Lukoil launches “perfect” cylinder oil

Officially launched at this year’s SMM Exhibition that took place in September, the iCOlube unit optimises the company’s Navigo 100 MLC cylinder oil by adding either fresh or used engine oil, such as Navigo 6SO.

“The iCOlube unit is designed to tailor a cylinder oil perfectly to the prevailing engine requirements and fuel quality,” said Stefan Claussen, technical and marketing director, Lukoil, Hamburg, and one of the developers of the system.

Navigo 100 MCL is said to reduce wear rates and operating costs, particularly during the demands of slow steaming operation.

“With the engine always remaining at its optimum feed rate, the operator only needs to enter the sulphur content of the fuel. In this way iCOlube ensures safe and easy operation while saving oil costs at the same time,” Mr Claussen added.

Over the past two years, Lukoil and the engine manufacturers MAN and Wärtsilä, have demonstrated the capabilities of this new high-performance oil on a number of marine engines.

Lukoil says the system also helps to avoid excessive alkalinity reserves, reduces cylinder oil and fuel consumption and used system oil disposal. Compared with traditional ship operation, iCOlube is said to reduce environmental impacts – when considering just the aspect of climate change, the results of a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) on iCOlube show this system results in a 13% reduction of CO2 equivalent.