Of small steps and giant leaps

Of small steps and giant leaps - how to handle 2020's new sulphur caps

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With ambitious new sulphur limits of marine fuels looming,
it’s on us to conquer the future

In the past, the world has seen humanity going to tremendous lengths to achieve ambitious goals. And the great Neil Armstrong said it best, when he said that small steps for men can be giant leaps for mankind. Another classic proverb determines that a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. In a nutshell, these two quotes teach us how to approach challenges. For example, on 1 January 2020, the global sulphur limit of marine fuels will be reduced from 3.50% to 0.50% unless the ship is equipped with a scrubber, making the date a watershed moment for the marine industry – and the opportunity to take that first step.

But we know: nothing worth having comes easy. The current fuel pool for 32/40 engines is dominated by high-sulphur residual fuels (HFO), distillates and, in SECA zones, 0.10% S ultra-low-sulphur fuel oils (ULSFO). New types of fuels will be developed to comply with the tougher requirements. And despite high-sulphur HFOs remaining available, they might not be obtainable in all harbors. Consequently, the handling of the new conditions will be an important task for operators.

With the future starting on 1 January 2020, there are several options to choose from for 32/40 models: operating on low-sulphur (max. 0.50%) distillate marine fuels (e.g. DMA) or 0.50% very-low-sulphur fuel oils (VLSFO), applying a dual-fuel (DF) engine on liquefied natural gas (LNG), or continued operation on high-sulphur HFOs involving an approved SOx reduction method.

It took NASA eleven attempts to land a man on the moon. That goes to show: preparation is everything. That applies to your 32/40, too. Hence, we have defined a handful of requirements to observe when it comes to ensuring continued optimal performance and minimizing the risk of engine damage during the transition period.

Paving future’s way

For one, stable combustion prerequires sufficient charge air temperature. To ensure that, during engine start and low-load operation, the engine and its media needs to be warmed up. It might be advisable to increase the temperature set point of the preheater of HT cooling water. Also, when it comes to ignition performance, fuel with an ECN (estimated cetane number) less than 20 is critical, especially in the low-load range.

Furthermore, abrasive materials that have not been filtered out after refining (e.g. catfines) must be limited to minimize wear in the injection system and the combustion chamber. In this context, to avoid sludge and catfine deposits in tanks and piping making their way to the engine, we strongly recommend cleaning tanks prior to bunkering.

What’s more, fuels must comply with the latest Standard for Marine Distillate and Marine Residual Fuels. And as mixing of different fuel types or fuel from different suppliers should be avoided, we recommend you use dedicated tanks for different types of fuel. Especially during change-over, we recommend ensuring that the fuel oil module maintains the required viscosity.

0.5

%

The global sulphur limit of marine fuels will be reduced from 3.50% to 0.50% unless the ship is equipped with a scrubber

60000

More than 60,000 vessels will have to comply by 1 Jan 2020 (source: Reuters)

Ensuring operational excellence

When it comes to breaking new ground, details are the key to success. To guarantee ideal operation of your 32/40, operators also have to consider which lubricant to use for their engines, as it is imperative that the chosen base number (BN) is suitable for the operation pattern. The good news: if you are using a scrubber for post-2020 compliance, it is very unlikely that a change in your current lube oil choice is necessary. Should you operate on low-sulphur distillates, lowering of the BN to 20 is advised, if your choice is to operate more than 1,000 h on such fuel. In case of a complete switch to low-sulphur distillate fuel, distillate-only lubricant is advised. If you intend to operate your engine on 0.50% S fuel oils (non-distillate fuel), a lubricant suitable for HFO has to be chosen.

With substantial changes approaching fast, the stakes for operators are high. But MAN offers valuable manufacturer’s guidance on all issues referring to the impact of the 2020 sulphur cap reform on your 32/40, making sure that those dreaded words “Houston, we have a problem” remain a harmless reference to a movie starring Tom Hanks.

Making today’s effort tomorrow’s success

By whole-heartedly striving for a better tomorrow, we make our move towards owning the future and sourcing inspiration for generations to come. Hence, in conclusion, we would like to close with this question, albeit rhetorical:

Who is to say that the first step isn’t already a giant leap for mankind?