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In the rarefied world of crude oil shipping, vessels are rarely news. But when the Euronav Compass hit the water in 2020, it wasn’t just another Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC). It was a $100 million bet on the future of an industry being pulled in three brutal directions: environmental regulation, digital transformation, and energy market chaos. Euronav Compass
Built by the Belgian tanker giant Euronav (now part of CMB.TECH), the Euronav Compass is not a one-off marvel but a template. It is a sister ship to the Euronav Capricorn and part of a series of “super eco” VLCCs designed to answer a simple question: How do you transport two million barrels of oil profitably when the world wants you to disappear? The Euronav Compass: A Tanker Built for the
This article dissects the technology, economics, and strategic logic of the Euronav Compass. The Future: Retrofitting and Alternative Fuels Euronav has
Euronav has pivoted towards dual-fuel vessels (LNG or ammonia-ready). While the Euronav Compass may still run on conventional fuel oil, she is likely equipped with an Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI) certification and a Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) rating. To maintain a high rating (A-C), the crew and shore management must constantly optimize voyage planning, hull cleaning, and trim.
The most common route for the Euronav Compass is the 6,000+ nautical mile journey from the Arabian Gulf (through the Strait of Hormuz) to destinations like Ningbo, China, or Ulsan, South Korea. A single round trip takes approximately 60 to 90 days.
Euronav has committed to decarbonization. Future iterations of the Compass will feature a "Green Route" planner, suggesting speeds and routes that minimize CO2 per barrel transported. Charterers will be able to compare the carbon footprint of a Euronav VLCC against an average market vessel.