Image: Chevron Marine Lubricants

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Chevron Marine Lubricants has released the second in a series of new white papers focusing on innovations and developments impacting the shipping industry.

This latest white paper, entitled 'The 2020 Global Sulphur Cap and the role of cylinder oil lubricants', explores the impact of ships burning fuels with differing sulphur contents to heavy sulphur fuel oil cylinder oil use.

The paper also offers advice from Chevron Marine Lubricant experts on how to manage the transition between cylinder oils pre- and post-2020.

As the global shipping industry prepares for the arrival of the global sulphur cap in January 2020, the operation of ships in a multi-fuel future is a fast-approaching reality. Lubricants are key to the smooth operation and service life of propulsion machinery; however, Chevron notes that their optimal use is highly dependent on fuel sulphur content and that a diversified marine fuel mix demands tailoring lubricant selection to fuel sulphur content to ensure compatibility with fuels bunkered across a fleet.

With an entry into force date of January 1, 2020, stricter fuel sulphur content restrictions imposed on the global fleet has put the industry on the verge of what will be the most significant period of change in the past decades.

Under the new rules, ships must burn fuels with a sulphur content of no more than 0.50% or a maximum equivalent emission output. This is a significant drop from the current limit of 3.50% which has been in effect since January 1, 2012.

Lubrication is the lifeblood of an engine, the dominant function of cylinder oil being to protect the engine from acidic corrosion. Regardless of the compliance route chosen, bunkering low-sulphur fuel alternatives versus installation of scrubbers on board, cylinder oil lubricant use will be impacted due to its synergetic relationship with the sulphur content in fuel.

Chevron provides lubrication solutions for ships using virtually any fuel type. Its new full range of Taro Ultra cylinder lubricants - from the low 25 BN Taro Ultra 25 to the 140 BN Taro Ultra 140 - are designed to provide solutions for the complex operating requirements of today, and tomorrow.

Alongside the use of Chevron's Taro Ultra cylinder lubricants, Chevron's DOT.FAST service is used to optimise engine lubrication and manage feed rates. DOT.FAST provides both on-board and onshore analysis of drip oil, giving a measurement of total iron wear, including corrosive wear.

By combining both a drip oil analyser for iron wear and a BN tester, Chevron claims to offer the best such service in the market today.

Ian Thurloway, Brand and Marketing Manager for Chevron Marine Lubricants, remarked: "As an industry leader with one of the best supply networks in the world and a full range of products to meet the diverse range of needs of both today and tomorrow, Chevron remains committed to providing reliable solutions for the marine fuels of the future. To meet the uncertain demands of 2020, Chevron’s global supply network has been further strengthened to provide a robust, flexible and agile model to ensure supply in a changing landscape. From ship visits to FAST and DOT.FAST fluid analysis, Chevron's world-class technical support team hold the expertise to help you transition to 2020."

The white paper can be viewed and downloaded by clicking here.