A new report by Total Lubmarine focuses on the fuel quality challenges, especially after IMO2020, and highlights the importance of prevention.
Fuel quality challenges
The lead up to IMO2020 was a testing time for the shipping industry as it was for lubricant and fuel manufacturers, planning for the potential impact that the transition to low sulfur fuels could bring.
According to the report, post IMO2020 industry research and feedback from shipping operators including the BIMCO 2020 Fuel Oil Quality and Safety Survey highlighted that the transition saw operators face some initial challenges.
These included fuel quality issues, including inconsistent fuel batches, likely resulting from the large number of fuel suppliers seeking to meet the new IMO standards, and in doing so increasing the risk of inconsistency in the initial transition stages.
Cat Fines were also reported as an issue in the early stages of 2020, certainly not a new problem but were highlighted by operators, as were lower viscosities.
These lower viscosities were likely a result of new fuel batches adopting MDO/MGO cuts to reach the required Sulfur levels, causing viscosity levels to drop creating fuel transfer issues, pumping issues or trouble within fuel injection.
Consequently operators faced challenges including combustion and cleanliness issues with consequences as shown below:
- Combustion deposits
- Abrasive wear
- Corrosion
- Scuffing damage
Prevention
This approach is further reinforced by research from the Swedish Club, which highlights lubrication failure as the main cause of vessel engine damage, costing on average costing $763,320.
Compared to The Swedish Club’s previous 2010- 2014 research, lubrication failure had increased in both the number of cases and the average cost per claim, which had increased by 15%, rising from $663,351 to $763,320.
This evidence points to the fact that lubrication issues are costing vessel operators significant time and money – often unnecessarily
the report notes.
Lubrication clearly remains a key issue within the shipping industry given the findings of the survey and the impact when things do go wrong is significant not just in terms of the $763,000 average cost but the time lost in having to deal with engine failure.
The findings also highlight that the most effective way to avoid main engine damage is through the implementation of a robust fuel and lubrication oil management system.
The Swedish Club technical advisors explain that statistically a vessel will suffer between one and two incidences of main engine damage during its lifetime.
Engine claims account for 28% of all machinery claims and 34% of the costs. Through the research over the past 10 years, lubrication failure remains the most common and frequent cause of damage so is clearly an ongoing issue.
Prevention of damage is naturally preferable to cure and the first step to avoiding main engine damage is to have a robust lubrication management system in place
Engine cleanliness
Engine cleanliness is critical for any fleet operator, as this will help protect the engine and especially the ring pack, the liner and the piston topland, which in turn will help prevent costly engine damage, downtime and repair.
In other words, when surfaces are clean, the oil film is well established and ensures good wear protection by minimizing the iron content, potentially delivering feed rate reduction.
As the BIMCO survey findings have revealed when it comes to engine cleanliness, effective lubrication of the engine has a key role to play.
There are 4 key benefits associated with engine cleanliness. Effective engine cleanliness, will ensure clean piston toplands and crowns, minimizing the risks of bore polishing and scuffing, which in turn will help prevent costly engine damage whilst maximizing the time required between overhaul.
It also ensures sealing of the combustion space contributing to improved engine performance through proper ring movement, reducing the risk of ring breakage.
EXPLORE MORE AT LUBMARINE’S REPORT ABOUT POST IMO2020
