The new Emissions Control Areas (ECAs) pose a challenge for marine lubricant suppliers, too. Total Lubmarine is developing a new product which is supposed to avoid the necessity of »switching«
Talusia Optima has a new chemistry, produced for deep-sea vessels sailing temporarily in ECAs. »It is dedicated to make[ds_preview] it more simple for the customers, to give them flexibility in fuel options, operating conditions and means then the easiest and safest way to manage lubricants«, says Total’s Technical Director Jean-Philippe Roma. According to the supplier, the new component brings an end product with reduced ash content, which is achieved by ash-free neutralizing molecules (ANM) and less CaCo3. This would allow having a high BN product that can be used with distillate fuels (very low sulphur below 0.1%) without risk of deposit build-up.
»We believe that ANM components are the chemistry of the future. The main advantage is that the customer can take the same lubricant in ECAs and on the high seas without risk. That is not possible with conventional lubricants,« Roma adds. In his point of view, the new formula is a good compromise of the need of high BN to avoid corrosion and the need to have a flexible product. Therefore the customer can avoid cylinder oil switch when entering ECAs like the North Sea and the Baltic Sea.
Up to now, the innovation still needs to give proof of being tradable. Experts from the French company are putting a lot of work into the research for »Talusia Optima«. The product is currently still in the developing and testing process. Total plans to start selling it in the second half of the year.
The manager sees regulation and monitoring as the industry’s main tasks of the future. »It is important to work closer with the crews and superintendents in order to properly monitor the engine. Only with this we can optimize our lubricants.« In the severe competition Total’s strategy is to act not only as a bare supplier but to provide a complete package, which includes the supply chain, technical support and other services.
Michael Meyer
