Glossary
Terms & Glossaries of Shipping and Trading
COW (Crude Oil Washing)
Crude Oil Washing (COW) is a system whereby oil tanks on a tanker are cleaned out between voyages not with water, but with crude oil - the cargo itself.
Crude Oil Washing (COW) is a system whereby oil tanks on a tanker are cleaned out between voyages not with water, but with crude oil - the cargo itself. The solvent action of the crude oil makes the cleaning process far more effective than when water is used.