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Total Lubmarine (Lubmarine), one of the world’s leading global suppliers of marine lubricants and greases, has expressed concern over recent information released to the market suggesting that ship owners and operators must choose a high or a low BN marine cylinder lubricant (MCL) based upon their predominant operating patterns.

Lubmarine says it agrees that general operations for 2-stroke diesel engines are becoming more severe, increasing the technical challenges required for deposit control, cleanliness and wear protection. However over the past decade, the company says conventional MCL wisdom has changed and "it has been clearly proven that the BN argument is now an outdated one."

"This is because BN alone is simply not enough to explain the neutralisation performance of a lubricant. As such, Total Lubmarine believes that the implications of this ‘high BN with conventional chemistry’ approach are at best risky and at worst dangerous," the company explained.

Jean-Philippe Roman, technical director, commented: “It is important to note that it is not the level of basicity that is dangerous, but the underlying chemistry with which products are formulated. For anyone relying upon the conventional MCL chemistry - which the majority of lubricant suppliers now recognise as outdated – it is understandable that the only option is to increase the BN. However this presents a high-risk strategy; too low a BN for the sulphur content can lead to acid corrosion of the liners, whilst too high a BN can lead to hard calcium deposits and an increased risk of bore polishing and liner scuffing.”

Lubmarine believes that suggestions that ships choosing a high or low BN lubricant based upon their predominant operating patterns will only have to carry one cylinder oil is not only restrictive but also potentially dangerous. Without a back up providing the option to switch between high and low sulphur fuels and corresponding MCLs, Lubmarine says certain route changes would prove impossible and operational safety could be compromised.

"Although an increasingly isolated minority is polarising itself from the innovators and early adopters of single oil solutions, with five year's experience of operating using this new chemistry, Total Lubmarine's knowledge of it is maturing, data continues to accumulate and evidence is conclusive confirming that this is absolutely the right direction for MCLs. Moreover, this is a position that is substantiated by others at the forefront of the MCL marketplace that also subscribe to the same thinking and have recently launched new 'single solution' lubricants into the marketplace," Lubmarine said.

Lubmarine says it agrees that any new cylinder lubricant launched to the market must be tested in all extremes, and not just in the conditions that suit the product. "Operating under slow steaming conditions absolutely demands superior wear control and five years of 'at sea' evaluation underlines that the "universal" concept is proven to be reliable. With more than 2,000 samples from slow steaming vessels, Total Lubmarine can attest that the iron measured in the drain oil – which denotes engine wear – is lower with its newest multipurpose MCL than with a conventional mid- or high-BN lubricant. Furthermore, Lubmarine's Talusia Universal product is approved by leading two-stroke engine manufacturers MAN Diesel & Turbo, Wärtsilä and Mitsubishi HI," the lubricant supplier said.

Jean-Philippe Roman added: "New industry realities require new thinking from MCL suppliers. Single oil solutions may represent a paradigm shift for the industry but they are also a breakthrough in product applicability for shipowners and operators facing unprecedented economic and environmental challenges. Universal lubricants are conclusively proven to meet vessel needs in all operating conditions, so whether slow steaming or transiting ECAs, all of our customers can operate in the knowledge they are not risking damage to their engine."