Infineum: Partnering for marine lubricant field trials deliver wins for shipping companies

International fuel additives company Infineum on Tuesday (5 March) published an article on its website, Insight, sharing on Infineum teaming up with globals shipping firms to run collaborative marine lubricant field trials to gain approvals from major OEMs before they can be sold to vessel owners and operators. 

The following is an excerpt from the full the article: 

In the marine world there are no industry-wide specifications for engine oils. This means marine lubricants must undergo formal validation trials to obtain approvals from the major OEMs before they can be sold to vessel owners and operators. Hellen da Silva, Infineum Field Test Team Leader, explains how the partnerships Infineum forms with global shipping companies to run the extensive field trials needed to gain these approvals provide real win-win opportunities for everyone involved.

Obtaining an OEM approval (known as a ‘Main No-objection Letter’ or NOL) for a marine lubricant is a long and fairly complex process. Without this endorsement, suppliers are unable to sell their marine lubricant products to vessel owners or operators. Part of the validation is carried out, following OEM protocols and under OEM scrutiny, in vessels operating at sea, which brings added reassurance of product quality and reliability to end users. The challenge here is finding sufficient partners, running ships with an engine that meets the OEM requirements, who are prepared to run field trials with a test oil.

There are many reasons Infineum needs to run a lubricant validation programme on its marine additives for diesel cylinder lubricants (MDCL), trunk piston engine oils (TPEO) and system oil formulations. It may be necessary for example to:

• Gain approval for a new base oil in an existing or new formulation.
• Extend an approval on an existing or new formulation for new lubricant oil marketer.
• Assist lubricant oil marketers with bespoke formulation approvals.
• Validate the latest advances in marine lubrication technology.

As OEM engine hardware, operating patterns and fuel types continue to change, it becomes increasingly important to develop lubricant solutions that meet current standards and are also adaptable to meet future demands. This necessity highlights the importance of creating new partnerships with engine owners and operators to ensure our products are tested under real-world conditions that reflect both current and emerging engine technologies. But, to run an effective field trial, we need to find partners who can give us access to the right engine, running on the right fuel that is operating over sufficient distances. Through such forward-thinking collaborations, we aim to make sure our lubricants excel in a rapidly changing technological environment, secure their relevance and performance for the long term, and to ensure safe and reliable operation.

Benefits of collaborative field trials

Our previous collaborations with shippers have been long-standing, mutually beneficial and very positive experiences. The knowledge accumulated from running trials over the past several decades has enabled us to understand from our partners the benefits that they can gain from partnering on these validation testing programmes.

Probably the most obvious is that the oil for the entire duration of the trial is provided free of charge. With field trials lasting many months, or even longer, this can result in significant cost savings for the operator.

Because the trial is overseen by the engine manufacturer, the crew and Superintendent receive inspection information from OEM experts at the start and end of test unit overhauls. This means that the crew and management can benefit from direct expertise, and engines can be operated at optimal efficiency and reliability throughout the trial. In addition, regular analyses of used lube oil and fuel are carried out throughout the trial. With dedicated Infineum marine lubricant experts and qualified marine engineers monitoring the project, insights into the oil and engine performance are also available. Infineum’s experts are dedicated to working closely with our partners which enhances the collective understanding of lubricant performance. We have found that a high performing oil can increase the lifetime of components, which can contribute to considerable long-term cost savings.

Note: The full article by Infineum can be found here.

Photo credit: Infineum
Published: 7 March 2024