ABSTRACT: The purpose of this paper is to describe the characteristics of offshore loading/discharging systems used on Flex Shuttle Tankers (Flex ST) at open sea, in particular the Bow Loading System (BLS), the Stern Discharge System (SDS), Submerged Turret Loading (STL) and the conventional Midship Cargo Manifold (MCM) and to make comparison between them with reference to their operational efficiency, reliability, safety and weather condition operational limits. All types of tankers are always designed to load/unload cargo through a conventional midship cargo manifold (MCM). Most modern shuttle tankers are equipped with BLS used on terminals such as SAL, OLS, SPM, FPSO, FSO. Some specialized shuttle tankers are also adapted to conduct storage and transshipment operations at STL installations offshore. These ships are then equipped with submerged turret mooring and offshore loading system (STL) and sometimes also, but rather rarely with additional stern discharging system (SDS). Tankers equipped with all the above-mentioned systems (BLS, SDS, STL and MCM) are called Flex Shuttle Tanker (Flex ST) and they are used for transshipment of crude oil and gas offshore.

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