newbuildings)

3 Although the company others. In addition the company was involved with an additional six due for delivery this year.
figures have not been updated since with 10 LPG carriers. By 2010, MOL’s tanker sector will control
March 2008, they show that MOL’s tanker According to the company’s schedule, four 37 VLCCs, two Suezmaxes, five Aframaxes,
sector is due to expand by 2010 aided by an VLCCs, one LR2, nine MRs and two others six LR2s, nine LR1s, 42 MRs and 22 other
influx of newbuildings. were due to be delivered this year, plus types, according to the company’s master
Last year, the company managed 35 another five LPG carriers. plan.
VLCCs, two Suezmaxes, four Aframaxes, Another MOL subsidiary Tokyo Marine In addition, Tokyo Marine’s total chemical
three LR2s, eight LR1s, 32 MRs and 17 accounted for a further 55 chemical tankers carrier fleet will have expanded to 65 vessels.

MOL Tankship
Management’s
VLCC Iwatesan.

March 2009  TANKEROperator Annual Review III

TOP 30 TANKER COMPANIES

Overseas Shipholding Group (OSG)

(12.77 mill dwt, plus 3.1 mill dwt newbuildings)

4 Similar to other tanker unique in that they manage the only Suezmaxes, 24 Aframaxes, 15 Panamaxes, 44
owners, OSG operates a mixed remaining four 442,000 dwt ULCCs, MRs, 10 ATBs and four LNG carriers, plus
fleet of long term chartered and owned although OSG’s pair, owned 50:50 with the rogue car carrier.
vessels. The company also has one vehicle Euronav, are currently in Dubai being Of the 31 newbuildings, three are VLCCs,
carrier and a fleet of ATBs (articulated converted for storage roles. two Suezmaxes, three Aframaxes, eight
tug/barges). Of its 121 vessel fleet currently in Panamaxes and 15 MRs. In addition, there are
Both OSG and Euronav (which see) are operation, two are ULCCs, 18 VLCCs, three another six ATBs on order. 

National Iranian Tanker Co Sovcomflot

(NITC) (9.3 mill dwt, plus 2.7
(9.7 mill dwt, plus at least three VLCCs, chemical mill dwt newbuildings)
tankers and Caspian Sea shuttles on order) The Russian giant has
6
The Iranian major has shot consisted of 24 VLCCs, nine Suezmaxes, five rocketed from 18th to sixth place
5 up the league table, due to the Aframaxes and three MRs. on the back of the amalgamation of the
deliveries of a series of VLCCs and There could be more orders for chemical recently acquired Novoship and Marpetrol
Suezmaxes last year with more to come. carriers in the pipeline, not to mention the fleets.
At the end of last year, NITC’s fleet ongoing saga of the LNGCs. Sovcomflot’s fleet list now stands at 111
tankers, six LNGCs and two LPG carriers,
plus another 25 newbuilding tankers.
Euronav These are broken down into 12 Suezmaxes,
37 Aframaxes, 24 MRs, 22 handysize, eight
(7.8 mill dwt, plus 1.9 mill dwt newbuildings)
IMO IIs, three product carriers and three
Euronav is a partner in Its current fleet consists of 16 VLCCs and smaller tankers.
7
Tankers International (TI) pool and 16 Suezmaxes, plus another three VLCC The newbuildings include 10 Suezmaxes,
also a joint owner of the two ULCCs currently newbuildings and six Suezmaxes. eight Aframaxes, three shuttle tankers and
in Dubai for conversion. One of the VLCC newbuildings – four smaller tankers.
The Antwerp-based owner/operator Antarctica – is due for delivery early this year, In addition there is another Suezmax,
specialises purely in ULCCs/VLCCs and following her sister Olympia, which was two Aframaxes and two MRs on long
Suezmaxes. delivered late last year.  term charter. 

Euronav/OSG’s ULCC
TI Africa seen during
an earlier visit to
Dubai. Photo credit-
International Marine
Coatings.

IV TANKEROperator Annual Review  March 2009

 TOP 30 TANKER COMPANIES

Vela International Marine Nippon Yusen

(7.7 mill dwt, plus 320,000 dwt newbuilding)
Kaisha (NYK)
8 Vela has also shot up the LR2. There is still another VLCC to come. (6.77 mill dwt, plus about
rankings thanks to the deliveries of At any one time, the Saudi Aramco 1.75 mill dwt newbuildings)
five out of six newbuilding VLCCs. subsidiary operates around 40 tankers as
These deliveries bring the total managed Vela regularly plays the spot and period Due to the group’s size
by Vela to 24 VLCCs, four MRs and one charter market.  9 and complexity, for this survey we
have only taken the fleets of NYK Ship
Management, Singapore and TMM in Tokyo,
MISC Berhad (MISC) both of which manage most if not all of the
group’s VLCCs.
(6.75 mill dwt, plus 2.7 mill dwt newbuildings)
Between them, these two concerns account
10 Under subsidiary’s AET Tankers – MISC owns a further 13 chemical for 22 VLCCs, one Aframax, 10 MRs and
banner, MISC owns 11 VLCCs, 28 tankers with another seven chartered, plus 16 three smaller tankers, plus six LPG carriers.
Aframaxes, five MRs and one LR2 in a newbuildings. NYK is also involved in many LNG
grouping called Petroleum Tankers. A further MISC is also big in LNG carriers owning projects.
28 are chartered in and there are also 11 28 with another one to come. In addition, the Believed to be on order are five VLCCs,
newbuildings. Petronas group company has six FPSOs with including the soon to be delivered Tamba, one
In addition, in another grouping – Chemical another three under conversion.  Aframax and three MRs. 

MISC Chemical
Tankers’ Bunga
Melati 4.

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March 2009  TANKEROperator Annual Review V

TOP 30 TANKER COMPANIES

Tanker Pacific Management (Singapore)

(6.7 mill dwt, plus 847.6 mill dwt newbuildings)

The managed fleet list shows

11 55 vessels, although charters increase
that figure considerably.
In the managed fleet are 10 VLCCs, seven
Suezmaxes, 18 Aframaxes, two LR1s, 16
clean MRs and two dirty MRs. In addition,
there are four Aframaxes and eight MRs
on order.
A subsidiary, Tanker Pacific Offshore
Terminals, manages a fleet of FSOs and
FPSOs, which have not been included in
the figures.  Tanker Pacific’s Aframax Barents Sea undergoing STS in Europoort’s Caland Canal.

Kristen Navigation (Angelicoussis Group)

(6 mill dwt, plus 3 mill dwt newbuildings)
12 Part of the Angelicoussis Suezmaxes and two Aframax newbuildings January this year.
group, Kristen Navigation has 26 to come. Another subsidiary, Maran Gas, looks
VLCCs, five Suezmaxes and six Aframaxes One newbuilding, the 320,000 dwt Astro after a fleet of LNGCs and LPG
in service with a further two VLCCs, seven Chloe, entered service at the beginning of carriers. 

BW Maritime
(5.94 mill dwt, plus
676,000 dwt
newbuildings)
BW Maritime is the new
13
style of BW Shipping Management
based in Singapore.
The technical management arm BW
Fleet Management looks after 17 VLCCs,
plus two newbuildings, 11 LR1s, plus
one newbuilding and a couple of
chemical carriers. 

BW has restyled its shipping arm to

BW Maritime.

VI TANKEROperator Annual Review  March 2009

 TOP 30 TANKER COMPANIES

Maersk Univan Ship Management

Tanker (5.09 mill dwt)
(5.94 mill dwt, plus 4.1
Univan manages 15 VLCCs,
mill dwt newbuildings) 15 plus several chemical carriers ranging
When adding up owned, from 3,000-47,000 dwt.
14 managed, chartered and tankers Among the tankers under management
operating in the various managed pools, plus the are VLCCs for Cido (South Korea),
soon to be amalgamated Broström fleet, Maersk CS & Partners (Denmark), Shinyo (Hong
Tankers will control around 320 vessels. Kong), TMT (Taiwan) and Van-Clipper
The figures quoted concern the owned (Hong Kong).
vessels with the exception of eight LNGCs Univan is also supervising 15 vessels in
and 21 LPG carriers, including newbuildings. various shipyards, including two 298,000
In the conventional crude oil tanker sector, dwt VLCCs. 
Maersk has 10 VLCCs, plus eight VLCCs and
two Aframaxes on order; 14 LR2s, plus three
newbuildings; four MRs in service, plus
another 14 on order; 28 handysize tankers,
plus seven on order and 13 small tankers, plus
eight on order.
Maersk operates three pools – LR2,
Handytankers and Swift Tankers. It is
expected that much of the Broström’s fleet,
The VLCC Shinyo Landes is one of 15
including chartered tonnage, will soon join at managed by Univan.
least two of the pools. 

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March 2009  TANKEROperator Annual Review VII

TOP 30 TANKER COMPANIES

Tsakos Energy Navigation (TEN)

(4.7 mill dwt, plus 525,000 dwt newbuildings)

TEN is the Tsakos Group which as three VLCCs, 10 Suezmaxes, seven MRs, plus an LNGC on its books.
16
publicly quoted tanker company, Aframaxes, three LR2s, seven Panamaxes, 14 In addition, there are five Aframaxes on order. 

TEN’s Panamax Socrates seen in Rotterdam’s Botlek complex.

Dynacom Tankers Cosco Group

Management (4.43 mill dwt)
(4.58 mill dwt, plus 3 mill dwt newbuildings) Most of the tanker fleet
18
is operated by Dalian Ocean Shipping
(COSCO Dalian) and includes eight VLCCs,
17 Dynacom has seven VLCCs which are also ice class. two Suezmaxes, 11 Panamaxes and three
on its books, having sold a couple of There will probably be more sales Handysize tankers.
single hull tankers for conversion to FPSOs. sooner rather than later, as some of the In addition, there are six small LPG carriers
The company also manages seven Suezmaxes, older fleet is of single hull construction. operated by the Chinese conglomerate.
several of which are ice class and one These will be replaced by a programme There are others, including VLCCs, listed
Aframax. of newbuilding VLCCs and as under construction or on order, but it is not
Also in the fleet are 11 Panamaxes, some of Suezmaxes.  clear who will operate them. 

VIII TANKEROperator Annual Review  March 2009

 TOP 30 TANKER COMPANIES

BP Shipping Chevron Shipping

(4.3 mill dwt) (4.13 mill dwt)

BP Shipping operates 56 The shipping arm of the US In addition, Chevron operates one LNGC
19 20
vessels, ranging from MRs to LNGCs. oil major operates nine VLCCs, some with another two on order with various
The oil major also has around 100 on of which are on long term charter from partners, two LPG carriers, one LPGFSO, one
timecharter at any one time. Kristen Navigation, four Suezmaxes, five FSO and two FPSOs. 
Included in the current fleet are four Aframaxes and five MRs.
VLCCs, 20 Aframaxes in two classes and 17
MRs in two classes, plus a shuttle carrier.
In addition BP has seven LNGCs and four
VLGCs, plus another LNGC operating in the
Northwest Shelf project. 

TORM
(4.1 mill dwt, plus 1.33
mill dwt newbuildings)
21 TORM is the world’s largest
operator of MRs at 30 since the
takeover of OMI Corp.
The Danish concern also manages 14
LR2s, 11 LR1s and 10 handysize tankers.
TORM’s newbuilding portfolio is also
impressive and includes another six LR1s,
18 MRs and one Handysize.
In total, including the various pools,
TORM commercially manages over 115
product carriers. 

TORM is big in LR2s.

Shipping
Corp of
india (SCI)
(4.06 mill dwt, plus 1.35
mill dwt newbuildings)
National Shipping Corp of
22 SCI now has three VLCCs Saudi Arabia (NSCSA)
with another due for delivery in the (3.95 mill dwt, plus 2.67 mill dwt newbuildings)
near future.
The Indian conglomerate also has series of NSCSA has 11 VLCCs in
Suezmaxes, Aframaxes, Panamaxes and a 23 service, plus another six on order. in National Chemical Carriers (NCC), plus
combination carrier, plus product and In addition, there are 14 chemical carriers another 18 on order. 
chemical carriers.  through the company’s majority shareholding

March 2009  TANKEROperator Annual Review IX

TOP 30 TANKER COMPANIES

Ocean Tankers Pte

(3.74 mill dwt, plus at least 1,695 dwt newbuildings)

Singapore-based Ocean
24
Tankers manages over 80 vessels
ranging from small bunker vessels to VLCCs.
The company is affiliated to Hin Leong.
Included in these figures are one VLCC, the
first of a series of six; six Suezmaxes; 11
Aframaxes; seven Panamaxes; 16 MRs and 14
smaller tankers down to about 7,000 dwt of
which there are several more on coastal trades.
There is also a considerable newbuilding
programme, including five VLCCs and an
The first in a series of six VLCCs under Ocean Tankers’ management.
Aframax. 

Thenamaris SK Shipping
(3.69 mill dwt, plus 540,000 dwt newbuildings) (3.27 mill dwt, plus
several newbuildings)
25 Thenamaris manages two In addition, the company has two The South Korean concern
27
VLCCs, eight Suezmaxes, 14 Suezmaxes and two Aframaxes on operates nine VLCCs, four LR2s and
Aframaxes/LR2s, plus eight MRs. order.  five MRs.
In addition, there are several more VLCCs
on order, plus four MRs.
SK also has interests in six LNGCs and a
further six LPG carriers. 

Kuwait Oil
Tanker Co
(KOTC)
(3.1 mill dwt)
28 KOTC owns eight VLCCs,
three LR2s, two LR1s, four handysize
product carriers, plus four LPG carriers and
four bunker tankers. 
Thenamaris’ Aframax Seasong seen unberthing at Europoort.

Minerva
Marine
China Shipping (3.1 mill dwt)
Development 29 Last year the company took
delivery of its first VLCC Andromeda.
(3.42 mill dwt, plus a number of newbuildings) In addition, Minerva manages three
Suezmaxes, 17 Aframaxes and 10 MRs. 
26 China Shipping Development’s
tanker arm has at least 40 deepsea
tankers, ranging from VLCCs to small
chemical and product carriers. Associated 30 This Hong Kong-based
In addition, the conglomerate also owns a
plethora of coastal vessels and has a Maritime Co concern has six VLCCs,
one Suezmax and nine Aframaxes on
substantial orderbook.  (2.8 mill dwt) its books. 

X TANKEROperator Annual Review  March 2009