The two stroke engine market continues to be a significant part of the overall marine propulsion segment. Due to the demand for this form of propulsion, the design and capabilities of these engines has gone through significant changes in just the last decade. As an overarching statement, these changes have greatly increased the amount of stress that is applied to the lubricating capabilities of the cylinder oil. New engine operating parameters, lubrication delivery systems and the variability of fuel sulfur levels have has caused lubricant manufacturers to reconsider how they are positioned to meet the current and future demands and to explore and develop new sophisticated methods of evaluating a cylinder oil's performance while in use. At a time of increased demand on the cylinder lubricant, some within the industry, both OEMs and individual shipowners, have embarked on an effort to minimize cylinder feed rates to levels that were unheard of just a few years ago. Although it is recognized that reductions are possible in some cases, extreme care should be taken in implementation due to influences of operational conditions, engine hardware and design and type of lubricant delivery system employed. This paper will evaluate the current trends in the industry in terms of cylinder oil technology, oil quality, feed rate optimization, and emerging technology designed to assist shipowners to evaluate the performance of the cylinder oil while in operation. The expressed end purpose of this paper is to provide the shipowner with strategies to minimize operational expense while maximizing engine reliability.
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