Chevron HDAX 9700 oil receives approval for MAN four-stroke engines using gas or distillate fuels

Chevron Marine Lubricant’s low sulphated ash trunk piston engine oil, Chevron HDAX 9700 has gained approval for use with MAN Energy Solutions’ four-stroke engines running on either LNG or distillate fuels (with a sulphur content of up to 0.10%).

This approval of Chevron HDAX 9700 offers simplicity for operators switching between the two fuels, meaning that they can use one lubricant rather than changing lubricants after a fixed period operating on one fuel or the other. Chevron HDAX 9700 is an SAE 40 engine oil designed to control sulphated ash accumulation in combustion chambers and exhaust systems while providing sufficient alkalinity to protect against acidic corrosion.

Chevron HDAX 9700 was tested on Luxembourg dredging and offshore operator Jan De Nul Group’s trailing suction hopper dredger and ultra-low emission vessel Sanderus. The company required an engine oil with very low sulphated ash formation due to the use of a variety of low sulphur fuels (below 0.10% sulphur) with selective catalytic reduction (SCR) and diesel particulate filter (DPF), as part of its strategy to comply with European Stage V limits on nitrous oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) emissions from ships.

Michel Deruyck of Jan De Nul said, “We needed a low sulphated ash oil because the DPF would not handle high levels of ash deposits. But MAN ES had not approved any low sulphated ash oils for use with distillate fuels. We had already worked with Chevron for low sulphated ash oils on three other vessels, so we extended the relationship and ran a validation test for HDAX 9700 on Sanderus.”

Luc Verbeeke, Senior Engineer, Chevron Marine Lubricants, said, “Our exceptional partnership with Jan De Nul Group has resulted in a valuable step forward for ship operators using either LNG or distillate fuels. The ability to use single-engine oil for four-stroke engine operations will simplify operations and once more highlight Chevron’s role at the forefront of protecting marine engine condition.”