ExxonMobil and Winterthur Gas & Diesel (WinGD) have begun a collaboration that will see the cylinder condition monitoring Mobil Serv combined with WinGD’s predictive maintenance technology, namely its Integrated Digital Expert (WiDE).
The companies claim that insights from this collaboration will inform the development of next-generation lubricants and marine engines. In the shorter term, however, it should help operators to optimize the maintenance and reliability of their engines.
With the IMO’s sulphur cap coming into force next year, it will be more important to maintain optimal engine operation. Speaking for ExxonMobil, the giant that makes lubricants for Mobil distributors, Global Marine Equipment Builder Manager Steve Walker said that the combination of WinGD’s technologies and its monitoring service would provide unmatched insights into ships’ operations and reassure their owners as they move to comply with the IMO’s sulphur cap.
Rolf Stiefel at WinGD, the Vice President of Sales and Marketing, said:
“By combining the output from WinGD’s Integrated Digital Expert with ExxonMobil’s Mobil Serv cylinder condition monitoring lubricant analysis, we create an enhanced, customized, proactive maintenance program. Combining these innovations will help ship owners reduce unplanned stoppages, save costs through engine performance optimisation and extend engine overhaul intervals.”
ExonMobil’s Mobil Serv service generally involves remotely analysing lubricants, so operators can make informed decisions about maintenance tasks, such as when to drain and refill oil. Its cylinder condition monitoring service, however, also measures the amount of sulphur present in a ship’s fuel, helping operators to maintain IMO compliance.
