In the 2008 US Environmental Protection Agency Vessel General Permit (that regulates discharges from vessels – particularly oils and greases), it is stated that environmentally preferable lubricants should be used. However, the new 2013 VGP states that commencing 19th December 2013, every ship operator navigating in, or entering, US waters must use Environmentally Acceptable Lubricants in all applications with oil-to-sea interface. The EPA is particularly citing lubricant discharges from Oil-to-Sea Interface applications/equipment such as: Controllable Pitch Propellers, Thrusters (all types), Stern Tubes, Stabilizers, Rudders and also Wire Rope and Mechanical Equipment subject to immersion or deck wash-off.
Therefore, we are introducing our portfolio of products now, to the marine vessels sector, supported by our wealth of experience and our Technical and Laboratory Departments, at this time of great change for the commercial shipping and recreational boating industry.
The Vessel General Permit draft goes on to state that Environmentally Acceptable Lubricants should be:
- Biodegradable – measured by changes in dissolved organic carbon, carbon dioxide and
- oxygen, over a certain time span
- Minimally-Toxic (to algae, daphnia, fish etc.) and …
- Not Bio-accumulative (the build-up of chemicals in organisms)
- Additionally, there must be no visible sheen (iridescent rainbow) on the surface of the water.
PANOLIN’s well-established products have been engineered for the demanding marine environment and exceed all requirements in performance.
- HLP SYNTH hydraulic fluids
- STELLA MARIS stern tube lubricant
- EP GEAR SYNTH heavy duty gear oil
- ATLANTIS lubricants for stabilizers, deck machinery
- BIOTRACK E 700 cable, ropes and other exposed sliding parts
- BIOGREASE EP 2 multipurpose grease
These lubricants are readily biodegradable, meet toxicity requirements, produce no bioaccumulation and reduce CO2 emissions – by offering the potential of much better equipment efficiency through lower friction and greatly reducing the need to dispose of used lubricant (the conservation of resources through longer oil change intervals).
With our products and our knowledge of application requirements, we have ensured that there is no financial penalty using our lubricants either, due to their long-life capabilities. PANOLIN has a unique technology, using our specially developed Saturated Synthetic Esters and specially selected additives to produce our outstanding performance GREENMARINE products, to address all the issues facing the use of Lubricants today.