From July 1, 2010 ships operating in the EU Emission Control Area must burn fuel with a maximum sulphur content of 1%, down from the previous limit of 1.5%. Ship owners are now faced with not only fuel switching difficulties but the additional need for lubricant switching as they move in and out of the ECA. However, Total Lubmarine has the only lubricant product in the market place today that can operate successfully for HFO at sulphur contents ranging below 1% and above 4%. Ships using Lubmarine’s Talusia Universal do not need to switch lubricants when moving in and out of the ECA.
Whilst it was possible to operate using traditional BN 70 lubricants at sulphur level of 1.5% and above, engine manufacturer guidelines state that lower number BN lubricants must be used with fuels containing under 1% sulphur in order to prevent excess deposits and engine wear and scuffing. The solution offered by most major lubricant suppliers is the use of two different lube oils according to the sulphur content of the fuel being burnt by the vessel. For ship operators this gives rise to a host of complex operational issues not least additional storage capacity, crew training and on-board procedure requirements.
A one-lubricant solution avoids these problems. The patented Talusia Universal from Total Lubmarine has been approved by all engine manufacturers for use with high and low sulphur content fuels. This one-stop solution provides cost, efficiency and safety benefits for international shipping, eliminating the risk of engine damage from mismatch between different cylinder oils.