SECTOR FOCUS: MARINE
Preparing for the IMO 2020 impact on marine lubricants
Ian Bown, Technical Manager, marine diesel engine oils , Lubrizol
Simon Tarrant,
Global Business Manager, large engines, Lubrizol
A soon-to-be-implemented regulation limiting sulphur in ship fuel is having a dramatic effect on how marine engine lubricants are formulated.
The International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) 2020 sulphur regulation will drive a dramatic shift in the types of fuels used by ships. The global 0.5% limit on fuel sulphur means that on 1 January 2020 much of the demand for heavy fuel oil (HFO), the high-sulphur fuel used by most of today’s shipping fleet, will switch to lower sulphur fuels – mainly new very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO) blends formulated specifically for 2020 compliance.
For ship owners and operators, this single change is challenging enough. Whichever compliance option they choose - switching to low-sulphur fuel, installing exhaust gas cleaning systems (or scrubbers) to remove sulphur after burning HFO or investing in engines
10 LUBE MAGAZINE NO.154 DECEMBER 2019
that burn alternative fuels (such as liquefied natural gas) with virtually no sulphur – will have big cost and operational implications. Matching lubrication strategies to fuel choices will be another important consideration. Anticipated changes in fuel composition mean that standard practice for lubricating marine engines will also change from 2020.
Traditionally marine main engines burning HFO have needed cylinder lubricants with a high acid neutralisation capability (expressed as base number or BN) to tackle the corrosive qualities of a high sulphur content – something that is becoming even more important as modern engine designs and operations exacerbate corrosive conditions. For ships using fuels with lower sulphur, 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 sulphur spectrum will demand more from cylinder lubricants.
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