OREANDA-NEWS. November 13, 2012. Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, (MOL; President: Koichi Muto) today announced that MOL and Taihokozai Co., Ltd. have jointly developed fuel oil lubricity additive "Lub-Up HS," which is excellent in improving lubricity of fuel oil with small doses at actual high-temperature usage environments. MOL and Taihokozai began their collaboration to develop fuel oil additive to improve lubricity of fuel oil two years ago.

The excellent lubricity achieved with "Lub-Up HS" has been proved by HFRR test machine(*1) and the four-ball machine test(*2) at the laboratory level. The same results were verified by MOL's originally-modified abrasive wheel wear test machine(*3) at high-temperature usage environments, which was impossible to verify by the above two test method.

[Product Outline]
 Name: "Lub-Up HS"
 Manufacturing company: Taihokozai Co., Ltd.
 Dosage: 100 - 200 ppm ("Lube up HS": Fuel oil = 1:10,000 - 1:5,000)
 Characteristics: Small doses will contribute to vessel management cost reduction.

Lower sulfur content of fuels in line with global low sulfur marine fuel oil regulations results in lower fuel oil lubricity, which may cause malfunction of fuel pumps and other fuel line machinery. New "Lub-Up HS" additive should reduce such occurrences.

MOL takes a proactive stance in research and development that contributes to safety operation.

*1: HFRR stands for High Frequency Reciprocating Rig, as standardized by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). The HFRR method reciprocates, rubbing a steel ball on a stationary steel disk.

*2: Four-ball machine test is devised by Shell, a major oil company. Three steel balls are clamped together to form a cradle upon which a fourth ball rotates on a vertical axis.

*3: Similar method to HFRR. This method can increase sample temperature uniformly up to about 150°C.