Total Lubmarine opens new lab facilities for marine lubricants research in Solaize

Total Lubmarine has opened new laboratory facilities at its main research centre in Solaize, France, dedicated to the research and formulation of new marine lubricants.

“Total Lubmarine’s success to date has been due in large part to our commitment to long-term research programmes. These programmes, run by scientists at the top of their field, enable us to scope out and evaluate all the options. We are re-imagining the lubes of today and developing lubes suitable for the stresses and strains of the marine environment: whatever the fuel and whatever the engine. Our investment in these new facilities demonstrates our on-going commitment to this vital research,” said Total Lubmarine General Manager Norbert Schieren.

“The next generation of lubricants must be born out of innovative chemistry if they are to be simple for operators to use and at the same time match tough and variable operating conditions,” he said.

The new facilities include engine testing and tribology equipment. Existing test beds also have been re-built and modernised to meet the most stringent safety and quality regulations.

The new facility comes against a backdrop of stricter emission limits in Emission Control Areas (ECAs) which would require the use of dual fuels and new lubricant formulations. These regulations stemmed from concerns about the contribution of the shipping industry to local and global air pollution and environmental problems.