New Chevron Marine Lubricant specification called “Taro Ultra Advanced 40 just passed the NOL (No objection Letter) Services and Confirmation field test by MAN Energy Solutions; Man Energy Solution mandates such tests for uninterrupted use in their MK 9 later engines to get approval as reported. This article explores the interesting factors that have led to Shell Marine and Chevron marine lubricants meet requirements for category Ii 40BN cylinder oil, both receives full No Objection letter
Chevron Taro Ultra Advanced 40
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) had a 0.5% sulfur cap from January 1, 2020. MAN has defined two performance standards for lubricants intended to use in their two-stroke engines. To deal with changing fuel variants and engine designs, MAN ES has introduced a new strategy to raise the performance level of cylinder oils by dividing them into two performance categories, Category I and Category II.
Category I oils are for MAN ES Mk 8 and earlier engines. At the same time, Category II oils are higher performance for their Mk 9 and later engines.
100BN and 140BN cylinder oils meeting Category II for HFO (Heavy Fuel Oil) are already available. Still, lower BN, specifically, 40BN cylinder oils for use with VLSFO (Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil) meeting Category II, have proved more challenging and take longer to develop and commercialize.
But now, Taro Ultra Advanced 40 has passed MAN ES’sES’s two-stage Main NOL Service and Confirmation field tests to confirm its status as a Category II oil, offering lower sulfur engine operations from a low-BN oil. However, extensive tests of Taro Ultra Advanced 40 on vessels with MAN 8G80ME-C9.2 in conjunction with significant shipowners, Cape Shipping SA, a Greece Shipowner, are among those.
The Technical Manager, Mr. Elias Soulis, Cape Shipping SA, says, “”We were operating our engines on 40BN cylinder oil and VLSFO. However, we had to run alternating with 100BN oil to keep our MAN G80ME-C9.2 engine clean. We have now operated on Chevron’sChevron’s new high-performance 40BN cylinder oil for an extended time and have significantly improved. We no longer have to alternate between the two products to have excellent-looking engine cylinder conditions. Having a single product for all our operational conditions greatly reduces the complexity of our screw’s operations.”
Taro Ultra Advanced 40 is designed for use with low and zero sulfur fuels, including VLSFO, ULSFO, LNG, and methanol.
Taro Ultra Advanced 40 is one of the first oils in this product profile. It complements Chevron Marine Lubricants’Lubricants’ Taro Ultra 100 and Taro Ultra 140 higher BN products, which are already rated as Category II oils.
Luc Verbeeke, the Senior Marine Engineer, confirmed that it is vital for cylinder oils with Category II status to have excellent performance, centered on their cleaning ability, which should be the same as a 100 BN cylinder lubricant or even better.
What is required in terms of performance for category II should be significantly higher than those of Category 1, and their testing processes must also ensure that the formulation is excellent for the application it will be deplored and must meet MAN ES’sES’s latest requirements
Taro Ultra Advanced 40 will be available across our extensive global supply network in the second half of 2022.
Approval for Shell Alexia 40 XC,
Shell was the first to announce that it has received a full No Objection Letter (NOL) from Man Energy Solutions (MAN ES) for Shell Alexia 40 XC, its Category II (CAT II) 40BN cylinder oil, confirming the successful completion of the whole approval process.
Alexia 40 XC uses a proprietary and unique formulation, developed by Shell Marine’sMarine’s in-house Research & Development team, a testament to the organization’s technological strength and lubricant expertise as it responds to changes in the shipping sector.
The NOL was received following the conclusion of the Main NOL Service Test and Confirmation Test for Alexia 40XC. The successful approval of this formulation is the result of close collaboration with MAN ES to develop an approved CAT II lubricant for engines operating with <0.5% Sulphur fuels (ranging from Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil to Liquefied Natural Gas) and rigorous testing with the latest engine designs (Mark 9 and higher). Dr. Luis Garcia, Technology Manager for Marine and Engine Lubricants, Shell Marine, said: “With the industry focused on reducing emissions, engine technology is continuously evolving to deliver higher efficiencies when operating with very low to zero sulfur fuels. Latest engine designs operate with challenging conditions in terms of pressure and temperature, demanding higher-performing lubrication, particularly engine cleanliness, making the development of a CAT II 40BN cylinder oil essential.” “This has been a key project for Shell Marine. We are committed to supporting the industry’s smooth adoption of more efficient engines and cleaner fuels and having a comprehensive portfolio of cylinder lubricants to meet the needs of both older and newer engines. Upon receiving the service letter[1] issued by MAN ES, we developed an in-house solution that would provide a similar level of cleanliness and performance as 100 BN products. We are delighted to have received the NOL from MAN ES for Alexia 40XC.” The new product will be progressively available at most global ports worldwide from Q3 2022.
Epoxy Oilserv is the Lubricants distributor in Nigeria and Shell Marine Lubricants distributor in Nigeria.
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Both Shell Marine and Chevron Marine Lubricants Meet Requirements for most performance specifications for marine lubricants
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Shell Marine provides integrated solutions for the marine sector, covering a range of quality fuels and lubricants, Shell Shipcare vessel maintenance products, and Technical and Digital Services to help customers optimize operations and achieve maximum value from using our products across all types of machinery and equipment on a ship. It serves over 10,000 vessels, ranging from large ocean-going tankers to small fishing boats in over 700 ports across 62 countries. www.shell.com/marine
