Shell Publishes White Paper for IMO 2020 Preparedness

Shell Marine has published a new White Paper that offers ship owners and operators the critical guidance they need on cylinder oils and engine care to transition successfully through the IMO global cap on fuel sulphur content from January 1, 2020.

‘IMO 2020 Ready’ from Shell Marine sets out the commercial, operational and technical challenges faced by customers before, during and after the regulatory deadline. The publication gives in-depth guidance on the cylinder oils best suited to support owners whether they are shifting to lower sulphur fuels or sticking with >0.5% HSFO in combination with exhaust gas scrubbing, as well as technical services and supply chain options to ensure that ship engine performance is protected and optimized through the transition period.

“Engines running on lower sulphur fuels are in general best served by lower base number (BN) cylinder oils, although recommendations depend on engine type and operating conditions. As a trusted partner delivering to over 700 ports, we will help our customers to have the right lubricants in the right place at the right time,” said Joris van Brussel, Shell Marine Global General Manager.

IMO 2020 Ready documents how Shell Alexia 40 (BN40) has been developed as the mainstay cylinder oil for 0.1%/0.5% sulphur content fuels, while the Alexia two-stroke engine portfolio offers solutions optimized for all fuel types, with base numbers ranging between 25 to 140. The White Paper also offers critical guidance for four-stroke engines, detailing how lower BN Shell Argina or a switch to Shell Gadinia is likely to be necessary for low sulphur fuels, with Shell Argina S4 or Shell Argina S5 recommended for HSFO.

The White Paper delivers a timely reminder of the risks posed to engine performance by fuel switching, stressing the need for intense focus on condition monitoring in equipment management. It introduces the vital role Shell LubeMonitor and Shell LubeAnalyst will play in controlling maintenance expenses through the IMO 2020 transition, and as ‘early-warning’ tools to avert equipment failure. Shell Marine has also developed Shell LubeAdvisor to include a transition planning service for both fuels and lubricants, available at the individual ship level, offering changeover guidelines to understand and monitor fuel and lubricant selection and stock management.

Shell Alexia 40, alongside Shell’s suite of fuel solutions, provides customers with access to a full range of choices as January 1, 2020 approaches.