On Shell’s advice, Hainan Strait Shipping had switched its trunk piston engine oils to a combination of Shell Argina S3 40 and Shell Gadinia S3 40 for six ships operating in the South China Sea. With this change, Hainan Strait Shipping was able to reduce maintenance and lubricant costs, while improving the efficiency and longevity of its MAN Diesel & Turbo main and auxiliary engines.

Joris van Brussel, Global General Manager, Shell Marine, said: “The solutions we put forward enabled Hainan Strait Shipping to optimise marine engine performance. Shell Marine is proud to offer integrated solutions that combine innovative products and technical services to provide the best solution for our customers.”

Shell Argina S3 40 is a multi-functional crankcase lubricant for medium-speed diesel engines operating on residual fuels whose resistance to oxidation reduces the need for oil sweetening when burning HFO. Shell Gadinia S3 40 is particularly suited for medium-speed main/auxiliary engines burning distillate fuels with sulphur contents up to 1%, protecting against oxidisation/thermal degradation and minimising lacquering.

Before making the switch to Shell Argina and Shell Gadinia, trials were conducted successfully and to the vessel owner’s satisfaction. These were supported by Shell LubeMonitor, Shell Marine’s comprehensive monitoring service for engine oils. The six vessels now require routine maintenance only every two years, a significant improvement over the 20-day annual downtime for maintenance and repair previously. Using Shell Argina and Shell Gadinia engine oils has benefited the ro-ro ships’ main and auxiliary engines, extending oil life and improving engine reliability while resulting in 37% lower lubricant consumption.