A shuttle tanker is built to transport crude oil and condensates from offshore oil field installations to onshore terminals and refineries. They are often referred to as ‘floating pipelines' and are equipped with advanced onboard technology to ensure operations can be performed safely and reliably in the harshest offshore conditions.

A floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) unit is an offshore production facility, typically ship-shaped, deployed to produce, process, store and offload hydrocarbons from offshore fields. An FPSO may be connected to wells on the seafloor through risers or to a platform and is well-suited for deepwater oil fields in excess of 8,000 feet, where a fixed installation may not be feasible.

An FSO is a floating storage and offtake unit, usually converted from conventional oil tankers and moored to the seabed. An FSO receives cargo from the production facility via a dedicated loading system, often offloading its cargo to a shuttle tanker for transport to shore.