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Ship-to-Ship Transfer (STS) | Freight-Academy™

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GlossaryEN1 min readUpdated: Aug 22, 2026

Ship-to-Ship Transfer (STS)

Instead of calling at a Gulf terminal, a Chinese VLCC takes on crude oil at sea off Fujairah, loading it straight from another vessel – a ship-to-ship transfer.

Quick Answer

Instead of calling at a Gulf terminal, a Chinese VLCC takes on crude oil at sea off Fujairah, loading it straight from another vessel – a ship-to-ship transfer.

In an STS operation, cargo (typically crude oil, refined products, LPG or dry bulk) moves from one vessel to another without any port call, with both ships made fast alongside using fenders and hose…

Operators use STS to lighter deep-draught tankers, to consolidate parcels, or – as currently in the Gulf – to keep tonnage out of high-risk waters and chokepoints.

Last updated: 22 August 2026

Source: Frachtportal-News «Hormus bleibt Problemzone: China baut seine Ölroute um» (19.08.2026); MARPOL Anlage I Kapitel 8

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Ship-to-Ship Transfer (STS)

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Definition & Explanation

Instead of calling at a Gulf terminal, a Chinese VLCC takes on crude oil at sea off Fujairah, loading it straight from another vessel – a ship-to-ship transfer. In an STS operation, cargo (typically crude oil, refined products, LPG or dry bulk) moves from one vessel to another without any port call, with both ships made fast alongside using fenders and hose strings. Operators use STS to lighter deep-draught tankers, to consolidate parcels, or – as currently in the Gulf – to keep tonnage out of high-risk waters and chokepoints. Oil transfers fall under MARPOL Annex I Chapter 8: an approved STS Operations Plan must be carried on board and the coastal authority notified in advance. Not to be confused with transshipment, which takes place at a terminal.

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Recommended format: Source: Freight Academy – Ship-to-Ship Transfer (STS) (https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/ship-to-ship-transfer-sts), accessed 2026-09-12
APA style: Freight Academy Editorial Team. (2026). Ship-to-Ship Transfer (STS). Freight Academy. https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/ship-to-ship-transfer-sts
BibTeX: @misc{shiptoshiptransfersts2026, title = {Ship-to-Ship Transfer (STS)}, author = {{Freight Academy Editorial Team}}, year = {2026}, url = {https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/ship-to-ship-transfer-sts}, note = {Freight Academy, accessed 2026-09-12} }

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