In response to studies done by engine manufacturers MAN Diesel and Wärtsilä, top marine lubricants suppliers are making a big shift toward higher base number oils in order to deal with the growing issue of “cold corrosion.”
This issue is primarily due to lower temperatures and higher pressures found within newer 2-stroke engine designs, noted BP Castrol Marketing Director Jonathan Hutchinson in a conversation last week in Shanghai. When burning heavy fuel oil inside these engines, the cylinder temperature is dropping below the dew point of the sulfuric acid formed in the combustion process, and it is condensing inside the cylinder, vice fully escaping from hotter burning and lower pressure engines. This is leading to increased cylinder and piston ring wear, notes Hutchinson.
To combat this issue, most lubricant manufacturers have seemed to accept the fact that the fundamental issue is that there’s not enough base additive in the oils in order to counteract the acid. The solution for some suppliers has been to simply add more additive and call it good, yet Hutchinson notes that the Castrol Cyltech CL 100 oil is based on chemistry that they have been developing over the past two to three years includes not only higher base number to control cold corrosion, but additional additives to better control deposit formation within the cylinder as well as more effective film formation to better protect wear in the piston/liner area.
The new higher BN oil isn’t for everyone though. Depending on how old your engine is, whether in the 5-15 year group, 2-5 years, or newer, there are different solutions, so it’s best to speak with your specific lubricants supplier to get their recommendations.
Another option that some shipping companies may choose is to just stick with what they’re using if they are close to a planned yard period. Hutchinson admits that the extra additives bump up the price on this new 100 BN oil, and depending on the circumstances, it may be more economical to accept some additional cylinder liner wear than to immediately switch to the new lubricant.
Have an engine oil preference? Share your thoughts in the Forum.
Join the gCaptain Club for curated content, insider opinions, and vibrant community discussions.
Join the 109,196 members that receive our newsletter.
Have a news tip? Let us know.
A Norwegian shipping company on Friday rejected an accusation from Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, that it refused to rescue sailors from a sinking Russian cargo ship in the Mediterranean Sea.
Israel struck multiple targets in Yemen it said were controlled by Houthis, the last of the Iran-backed groups still fully engaged in the regional war that began 14 months ago.
China said on Monday it had provided information and documents for an open investigation into the severing of two Baltic Sea undersea cables, though it and Sweden disagreed over how transparent Beijing had been in the case.
Maritime and offshore news trusted by our 109,196 members delivered daily straight to your inbox.
Essential news coupled with the finest maritime content sourced from across the globe.
Sign Up
Join The Club
