Ships · Great Lakes / Seaway
Two Algoma product tankers on the Great Lakes / Seaway. What they carry, what the pipes do, and why liquid cargo is not the same as liquefied gas.
Algoluna and Algoterra are product tankers, not gas carriers. Both are managed by Algoma Tankers Limited, part of Algoma Central Corporation. Their job is moving liquid products in enclosed tanks, rather than loose grain in openable holds.
Both were built in 2010 by Jiangnan Shipyard. Their matching proportions are no coincidence: Algoma identified the former Birgit Knutsen as a sister to Algoterra when acquiring her in 2022; its 2023 annual report identifies that ship as Algoluna.
Tank totals above include the slop and drain tanks listed in each sheet, not just saleable-cargo tanks. Algoluna’s fleet summary gives 16,536 t deadweight; its detailed sheet gives 16,512 t summer cargo deadweight. Figures are labelled rather than silently merged. Both sheets specify 12.5-knot service speed.
Instead of the big hatch covers and conveyor boom of a dry-bulk self-unloader, look for a low cargo deck threaded with pipes. The white accommodation and bridge sit aft, leaving most of the ship’s length for the tank section.
Each specification sheet lists tank positions 1–6, port and starboard — twelve main cargo tanks — plus slop and drain tanks. Separate tanks and controlled piping let compatible grades be kept apart, subject to the ship’s approved cargo plan. The sheets list epoxy tank coatings and twelve deepwell Framo cargo pumps rated at 300 m³/h each.
The pump rating is per pump, not a promise of a combined 3,600 m³/h shore-transfer rate. Terminal limits, piping, cargo properties and the loading plan all matter.
Both ships have a double-hull design: the cargo boundary is separated from the outside shell by protective spaces. It reduces the chance of a single outer-shell breach reaching cargo, but is not a guarantee against a spill. Their classification entries include inerting and vapour-control notation; inert gas limits oxygen in the tank atmosphere, while controlled vapour handling helps manage transfer operations.
Tank coatings, dedicated pumps, monitored valves and careful cargo planning are part of handling liquid products safely. None of that identifies the contents from shore: a tanker’s silhouette cannot tell us whether a particular tank contains diesel, gasoline, another approved product, or no cargo.
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Public specifications checked November 6, 2026. Capacities depend on draft and loading conditions. Not affiliated with the operators.
