Aframax
A crude and product tanker class named for the Average Freight Rate Assessment scale, sized for regional and medium-haul trades.
- Category
- Vessel Size and Tonnage
- Deadweight
- 80,000 to 120,000 DWT
- Dictionary entry
- Aframax
- Last reviewed
How it works
Aframax tankers carry crude or dirty products in the band the Average Freight Rate Assessment (AFRA) tanker scale historically rated as its largest. The name derives from that scale.
Their size suits regional and medium-haul crude trades and ports that cannot take the largest tankers, making them a flexible and widely traded tanker class.
Where it shows up on The Maritime
Also known as: aframax tanker.
The short dictionary definition is at Dictionary entry: Aframax. This page is the explainer.
Related terms
Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC)
A crude oil tanker in the largest actively traded class: the backbone of long-haul Middle East to Asia oil transport.
Suezmax
A crude tanker sized to the maximum that can transit the Suez Canal fully laden.
Deadweight Tonnage (DWT)
The total weight a ship can carry (cargo plus fuel, stores, crew and water) at her load line, in metric tonnes.
Worldscale (WS)
A unified index of nominal tanker freight rates that lets the market quote any tanker voyage as a single percentage.
More vessel size and tonnage terms
A plain-English reference definition: our own explanation of a standard shipping concept, not a licensed source or legal advice. See the full glossary or the broader maritime dictionary.
Last reviewed: .