Launched in July 2011, GulfSea Cylcare EHP 5055 is the latest step in Gulf Oil Marine’s cylinder oil development programme. With the majority of Gulf Oil Marine’s customers trading globally, Don Gregory, Director for Innovation and Technology, said “Cylinder oil availability, cost effectiveness and superior performance is critical for Gulf Oil Marine’s customers.” In the 70’s and 80’s, most ships traditionally used 70BN cylinder oil with a viscosity grade of SAE 50. In the late 80s and early 90s, new engine designs created lubrication challenges, principally due to overcooled liners, resulting in scuffing and catastrophic wear. The lubrication solution at the time was higher BN and an SAE 60 grade.

Hong Kong-headquartered Gulf Oil has deliberately taken a conservative approach to meet the changing circumstances of cylinder liner lubrication, says Don Gregory, director for innovation and technology. “In the 1970s and 1980s the 70BN cylinder oil with a viscosity grade of SAE 50 was the safe traditional solution used by most ships.” Matters changed in the  late 1980s and early 1990s when a new engine design suffered problems, principally due to overcooled liners, resulting in scuffing and catastrophic wear. The solution was higher BN and an SAE 60 grade.