A new report from insurance company The Swedish Club has revealed that lubrication errors are now the most common, and most expensive, cause of marine main engine damage.
The study covers 8,759 insured vessels over the 2015–2017 period. Of the 202 main engine claims the company reviewed, 40 were caused by lubrication errors, with an average cost of $763,320. In a previous review of such claims for the 2010-2014 period, only 23 similar claims were found, with a much lower cost of $663,351.
Incorrect maintenance and repair was the next most common cause of engine failure, as was also the case in the previous study. Fuel management issues, however, jumped into third place in the most recent study, replacing fatigue and cracking.
Main engine damage is the most expensive category for the insurer, with it alone accounting for 34% ($131m) of total machinery claims. The report also notes that medium- and high-speed engines are 2.5 times more like to become damaged than their slow-speed counterparts are. This led to them having disproportionately higher claims cost.
Incorrect lubrication is not a problem limited to marine engines; it is also frequently a problem in manufacturing settings. If you feel you may not be getting the most from your machinery because of poor lubrication practices, ask your Mobil UK stockist what it can do for you. Mobil makes a wide range of oils and greases, some of which offer better efficiency and longer drain times than their traditional counterparts.
