Oil tanker
An oil tanker is a massive sea-going vessel, constructed by humans to traverse the oceans of Earth.
Their primary purpose is to be the victim of Decepticon attacks and hijackings. They occasionally serve a secondary function of moving massive qualities of oil around.
Generation 1
Marvel Comics continuity
Quite a few oil tankers disappeared around the Caribbean, likely the victims of Decepticon activity. Crater Critters
An oil tanker owned by the Blackrock Corporation was hijacked by several of Shockwave's troops. After getting rid of the crew by setting them adrift in life rafts, Shrapnel used his electrical powers to direct the ship toward the Decepticons' Caribbean island base... where fuel auditor Ratbat discovered that the tanker's oil cargo had already been offloaded. Whoops! Buster Witwicky and the Car Wash of Doom
Much later, Starscream had the idea to seize an oil tanker while his troops diverted the Autobots. The ship's captain was just about ready to sink the ship rather than let the giant alien robots have it, but was talked out of it by one of his crew, who reminded him of the potential environmental damage. Starscream hadn't counted on a segment of Earthforce being held in reserve, however, and was soon driven off. Divide and Conquer!
Cartoon continuity
Japanese cartoon continuity
Victory cartoon
Blacker and Braver were entrusted with protecting an oil tanker from Decepticons. The mission was successful, mainly because the Decepticons were more concerned with raiding a shuttle base in Nevada for energy. Attack the Shuttle Base!!
Later, Drillhorn came up with a plan to capture an oil tanker to provide them with desperately needed energy: by draining gasoline supplies near Marine City, they forced Mayor Burns to request a shipment of gasoline to the city in an oil tanker called "Big Baron". After the Dinoforce plant a neutron bomb in Marine City, the Breastforce are left to take control of Big Baron while the Autobots search for the bomb. Eventually, Leozack let slip the location of the bomb, and the Decepticons were driven from the tanker. Tanker Hijack Operation
Go-Bots
Notes
- Because they work in the very turbulent ocean, oil tankers generally have sealed, hard-hulled life boats, not inflatable rafts as portrayed in "Car Wash of Doom".
