Independent R&D for the working oil and grease list a ship actually consumes — stern tube oil for both oil- and water-lubricated configurations, marine cylinder oil at TBN 40 to 100 for HSFO, VLSFO and ULSFO under IMO 2020, trunk-piston engine system oil, biodegradable EAL (Environmentally Acceptable Lubricant) for every oil-to-sea interface under the US EPA Vessel General Permit, plus the deck-machinery grease basket — CaSX winch grease, anchor-chain lubricant, wire-rope dressing and steering-gear hydraulic oil. Designed for the realities of Indian coastal shipping, offshore supply and the Gulf-deployed fleet.
The IMO 2020 sulphur shift changed marine cylinder oil chemistry permanently. Until 2020, ships ran HSFO at 3.5% sulphur, and TBN 70 to 100 cylinder oil was the standard global product. From 1 January 2020, the IMO sulphur cap dropped to 0.5% for VLSFO and 0.1% for ECAs (Emission Control Areas). A ship now needs three different cylinder oils onboard — TBN 25 for ULSFO/ECA, TBN 40 for VLSFO open-sea, TBN 70-100 for HSFO-plus-scrubber. The wrong TBN burns piston rings or coats them with calcium carbonate — both are catastrophic.
Seawater is always present. Stern tube oil sits with its seal lip in contact with seawater. Hydraulic oil in a deck crane sees salt spray every shift. System oil contaminated by fuel and water emulsifies. The formulator’s job is to engineer water tolerance (carries 3 to 5% water without losing film), demulsibility (separates cleanly in a centrifuge), and corrosion protection — sometimes in the same product. Mineral oil chemistry alone cannot do this; we routinely build with ester co-base.
The US EPA VGP makes biodegradability commercial, not optional. Any vessel calling at a US port that has an oil-to-sea interface — stern tube, controllable-pitch propeller, thruster, deck hydraulics, wire rope — must use an EAL on that interface. Mineral oil is not allowed unless the operator can document a technically infeasible substitution. The market is therefore split: EALs for US-trading vessels, mineral oil for everything else. We formulate both ranges and design the EAL using saturated ester chemistry that survives the hydrolytic stress of seawater. See our oil formulation service.
Indian coastal and offshore have their own demands. ONGC offshore platforms, Mumbai High supply vessels, Cochin Shipyard repair work, Mormugao bulk handling and Visakhapatnam container terminal each have specific lubrication requirements. We formulate for SCI (Shipping Corporation of India), Great Eastern Shipping and Indian Navy auxiliaries directly.
| Product | Standard / Specification | Issuing Body | Where It Applies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marine Cylinder Oil | MAN B&W, Wartsila Cat. II | Engine OEM | 2-stroke crosshead diesel engines |
| Marine System Oil | MAN ES, Wartsila 32/46/50 | Engine OEM | 4-stroke trunk-piston medium-speed engines |
| EAL Hydraulic / Stern Tube | US EPA VGP / VIDA Appendix A | US EPA | Any vessel calling US ports with oil-to-sea interface |
| Biodegradable Hydraulic | ISO 15380 HEES · HETG · HEPG | ISO | Biodegradable hydraulic categorisation |
| Stern Tube Oil | Wartsila / Kemel / Simplex Approved | Seal OEM | Stern tube seal supplier specifications |
| Marine Engine Oil · India | IS 13656 (4-stroke aux) · IS 1448 | BIS | Indian merchant marine, coastal and Indian Navy |
| Marine Grease | BIS IS 7623 · NLGI | BIS / NLGI | Deck machinery, winch, wire rope |
| Open Gear / Chain Lube | IS 8406 · ISO 12925 | BIS / ISO | Anchor chain, open mooring gear |
| Biodegradability | OECD 301B (CO2 evolution) · OECD 203 (toxicity) | OECD | EAL biodegradability and aquatic toxicity proof |
An EAL (Environmentally Acceptable Lubricant) is a lubricant that meets three criteria under the US EPA Vessel General Permit (VGP) definitions: biodegradable (OECD 301B > 60% in 28 days), minimally toxic (OECD 203 acute fish LL50 > 100 mg/L) and non-bioaccumulative (log Kow < 3 or molecular weight > 800).
EALs are required for any vessel calling at a US port that has an "oil-to-sea interface" — stern tube, controllable-pitch propeller, thruster, deck machinery hydraulics, wire rope, dewatering pumps. Saturated ester chemistry is the dominant EAL technology because it tolerates the hydrolytic stress of seawater contact much better than vegetable-oil-based fluids.
TBN must match the fuel sulphur. For 0.1% S ULSFO in ECA waters, TBN 25 is sufficient. For 0.5% S VLSFO under IMO 2020 open-sea operation, TBN 40 is the standard global product. For HSFO operation (3.5% S) with scrubber retrofit, TBN 70 to 100 is needed to neutralise sulphuric acid condensation on the liner.
Using a high-TBN oil on low-sulphur fuel causes calcium-carbonate deposit on piston crowns and rings. Using a low-TBN oil on high-sulphur fuel allows acid corrosion of the liner. Cylinder-oil selection is now fuel-specific in a way it was not pre-2020.
Yes. The two designs need different fluids. Oil-lubricated stern tubes need a high-viscosity ISO 100 to 220 oil with high water tolerance and demulsibility for the central oil head tank. Water-lubricated stern tubes use lignum-vitae or composite-bearing material that runs directly in seawater; there is no oil in the bearing itself, but any oil leakage from upstream gear or seals must be EAL-grade biodegradable.
Both designs ultimately need an EAL solution for US VGP compliance — either the stern tube oil itself or any oil that could possibly leak past the seal.
Tell us which marine products you need (cylinder oil, system oil, EAL, deck grease) and which fleet or operator you are supplying. We respond within one business day.