ExxonMobil has begun providing the engine oil for the world’s biggest hybrid ship using a plugged-in battery.
Cruiseferry operator Color Line currently runs the Color Hybrid ferry between Strömstad in Sweden and Sandefjord in Norway. Earlier in the year, the ship was awarded “Ship of the Year” at the Nor-Shipping exhibition.
In future, ExxonMobil will supply the Mobilgard ADL™ 40 engine oil for use in the vessel’s more conventional Rolls-Royce Bergen B33:45L in-line diesel engines. This lubricant has been specially formulated for medium- to high-speed diesel engines, such as those powering the Color Hybrid, with it reducing piston ring groove deposits, liner lacquering, and bore polishing.
What makes the Color Hybrid so special is its mixed diesel-electric and diesel-mechanical systems. It has a 5 MWh battery capable of powering the vessel for about an hour at up to 12 knots. This is typically used to minimise emissions as it arrived in port at Sandefjord, where the battery is then recharged.
ExxonMobil is also providing the hydraulic oil for the stabilisers of the Color Hybrid in the form of Mobil SHC Aware H 68. Like other products in the Mobil SHC Aware range, this oil is minimally toxic and biodegradable, and it has been certified as an environmentally acceptable lubricant.
ExxonMobil’s global marine lubricants manager, Frans Horjus, said:
“We have a history of lubricant innovation and our involvement with Color Line demonstrates our commitment to supply the maritime industry with the advanced solutions it needs to address future changes and alternative fuel sources.”
