SECTOR FOCUS: MARINE Marine lubricants David Wright, UKLA Director General
While on land regulators have been swift to introduce vehicle emissions controls to tackle air quality issues, marine regulators have also introduced regulations designed to counter pollution from ships crossing the oceans.
The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) regulates the safety concerning the 90% of trade that crosses the seas as the guardian of the 1954 International Convention for the prevention of polluting the sea by oil.
The first ever comprehensive treaty specifically designed to counter sea pollution was the Marpol convention of 1973. Annex VI governs pollution by ships and came into force in 1997, following a three year study. In 2008 the convention was updated to introduce a global sulphur cap of 0.50%, effective from 1 January 2020, down from the current 3.5% which has led to the use of low sulphur fuel oil.
Progressive reductions in greenhouse gases including NOx emissions from ships fitted with diesel engines on or after 1 January 2011 led to the enactment of the TIER II regulation which in turn was replaced by a more stringent TIER II regulation for ships constructed on or after 1 January 2016.
Developments in marine engine technology have also necessitated the use of Environmentally Acceptable Lubricants (EAL) defined under the Vessel General Permit (VGP) as being bio-degradable, minimally toxic, and not bio accumulative. Typically this has led to the development of vegetable or plant based material for marine base oils such as soya, alongside PAGs and synthetic esters.
The VGP also dictates that oil must be 90% readily biodegradable, up to 5% can be degradable but not bio-accumulative, and the remainder must be inherently biodegradable. EALs also extends
to the use of marine greases where 75% of the product must be biodegradable and the remaining 25% may be bio-degradable or non-biodegradable but not bio-accumulative. EAL lubricant specifications are determined by a number of sources including the American Petroleum Institute (API), OEMs such as Detroit, Kemel, Wartsila Japan alongside other Military specifications.
Steps taken by marine shipping owners in recent years to counter rising fuel costs and increasingly harsh emissions controls include the widespread use of slow steaming, which reduces fuel consumption and emissions by slowing vessels to travel at typical speeds of 18 knots.
Lubricants specifically designed for slow steaming to counter oil stress, neutralising combustion acid and preventing scuffing are widespread, such as those provided by Shell.
Vickers Oils introduced the first sternlube biodegradable lubricants in 1990. Their Hydriox Bio 220 for use where oil leakages occur past the aft seals reduces leaks by absorbing fresh or sea water to form a fluid emulsion preventing the risk of free water coming into contact with gears and bearings.
Recently the US Environment Protection Agency (EPA) announced a revision to the VGP coming into effect at the expiry of the current five year permit in December 2018.
Recent successful legal challenge by environmentalists to the current VGP is likely to mean more stringent regulations in future and the draft VGP is expected to be published this autumn.
LINK
www.epa.gov
18
LUBE MAGAZINE NO.147 OCTOBER 2018
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