Across and around the world from oilfields to refineries and from refineries to consumers, oil tankers carry crude oil and its refined products. Proud Ships is the story of the tankers and the men who sail in them. It shows the full scale of their world-wide operations, the scope and magnitude of the tanker business and the orderly control of movements and cargoes. The film is also the story of a voyage of one tanker - "The Liparus".

From her master and crew members we learn the life and work of a tanker at sea.