Asia/Pacific News
Shell Highlights New Marine Products at Indonesian Lube Plant
Shell Marine Products Global (Shell) Wednesday announced that, following a little more than a year of operations, the company's newest lubricant oil blending plant (LOBP) in Marunda Centre, near Jakarta, Indonesia, is now producing 99 different products, including new marine lubricants Shell Argina, Shell Gadinia, and Shell Melina.
The local production of the marine lubricants is said to come in response to increased demand generated by a growing domestic maritime sector in Indonesia, which is supported by the government’s maritime highway programme - an initiative to develop the country’s maritime infrastructure through upgraded ports.
Shell says that, in order to support this initiative, the company provides stock point centres located in major ports in Indonesia to ensure continuity, supplying domestic and international marine customers with product when and where they require it.
"We are pleased by the progress we have made in one year of manufacturing operations here in Indonesia. This local capability enables us to be close to our customers and nimbly react to market demand, including our marine lubricant customers," said Alex Marpaung, Lubricants Supply Chain Operations Manager for Indonesia.
"This plant also enables our business to expand its reach, and support our customers’ needs in Eastern Indonesia, particularly in Kalimantan, Sulawesi, West Nusa Tenggara, East Nusa Tenggara, Ambon and Papua."
The Indonesian plant is said to have enabled Shell to transition from almost exclusively importing its lubricant products from overseas to the majority being produced locally, with nearly 70 percent of Shell’s lubricants in the country now "Made in Indonesia."
"The quality of Shell’s products is ensured by regular testing at the world-class test laboratory located on-site," notes the company.
In September, Shell announced it had been working on an ultra-high BN lube oil with a BN of 140.
