Stefan Claussen, LUKOIL Marine’s Technical and Marketing Director, presented on the uncertainties surrounding the marine fuel landscape after 2020 and discussed the future cylinder lubrication solutions for very-low (VLSFO <0.5%S) and ultra-low sulphur fuel oils (ULSFO <0.1%S).
Claussen reinforced the approach advising to start with 40 BN cylinder lubricants for VLSFO operation from 2020, a method also shared by OEMs, for example in MAN’s latest service letter SL2019-671/JAP:
“It is expected that the vast majority of all vessels with MAN B&W engines will experience a trouble-free transition to max 0.50%S fuels. We recommend beginning with 40 BN cylinder oil and evaluating the condition continuously,” Claussen said, “the challenge is to create a sufficient level of detergency to avoid deposits in the engine.”
Kenny Park, LUKOIL Marine Lubricants Technical and Marketing Manager, explained: “Similar to 2012, when we launched our BN100 cylinder oil NAVIGO 100 MCL as a pre-emptive countermeasure against cold corrosion, we have already been anticipating in advance that with cylinder oil for all fuels up to 0.5%S the crucial factor will be cleaning capability rather than neutralisation.”
“No 40 BN cylinder oil designed for pre-2020 low sulfur residual fuels was covering distillate fuel operation sufficiently to handle 0.1%S and any 0.5%S fuels,” added Claussen, “So, we acquired major engine designers’ full Non-Objection Letters for our new extra-detergency BN40 cylinder oil NAVIGO MCL Extra on the basis of a successful field test in 2014 to 2017.
“Since then, we have been experiencing its excellent cleaning performance, eg on engines running long-term on low sulfur fuel between Brazil and northern European ports,” he said.
NAVIGO MCL Extra is a new 40 BN marine cylinder oil for distillate, ULSFO, VLSFO and low sulfur heavy fuel oil (<1.5%S) applications. It was launched by LUKOIL in May, 2017 and is approved for MAN, WinGD and J-ENG (Mitsubishi) engines.
“We developed NAVIGO MCL Extra in order offer our customers the best possible lubricant solutions in the years leading up to 2020 and beyond. Regardless of whether de-sulfurisation, MGO or distillate blends or any predominantly hydrocarbon blend with a maximum of 0.5% sulfur content or a 0.1%S limit in ECA - We are ready,” Claussen stressed.