A VLCC is a Very Large Crude Carrier, capable of carrying up to 2 million barrels of cargo. Cargo ships are categorized by their size, specifically their length, width and weight. There is a steady trend toward larger, more efficient vessels in the world fleet.  Larger vessels mean fewer vessel trips, which is not only more economical for the commercial entities involved to move more crude in a single ship but also more resource efficient in terms of fuel consumed and emissions released during the transport process. 

VLCCs are among the most modern—and thus the safest—vessels in the world fleet.

The ban on crude export from the US was lifted under President Obama in 2015, and the US is now a net energy exporter.  The delivery of US energy to foreign markets—including that which leaves through the Port of Corpus Christi gateway—makes a meaningful contribution to our national Gross Domestic Product and to our balance of trade.