Publisher's Note

Publisher's Note

Since our cover story is pertaining to the lubrication of shipping and allied assets on the shore, we thought it important to cover the impact of International Maritime Organization (IMO) 2020 regulations on marine lubricants.

The regulation limiting sulfur in ship fuel from 3.5% to 0.5% is having a dramatic effect on how marine engine lubricants are formulated. The International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) 2020 sulfur regulation will drive a dramatic shift in the types of fuels used by ships. The global 0.5% limit on fuel sulfur means that most shipping vessels will switch to lower sulfur fuels – mainly new very low sulfur fuel oil (VLSFO) blends formulated specifically for IMO 2020 compliance.

Traditionally marine main engines burning HFO have needed cylinder lubricants with a high acid neutralization capability (expressed as a base number or BN) to tackle the corrosive qualities of high sulfur content – something that is becoming even more important as modern engine designs and operations exacerbates corrosive conditions. For ships using fuels with lower sulfur, such as those designed for use in Emission Control Areas (ECA), engine oils with lower BN are more appropriate. Changes at both ends of the fuel sulfur spectrum will demand more from cylinder lubricants.

IMO 2020 will change the market for marine lubricant additives. Anticipated fuel challenges mean that more advanced additive chemistries will be needed to protect engines. The anticipated wide range of fuel characteristics and potential instability of VLSFO blends will increase the deposit handling capability demanded from cylinder lubricants, while the low sulfur content will reduce the requirement for acid neutralization. Conventional high-sulfur HFO has required high BN and strong deposit handling, but low-sulfur fuels need low BN lubricants that maintain the deposit handling performance of higher BN oils.

Just as IMO 2020 will be a defining point for the marine fuels market, so will it reshape demand for marine engine oils. For now, the scrubber-installed fleet will operate on existing cylinder oils - although the potential for higher sulfur fuels means even higher-BN lubricants may be needed in the future. But the new VLSFOs will need robust BN40 oils to handle anticipated stability concerns and to ensure peace of mind for ship owners. Lower-sulfur fuels need good deposit handling performance and advanced additives are being deployed to meet the challenge. Their development will not stop in the years to come.

A series of articles that we started with the cover story titled ASCEND to Lubrication Excellence in our May-June 2021 issue, we are trying to cover most of the 40 elements continue to be covered in this issue also. These articles have been very popular with our readers and many of you have written to us on how you are able to impact the state of lubrication through improvements in these respective areas.

As always, we look forward to your valued suggestions and feedback.

Wishing all our readers a happy Dashahara & Diwali.

Warm regards,

Udey Dhir