ExxonMobil & Berge Bulk Maritime join forces to record 53% liner wear rate reductions

Background
The pursuit of energy efficiency within global shipping can seem an overwhelming task for operators who are only just getting to grips with the IMO’s latest regulation. Facing the intricacies of running the latest-generation engines, whilst also handling intricacies of compliance regulations can feel daunting. ExxonMobil’s scrape down oil analysis service, Mobil Serv℠ Cylinder Condition Monitoring, is specifically designed to help vessel operators optimize their cylinder oil feed rates and identify issues such as abnormal wear rate, allowing operators to run their fleet much more efficiently.

“ExxonMobil went the extra mile by sending engineers to attend our conferences and presenting plans to the ship staff which is a support that is invaluable to our success.” - Teck Siang Sim, BergeBulk Maritime

Situation
Berge Bulk Maritime was concerned about a vessel in its fleet that was actively managing wear rate close to caution limits through increase in cylinder oil feed rates. This lead to a higher spend on oil. The vessel, Berge Everest, operates on a combination of a fitted scrubber and a newer, corrosive engine design. This mix of new technologies introduced unprecedented complexities for the crew when it came to engine and lubricant management. As a result, the operator needed a fast, accurate, and safe method to optimize operations and reduce the total cost of ownership.

Recommendation
Drawing on their existing relationship, Berge Bulk Maritime was able to count on the expertise offered by ExxonMobil engineers who recommended implementing Mobil Serv℠ Cylinder Condition Monitoring to allow real-time insight into the engine condition. The detailed insights from the programme, would allow safe and decisive actions to be taken, while monitoring the state of the liners in combination with a range of cylinder oil options. The aim was to optimize feed rates with each lubricant choice and protect the engine from premature wear. The investigation was completed as part of ExxonMobil’s Mobil Serv℠ Planned Engineering Service (PES) programme.

Impact
The combination of high quality lubricants, timely and accurate scrape down oil analysis, and strong collaboration between the ExxonMobil technical team and the vessel’s crew provided the winning formula to success. As a result, the Berge Everest’s crew had the confidence to push the feed rates lower than they’ve ever been before, with a 19% reduction in cylinder oil consumption as well as reducing liner wear by 53%. “We are constantly faced with challenges, complexity and uncertainty, in pursuing optimisation” explains Teck Siang Sim, Berge Bulk Maritime. “However, having a reliable and supportive partner makes all the difference. ExxonMobil went the extra mile by sending engineers to attend our conferences, and presenting plans to the ship staff which is a support that is invaluable to our success.”

Furthermore, inspired by the benefits proven on the Berge Everest, Berge Bulk Maritime will be implementing Mobil Serv℠ Cylinder Condition Monitoring across nearly its entire fleet. The implementation will further allow the operator to take advantage of the service’s XRF technology which measures sulphur content ensuring added peace of mind when complying with the IMO 2020 sulphur cap.