Green lubes for cruise shipmanager
Castrol Marine has announced a deal to supply environmentally responsible lubricants to Miami-based cruise ship management company International Shipping Partners (ISP).
The agreement covers the use of Castrol BioStat, a range of stern tube lubricant grades formulated to deliver enhanced performance and reduced environmental impact when compared to conventional mineral oil equivalents. BioStat claims to offer demonstrable benefits in the following key environmental performance criteria:
- Superior biodegradation
- Significantly reduced bioaccumulation (Using OSPAR criteria for assessing bioaccumulation potential) and toxicity
- Enhanced renewability
The first ISP vessel to switch to Castrol BioStat was Quest: the stern tube was filled with BioStat 220 during routine drydocking inspections at Helsingborg, Sweden. Other ISP vessels currently using Castrol BioStat grades in their stern tubes include: Clipper Adventurer; Clipper Odyssey; Corinthian II; Gemini; and Ocean Nova. Plans are in place to use BioStat on additional vessels as their drydockings take place.
ISP claims to be the only dedicated passenger ship manager to have received the InterManager Quality Assurance Certificate, which it says is the industry’s highest quality assurance certification.
Kenneth Engstrom, executive vice president of ISP said: “At ISP we continually endeavour to enhance our ship management services in all areas. ISP has achieved certification in ISO 9001- Quality and ISO 14001 Environmental Management from Bureau Veritas. Choosing Castrol BioStat is an extension of our principles and particular concern for preservation of the marine environment.”
John Nolan, technical manager for Castrol Marine Americas, said: “Castrol BioStat is specifically designed for stern tubes to deliver effective lubrication with up to 20% water contamination, significantly more than is possible with conventional mineral oils. This allows continued operations under faulty conditions, helping operators to minimise downtime. Additionally, Castrol BioStat affords better protection of bearings and gear components, when compared to conventional mineral oils, to help avoid unscheduled inspections and repairs.”
