Castrol's New Lube Oil for Methanol & LNG Fuel Begins E. Asia Rollout

Castrol, a leading player in automotive, industrial and marine lubricants, has announced today its new marine cylinder oil – Castrol Cyltech 40 XDC (eXtra Deposit Control) – is now available across key shipping hubs in South Korea, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Japan, with plans to expand supply globally this year.

Following this latest availability milestone, the new cylinder oil will be rolled out across Hong Kong followed by the Chinese cities of Beilun, Dalian, Fangchang, Qingdao, Rizhao, Shanghai, Taiceng and Yantai. 

This expansion is then intended to continue in the next few months into Europe and the USA, including Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, Gibraltar, the Canary Islands, Los Angles, Houston, New York and New Orleans. 

Finally, the cylinder oil is intended to be launched in Singapore and Panama. At this point, based on ongoing analysis of demand worldwide, Castrol will also decide whether to expand availability further, particularly in the rest of the USA and Europe. 

Castrol Cyltech 40 XDC is suitable for LNG and methanol-fuelled ships, as well as ships using conventional marine fuels. The cylinder oil can help ship operators transition to alternative fuels – with no compromise on performance.

Regardless of which fuel or technology is chosen by customers to navigate the transition to decarbonisation, Castrol endeavours to ensure that the right lubricant is available worldwide. To achieve this, the company collaborates closely with original equipment manufacturers like MAN Energy Solutions (MAN ES), as well as shipowners and operators to prepare for new and emerging technologies.

Cassandra Higham, Marketing Director, Global Marine and Energy, at Castrol said: “While fuel may be shipping’s current area of focus, it must not be forgotten that fuels and lubricants are intrinsically linked. Any change to either, be that in terms of supply, specification, or type, could have a knock-on effect to the other.”

“Moving towards global availability of Castrol Cyltech 40 XDC is important, as it enables us to support our customers to improve engine reliability, and performance, no matter their location. Castrol Cyltech 40 XDC is a truly market-leading product, creating lower combustion deposits and supporting reliable engine operations,” added Cassandra Higham.

Castrol Cyltech 40 XDC achieved Category II Status from MAN ES in July 2022, having attained a Category II No Objection Letter (NOL) after extensive field testing. MAN ES introduced the new performance category for Mark 9 and above two-stroke engines after these engines were recognised to require cylinder oils with excellent overall performance and a special focus on cleanliness. The new cylinder oil performed equal to or better than a classical 100BN category II reference oil. 

Castrol Cyltech 40 XDC is suitable for all MAN ES engine types and is recommended for MAN B&W two-stroke engines Mark 9 and above. There is also no need to alternate between high-BN and low-BN cylinder oils for cleaning-up purposes when it is used, and no need for additional tankage, with one oil for all operations requiring 40BN cylinder oil. This, along with ship operators being able to use one lubricant across their entire MAN fleet, can help simplify marine operations as the external environment becomes more complicated.