Lubricant breakthroughs cut fuel consumption 

The development of maritime fuels to cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, such as green methanol, bioLNG, hydrogen and ammonia, bring huge challenges for engine manufacturers and lubricant oil producers. They need to be ready for these fuels to be adopted across the port services sector, with some tugs now using sustainable biofuels, and the first tugs also combusting compressed hydrogen, methanol and ammonia.

However, most vessels will continue operating on four-stroke diesel engines well beyond 2040, so any improvements in lubricant oils can help efficiency and reduce emissions. 

“Lubricant manufacturers are simultaneously working on developing improved lubricants for existing mature fuel solutions (conventional and LNG fuels), while developing new lubricants to meet the needs of future fuels including biofuels, e-fuels, methanol and ammonia,” says TotalEnergies Lubmarine technical manager Olivier Denizart.

“The primary drivers for lubricants are ever-changing in line with engine designers and manufacturers, who are striving for further performance improvements that can help deliver increased fuel economy and emissions reductions in today’s engines.”

New engine designs are placing increased demands on lubricants and their performance capabilities in a range of ways including higher temperature and pressure in the engine, exhaust gas recirculation and aftertreatment. As well as machinery lubrication, lubricants need to deliver thermal stability, detergency and oxidation resistance.

“Demands placed on cylinder lubricants by today’s engines mean we must pay special attention to the key areas of the combustion chamber, the ring pack, the exhaust valve and especially the piston top land and top ring area,” says Mr Denizart. “For this, we are focusing on low ash for deposit control and high detergency for cleanliness. The importance of good piston ring cleanliness cannot be overstated.”

Producers also need to consider operational drivers including fuel efficiency, emissions control, lower carbon footprints, better reliability, the changing regulatory landscape and safety regimes. 

“New health and safety regulations could limit the use of some traditionally used chemical components in marine lubricants, creating the need for new components and formulations to be identified, tested and utilised within marine lubricants,” says Mr Denizart.

“We can develop new lubricant formulations that improve energy efficiency and the cleanliness of today’s marine engines operating on conventional fuels, while contributing to reduced emissions.”

Lubmarine has developed an experimental, groundbreaking four-stroke, fuel-economy lubricant that has already yielded significant fuel savings during year-long sea trials. This is open for engine manufacturer approvals in 2025. 

Mr Denizart says this lubricant reduces engine friction, resulting in 4% lower fuel consumption, plus cost savings and energy efficiency, depending on operating conditions.

“This is a real breakthrough and innovation in four-stroke trunk piston engine oils,” he says. “Through this new lubricant, we can have a positive impact on fuel economy, and therefore CO2 emissions, which will ultimately support the move towards future GHG emissions regulations.”

Continual development of lubrication solutions will deliver more effective engine performance and prepare the maritime industry for a transition through sustained evolution. “Future demand for conventional and LNG fuels will be significant,” Mr Denizart says. “There will be demand for marine lubricants that meet the operational parameters of these engines into the foreseeable future.”