The cruise sector needs to improve its environmental performance while remaining safe, says Castrol Global Industrial, marine and energy marketing director Cassandra Higham, and a key factor in that is understanding the interplays between different fuels and lubricants
Several factors are highlighting the need for a better understanding of the relationship between fuels and lubricants, as well as improved condition monitoring and maintenance practices. An increasingly stringent regulatory environment, the increasing variety of fuel types and the variable quality of fuels are contributors.
Regulators have set ambitious targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from the maritime industry. The revised IMO greenhouse gas strategy resulting from its recent MEPC 80 meeting, for instance, targets net-zero GHG emissions close to 2050.
In the longer term, meeting these targets will require the use of alternative, cleaner fuels. This has some obvious vessel design implications. Less widely appreciated are the highly interdependent relationships between fuels and lubricants. As more fuel types come into use, lubricant selection will become a more complex topic.
An added complication is off-specification fuels. Testing Times, a 2022 research paper by Lloyd’s Register and Thetius, estimated more than 1M tonnes of off-specification or non-compliant fuels are detected each year, costing ship operators US$27,000-$50,000 per incident.
In the short term, while the industry considers more profound design changes to vessels, operational changes will help to reduce emissions and maintain or improve safety. The importance of proper maintenance cannot be overstated.
Failure to engage in regular, responsible upkeep and lubricant use could compromise vessel performance and safety. For example, low levels of lubricating oil in the sump tanks were a key factor when crew and passengers had to be helicoptered off the Viking Sky cruise ship in 2019. All three operational diesel generators shut down within 19 minutes, causing a blackout and loss of propulsion, and the vessel drifted in rough waters to within 100 m of land.
We need closer relationships between lubrication specialists and other sections of the maritime industry, including industry coalitions, OEMs, regulators and shipowners, and to address the requirement for more advanced condition monitoring and oil analysis services.
Close collaboration also helps to maintain and improve crew safety measures, reliability standards and best practises, particularly around condition monitoring and oil analysis.
Careful monitoring of lubricant performance and engine conditions, and indepth oil analysis, can help reduce the risk of engine problems by highlighting minor issues before they become major and ensuring equipment is in good condition.
Digitalisation is challenging conventional ways of thinking. Digital monitoring, predictive maintenance and remote monitoring are increasingly important. Proper application of sophisticated online sensor technologies available today can enable operators to plan maintenance requirements, potentially minimising impacts on operational schedules and cost.
Meanwhile, proactive condition monitoring of the engine — something which is facilitated by continuous streams of data from online sensors and onboard testing — means that shipowners can help to identify the early warning signs of potentially catastrophic damage, which additionally helps with evidence of mitigation for insurers.
At Castrol, we have embraced digital technologies but recognise these are best used in tandem with human intelligence and expertise. Technology must be supported by people with the expertise to effectively interpret data and provide actionable insights; often the most efficient and effective solution to an engine issue is timely, expert advice.
The bottom line is lubricants should remain on the engine and not be overlooked as alternative fuels emerge on to the market. Lubricant suppliers must take on an expanded role, as consultants and service providers. Using both artificial and human intelligence, they are well placed to address industry challenges and provide services that will help with safe cruising and contribute to the industry’s decarbonisation.
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