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Lubrication Schedule and Orders for a Marine Lubricating Oil System

The lubrication system of an engine provides a supply of lubricating oil to the various moving parts in the engine. Its main function is to enable the formation of a film of oil between the moving parts, which reduces friction and wear. The lubricating oil is also used as a cleaner and in some engines as a coolant.

Lubrication Schedule and Orders: The Chief Engineer is responsible to establish a list of machinery requiring periodic lubrication onboard the vessel. The Fleet Superintendent is responsible for agreeing the specifications and grades of oil for this list of machinery with the nominated lubrication oil supplier. A copy of the lubricating oil schedule shall be made available onboard the vessel and in the office.

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The Chief Engineer shall ascertain the location of all the lubricating oil storage tanks and establish the safe-filling capacities of these. This information shall be made available to the office.

Some grades of oil may be taken and stored in drums on board at safe locations agreed with the Master and lashed safely for bad weather conditions. When an order for lubricating oil supply is made, the Chief Engineer shall specify whether it is in bulk or in drums. The choice of lubricating oil for air compressors is to be discussed with the Management Office. When agreed, synthetic oil is to be used.

Bunkering of lubricating oils shall be handled with the same care as the previous chapter due to the risk of pollution. In addition, it must be borne in mind that the auto-ignition temperature of lubricating oils is much lower than fuels therefore utmost safety precautions must be taken.

Regular inventory of lubricating oils shall be kept under the responsibility of the Chief Engineer, separating broached and unbroached oils. These shall be recorded in a lube oil soundings book and corrected for trim/list similar to the fuel soundings book.

The Chief Engineer is responsible for placing orders for all lubricating oils and greases for a period of time and/or the forthcoming voyage, as applicable. The calculations for the lubricating oil consumption and next voyage requirements should be done by a senior Engineer and checked by the Chief Engineer. Each requirement for lubricating oil must be done by a Requisition Form in the purchasing system, using the lubricating oil account code, specifying the grades, quantities and whether in bulk or in drums.

Losses of Lubricating Oils

All possible preventative action must be taken, to ensure that lubricating oil losses are kept to a minimum. There are to be no discrepancies between the quantity of lubricants on board, and the totals entered in the Engine Room Log Book and the regular returns made to the relevant Management Office. Accurate entries must always be recorded, and any indication of abnormal losses or consumptions advised immediately, to the relevant Management Office.

Regular and vigilant tours of the Engine Room by watchkeepers, or duty engineers are essential to check for oil leaks. Lubricating oil coolers using sea or fresh water as the cooling medium, must also be periodically checked for oil leakage.


Lubricating Oils Treatment

Contamination of lubricating oil can lead to severe damage and corrosion of machinery components, and it is essential that the instructions and recommendations of the supplier are followed, and that purification and filtration equipment is maintained to the highest standards. Care must be exercised in the purification of lubricating oils, particularly in respect of the temperature.


Lubricating Oil Inventory and Analysis

The company requires the vessel to maintain one complete spare running charge of Main Engine Crankcase oil as unbroached spare for any emergency at any time. The maintenance of safe reserves, and the frequency and method of sampling must be adhered to by all Masters and Chief Engineers. Lubricating oil quantities and reserves in respect of specialised vessels, or those with restricted storage capacity, is to be in accordance with instructions issued by the Company.


Lubricating Oil Sampling & Analysis Further Instructions

When taking large quantities of lubricating oil on board a sample should be taken from the original containers before it is introduced into the system.

When sampling oil in service, the sampling cock and pipe must be flushed through before filling the sampling container. A representative sample can only be obtained when the oil charge is in circulation.

The sample container must always be washed out with the oil being sampled.

The lubricating oil sample containers, labels and packaging must always be used. The Company contracted suppliers of lubricating oil have provided this service and their sampling, labelling and despatch instructions are to be followed. The Chief Engineer must ensure that adequate reserve supplies of sample containers are ordered in time.


Specialised Lubricants

The contracted suppliers of lubricating oils and greases provide technical specifications of their products for your vessel. These technical specifications are to be studied by the Chief Engineer Officer and his Senior Engineer Officers to ensure that they understand the capabilities and properties of the various products. For example certain grades of oil are hydroscopic i.e. they absorb moisture if exposed to the atmosphere, and can no longer comply with the design specification.


Related Information:

  1. Lubrication Schedule and Orders
    2. The lubrication system of an engine provides a supply of lubricating oil to the various moving parts in the engine. Its main function is to enable the formation of a film of oil between the moving parts, which reduces friction and wear. The lubricating oil is also used as a cleaner and in some engines as a coolant.....

  2. Function of Lubricating oil filters
    3. Lubricating oil filters can be found both on the suction and discharge sides of the lubricating oil pump dependent on the installation and type of engine or engines. Their maintenance is absolutely critical to the life expectancy of the crankshaft and its bearings, which depends entirely on an uninterrupted supply of clean and correctly filtered oil.....

  3. Lubricating oil treatment
    4. lubricating oils require treatment before passing to the engine. This will involve storage and heating to allow separation of water present, coarse and fine filtering to remove solid particles and also centrifuging......

  4. Lubricating oil centrifuging
    5. Lubricating oil in its passage through a diesel engine will become contaminated by wear particles, combustion products and water. The centrifuge, arranged as a purifier, is used to continuously remove these impurities....

  5. Cylinder lubrication & maintaining sump level
    6. The sump level is to be according to manufacturers/shipbuilders instructions . The ‘Sump Quantity’ is always maintained at the same safe operating level and is given in litres. It is essential that the figures are mathematically steady and correct from month-to-month, taking into account consumption, losses and refills and reported .....



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