CM Technologies (CMT) has developed a compact oil analyser that can enable ship crews to assess lubricant condition quickly rather than waiting for shore-based test results. The new WBS Analyser, which will be introduced at the SMM trade fair in Hamburg in early September, uses infrared spectroscopy to examine the composition of system oils to assess water, base number and soot content from a single sample. Based on the results, it is possible for crews to better understand the causes of lubricant degradation, such as oxidation of the oil, depletion of performance additives, and contamination by substances including glycol and […]

Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man and the head of the Dangote group, has told the BBC that the plans for a new 700,000 barrels a day (b/d) refinery in Kenya have ‘gone very far’ and work is set to begin on the site in October. In the interview uploaded to the BBC website on Thursday (6 August), Dangote said that the new refinery will have ‘a massive impact’ on the countries in the region and allow them to become ‘energy self-sufficient’. He added that the construction work on the refinery would take about four years to complete. Image: Shutterstock

Axpo Italia has announced that, in partnership with Vitol, it has made the first ship-to-ship LNG bunker delivery at the Italian Port of Civitavecchia , using the 7,500 cubic metre (cbm) capacity Green Pearl. The Green Pearl supplied the LNG fuel to Silversea’s vessel Silver Ray at pier 18. In a statement issued today (10 August), Axpo said that the initiative at Civitavecchia  is part of its strategy to ‘develop a supply chain focused on low-emission fuels for the maritime sector and heavy transportation’. The company is already providing LNG bunkering services in Genoa and Naples. Axpo said that the first STS LNG bunker […]