Biodegradeable lubricant range is developed for shipping

Marine lubricants supplier Lubmarine has produced a range of high-performance biodegradable products which could enable shipping companies to significantly improve their environmental footprint without compromising either performance or safety.

After extensive testing over a period of years at its dedicated research centre, Total Lubmarine is now able to offer a full range of biodegradable products, comprising: Carter Bio, a lubricant for high gear performance; Biohydran TMP, a hydraulic lubricant; and Biomultis SEP 2, an extreme-pressure multipurpose grease. Lubmarine claims that the new range has equal performance to mineral-based oil products.

Patrick Havil, marketing manager of Lubmarine, says, “the commercial incentives to use such lubricants are now greater than ever, and include the possibility of reduced fees for ‘green’ ships in certain ports, and the requirement on the part of certain port authorities for ships to operate within the terms of a zero spill policy.

“Manufacturing new biodegradable lubricants which do not affect performance, however, is not a straightforward undertaking. Base oil, the main raw material used to produce such products, has to be modified, and all the properties introduced by mineral-based oils such as high oxidation resistance and thermal stability are not present in the chemical compounds found in biodegradable oil.” TST