United Arab Shipping Company (UASC), container shipping line, and the Dubai-based marine lubricant company Lukoil have signed a lubricant[ds_preview] supply agreement covering vessels from UASC’s advanced newbuilding programme. This programme includes 17 new vessels on order: six 18,800TEU and eleven 15,000 TEU container vessels. Lukoil Marine Lubricants has already supplied eight of the 17 containerships with lubrication solutions. The company will equip UASC’s vessels with iCOlube, a cylinder oil lubrication unit optimizing both the performance and overall efficiency of vessel engines. According to Lukoil the product offers environmental benefits such as reductions of CO2 equivalent by up to 13%.
The first two iCOlube units will be installed in October and November on the vessels »Al Zubara« and »Al Dhail«, says June Manoharan, Managing Director of Lukoil Marine Lubricants. She is confident that the vessels will deliver significant savings and optimal engine condition.
In October 2015 the iCOlube-system won the »Technical Innovation Award« at Seatrade Maritime Awards in Dubai. The award was presented by Tarik Al Junaidi, acting CEO, Oman Shipping Company to Victor Zhuravskiy, CEO, and June Manoharan, both of Lukoil Marine Lubricants in attendance. The ceremony was held under the patronage of His Excellency Sultan bin Sulayem, Chairman of Dubai Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation and Chairman of Dubai Maritime City Authority, and was attended by more than 700 guests to celebrate and recognise excellence in all areas of maritime activity across the Middle East and beyond. According to Lukoil iCOlube tailors the alkalinity reserve of the cylinder oil in use to engine load and fuel. The feed rate does not have to be adjusted. It always stays at optimum level while only the fuel sulphur content needs to be entered. This maintains the engine in best condition, reduces oil costs, saves fuel, is environmentally friendly and ensures easy and time saving engine operation the company stated.
