When geopolitics meets lubrication: Why are high base oil prices here to stay
Base oil prices are not just high.
They have settled at a structurally elevated level.
Since Q2 2022, the market has not returned to previous norms. While crude oil has been volatile, base oil and consequently cylinder and system oil have remained persistently expensive.
This is not a temporary imbalance.
In shipping, most developments are currently focused on green and transition fuels.
While the long-term direction is clear, recent developments show that the uptake of green fuels is slowing down, mainly due to uncertainty and fluctuations in supply chain investments. Transition fuels, on the other hand, are gaining renewed momentum.
In the engine room, some problems are so common that they are simply accepted as part of daily operations. For Thorbjørn Thade Petersen, former Chief Engineer at Maersk, one of those problems was clogged scavenge drainpipes on 2-stroke marine engines.
ShipCore is proud to announce its largest project to date: a comprehensive fleet-wide upgrade covering 40 main engines. The order includes installation of ShipCore’s three flagship solutions – the Automatic Drain Cleaning System (ADCS), the Sludge Collection Unit (SCU), and the Lube-oil Reuse System (LRS).
ShipCore was founded in 2018 under the name Smart-Marine, with a clear focus: developing practical, physical systems that solve critical problems in the ship’s engine room. From the very beginning, the goal was to deliver solutions that reduce manual workload, improve safety for crews, and optimize engine performance.
ShipCore is pleased to announce that the Lube-oil Reuse System (LRS) has been officially granted patent protection. This milestone confirms ShipCore’s role as an innovator in the maritime sector and strengthens our position as a trusted partner for sustainable engine solutions.
Cleaning the stuffing box drain pipe, and pumping the collected oil to be re-cycled
Auger screw mounted in common drain line, effectively moving hard sludge and oil from each individual cylinder to the scavenge air drain tank
Mounted on each cylinder unit, continuously removing sludge and oil from under-piston space. Keeping drain lines clean and ensuring fast and correct Scrape Down Sampling
ShipCore’s Sludge Collecting Unit (SCU) removes the need for manual cleaning of scavenge air drain tanks and is central to facilitating the repurpose of oil drained from the engine to be reintroduced as reuse cylinder lubrication oil in our Lube Oil Reuse System (LRS).
With the SCU, engine crews save a significant amount of man hours on cleaning duties, improving working conditions by reducing the exposure to hazardous substances.
ShipCore’s Lube Oil Reuse System (LRS) revolutionizes the handling and lifetime of lubrication oil for maritime 2-stroke engines.
Working together with the ADCS and SCU, the LRS reuses lubrication oil to be reintroduced into the engine. This drastically lowers the total cost of lubrication oil used to operate the engine and lowers emissions from fossil fuels by reusing rather than paying to dispose of excess oil.
With ShipCore’s LRS, improved sustainability also means an improved ship economy.
ShipCore’s Automatic Drain Cleaning System (ADCS) reduces sludge accumulation in 2-stroke engines through continuous cleaning of scavenge air drains.
The solution is highly durable and reduces the total amount of cylinder lubrication oil needed as well as the total fuel consumption of the ship.
Add to this that it improves the working conditions and work safety of the engine crew significantly, while lowering their man-hours spent on cleaning duties.
