Oil tankers have a lesser freeboard than general cargo ships of the same LBP.
They are considered to be safer ships for following reasons-
1. They have much smaller openings on the main deck.
2. They have greater subdivision
3. The cargo of oil has generally more buoyancy than the bulk cargo or general cargo
4. They have more pumps to quickly control the water ones in case of an bilging or flooding incident
5. Cargo oil has a permeability off about 5% compared to grain cargo/bulk cargo which has a permeability of about 50-60%
6. Oil tankers have greater GM values