Shell Anounces "Ultra-High" BN Lube

Jan Toschka, General Manager of Shell Marine

Shell Marine today announced it has been working on an ultra-high BN lube oil with a BN of 140.

"We are responding rapidly to the changing needs of the industry, helping our customers to cope with their full range of operating conditions," said Jan Toschka, General Manager of Shell Marine.

Shell says the new lubricant, Shell Alexia 140, is targeted for use on its own or as part of an onboard lubricant blending or mixing system and has successfully completed over six months of shipboard trials with an unnamed customer.

The goal, says Shell, is to provide the optimal balance between cylinder oil feed rates and protection against cold corrosion.

As previously discussed on Ship & Bunker, changing engine conditions and the introduction of lower sulfur fuels has necessitated the introduction of higher BN lubes. 

As far as feed rates are concerned, too little lubrication for an engine can lead to excess abrasive wear, while over lubrication is not only unnecessarily costly, it can lead to a build up of deposits that in turn can cause wear.

"Major OEMs now recommend cylinder drain oil analysis as a way for ship owners to optimise feed rates as it allows them to strike the right balance between corrosion protection and minimised oil consumption," Toschka added.

"Shell Marine is focusing on solutions that are operationally straightforward. These include cylinder oil condition monitoring and drain oil analysis, the software and advisory services that help to interpret and implement OEM requirements, and assisting ship operators to develop crew skills as well as knowledge."