© ExxonMobil
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

The IMO’s new limits for SOx emissions have been in force for more than one and a half years. HANSA spoke to a group of lubricant suppliers about the effects the tightening of the limits has on their product portfolio and the challenges they have to face now

The strict limits for the emission[ds_preview] of sulphur oxides, which were introduced at the beginning of 2020, posed challenges for the lubricant industry. This was joined by corona virus. Suppliers had to adapt to the new requirements. And the future, which will be about decarbonising shipping, also continues to hold challenges for them.

No room for errors

For Yannis Chatzakis, ExxonMobil’s Global Aviation & Marine Field Engineering Manager »the IMO’s 2020 sulphur cap was unprecedented in scale and scope«. »Crucially, there was no room for errors – come 1 January 2020, everything had to be in place,« Chatzakis says.

For ExxonMobil it was clear that the new generation of IMO-compliant fuel grades would need new cylinder oil formulations. As a result, the company developed Mobilgar 540, a 40BN lubricant specifically designed for two-stroke marine diesel engines running on 0.50% sulphur fuels. »We conducted extensive trials and field tests to ensure it provided the right balance of detergency and acid neutralisation to maintain trouble-free engine operation. We also offer Mobilgard M20 Series 4-stroke oils, which are suitable for use with low sulphur fuel options, including LNG«, Chatzakis says.

More global change to come

The lubricants supplier is sure, that IMO 2020 was just the start of wide-ranging change to global vessel operations. The IMO has since set out its ambitions for a quantitative fall in marine industry greenhouse gas emission; a reduction of at least 50 % by 2050, compared with 2008 levels. It also envisions a 40 % reduction in carbon intensity by 2030 and a 70 % reduction by 2050, both compared with 2008 levels. The marine fuels landscape will continue to evolve: »The challenge for us is to formulate lubricants that provide adequate protection in what may be a highly complex environment. To help maintain peace of mind it will also be vital to use real-time digital tools to ensure satisfactory engine health,« Chatzakis says.

One such example is Mobil Serv Cylinder Condition Monitoring, a programme that monitors onboard engine health through scrapedown oil analysis. The insights it provides can help optimise feed rates and prevent costly downtime.

Engine deposit as key issue

According to Total Lubmarine the 0. 5% sulphur cap ushered in a range of 0.5 % sulphur fuel oil blends with varying viscosity, density, and pour points. The findings of last year’s Fuel Oil Quality and Safety Survey published by Bimco, the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), Intercargo and Intertanko, as well as engine makers, found engine deposit build up to be a key issue. »Engine cleanliness is now essential in this new operating regime. Fouling and deposits can impact engine efficiency and risk malfunction which often leads to more serious problems down the line,« says Serge Dal Farra, Global Marketing Manager Marine for Lubmarine, TotalEnergies.

As the industry explores the options for meeting the IMO’s greenhouse gas emission reduction ambitions, »more new fuels will come into play«. According to Total Lubmarine, creating compatible lubricants that compensate for these varying specifications is critical to ensure vessel operators avoid engine fouling and costly repairs. Dal Farra says: »LNG as a marine fuel is a good example of this. Conditions for a cylinder oil when used while burning LNG as a marine fuel in gas mode, undergo significantly more thermal stress than in liquid fuel mode. It is one of the reasons why we are focused on ensuring all our customers use lubricants and monitoring tools that deliver optimal engine cleanliness and performance«.

»We’ve been ahead of the curve in our product development. Working with OEMs on very demanding tests protocols, we have qualified products which are developed using a unique chemistry that helps the neutralization process and the control of engine deposit growth in the pistons, rings, and liners,« Serge Dal Farra says. He reports that in November 2020 Total Lubmarine qualified the industry’s single cylinder oil solution for all IMO 2020 compliant fuels, including LNG in dual-fuel (DF) mode. Called Talusia Universal (57 BN, SAE 50) it has received a revised No Objection Letter (NOL) from Winterthur Gas & Diesel (WinGD) adding DF Validation for the WinGD range of DF engines and confirms the validation across the full range of WinGD engines (including legacy Sulzer engines), comprising more than 8,000 hours in field tests and 4,000 hours performed onboard a vessel with a 6X62DF engine burning LNG. It follows the previously awarded NOL by MAN ES earlier in 2020 after field tests were successfully completed on several MAN B&W engines, including 10K98MC-C6, 12K98MC-C6, 12K98ME-C7 and 6S70ME-C7 engines. »It represents a major advancement for industry with a single cylinder oil solution for the lubrication of modern 2-stroke diesel and DF engines using IMO 2020 and ECA compliant fuels, including those operators making the switch to LNG to help reduce SOx, NOx and fine particle emissions,« Dal Farra concludes.

Curious but prepared

As many other suppliers, Chevron Marine Lubricants were curious for 2020, but well prepared. »We were ahead of the curve in addressing the impact of the IMO 2020 sulphur cap on cylinder lubrication, launching Taro Ultra engine oils that cover a range of BN grades, enabling flexibility for operators steaming in and out of ECA zones and running on a range of emerging alternative fuels as well as VLSFO and HSFO,« says Pat McCloud, GM Europe & Global Marine Lubricants.

»We were accurate in our prediction that the majority of ships would require a 40 BN grade product«, he continues, »seeing a shift from higher BN numbers associated with higher sulphur fuels, and throughout the transition security of supply for this demand was assured at our global ports«.

Chevron introduced a completely new range of marine cylinder lubricants to cover pretty much all engines, fuels and operation conditions. Taro Ultra 20 for lubricating engines operating on ULSFO and LNG, Taro Ultra 40 for VLSFO, Taro Ultra 100 and 140 for engines equipped with scrubbers and operating on HSFO. »Our range of Taro Ultra engine oils are extensively field tested and approved by OEMs,« adds McCloud. Looking ahead, decarbonisation will be a big issue for Chevron, McCloud is certain: »Sustainability and emissions reduction are focus areas for the global shipping industry. To support our customers on their journey to a lower-carbon future we are looking at lubrication solutions for emerging fuels to meet future emissions regulations, such as IMO 2030 and IMO 2050«.

Higher demand for low-BN-lubricants

As a result of tightening of the SOx limits, the strongest impact Gazpromneft Marine Lubricants felt, was a significant increase in demand for low-BN cylinder lubricants. In 2019, their share in MDCL sales structure was only 27 %, at the end of 2020 it reached 75 % and in the first quarter 2021 it stabilized at level of 80 %. In TPEO (trunk-piston oils) section BN30 SAE 30/40 oils are the most requested. Their share in 2021 retains at level of 45 %.

»Ahead of 2020, we aimed to accurately forecast the shift in demand«, says Roman Miroshnichenko, Managing Director at Gazpromneft Marine Lubricants. »It was essential to adjust the production schedule and provide the stable products availability in every country of our presence. It was also necessary not to accumulate excessive stock for less demanded products to avoid additional expenses and to offer the best prices to our customers.«

Due to the new limits the Russian company came into 2020 with a brand new product line. Gazpromneft Ocean engine oils were developed in 2017 to meet all the upcoming IMO 2020 requirements. Therefore when the 2020 had to come Gazpromneft Ocean two-stroke and four-stroke oils were already approved by key OEMs. »We have also provided our customers with Professional Technical Service PLUS that was highly demanded. Between November 2019 and May 2020, the number of requests for technical specialists assistance increased by 1,75 times compared to the average, and seven out of ten shipowners ordered unscheduled laboratory tests of working oil for at least one of their fleet‘s vessels,« Miroshnichenko says. He continues, »Diesel engineering actual trends put in a constant request for new lubricants grades with extended properties. Therefore, the developing new products is one of the permanent processes in our company. We expect to provide the market with cutting-edge improved cylinder oils in 2022«.

As with other companies, the pandemic also thwarted some plans at Gazpromneft. »Since 2019, we worked hard to enter the USA market and were close to accomplish it. However, we decided that it is to adventurously expanding to another continent during the pandemic. Therefore, we postponed the exit first to 2021 but as the situation in global is still unstable, we look towards 2022,« says Miroshnichenko. At the same time, the company is succeeding in Asia. In October 2020, they entered China’s market and did it distantly. »This country is very special for us, as the very first announcement of the Gazpromneft Ocean product range took place on Marinetec China forum. Nowadays we look ahead to the zero emission future. Quite soon, the whole industry will start preparing for IMO 2030 and IMO 2050«, Miroshnichenko believes.

The greatest challenge for manufacturers is a question of the direction that the industry will choose to achieve the decarbonization goals. »There are uncertainty and too many fuel options on the market and every one of them will require a special product solution«. Miroshnichenko expects that in the medium term, LNG may become one of the main fuels that will be widely used in international shipping, as it is already quite demanded. »Nevertheless, we have to determine the clear line of new developments in three to five years perspective to stay relevant«, he concludes.

Focus on monitoring

Shell also has developed a lower BN lubricant such as Shell Alexia 40 which is specifically formulated based on the latest insights on IMO 2020 compliant fuels and taking into account of the requirement of modern engines, reports Marcus Schaerer, Shell Marine General Manager Technical & Services. Apart from using the right BN lubricant to meet low sulphur limits, monitoring and maintenance of engine feed rate and corrosion also play a critical role. »OEMs have recommended regular engine monitoring to help optimise feed rate and improve engine performance. In responding to this need, Shell has developed Shell LubeMonitor, a two-stroke cylinder oil monitoring service that can help to understand engine performance so that customers can take the appropriate counter measures to avoid or reduce downtimes,« Schaerer says. »The LubeMonitor is available for everyone who needs it, free of charge. The engine inspection feature will help provide step by step guidance to the crew by allowing them to take pictures, enter measurements and produce a full engine inspection report automatically,« he continues.

Shell believes that in the near future new engines and new fuels will require new and different lubricants but also an increased focus on monitoring. Lubricants are an important component and have a significant impact on reliable equipment operations. Most machinery failures, no matter if they are maintenance, loading, contamination, wear debris or lubrication related, can be avoided by regular sampling and structured data management. »This will play an increasingly important role in the future,« Schaerer says. AW