Cylinder Oil Suppliers

Cylinder oil is the lubricant injected into the liner of two-stroke marine diesel engines. It protects piston rings, neutralizes acid from sulfur in the fuel, and keeps wear within engine maker limits. The wrong base number (BN) or grade can damage liners and shorten engine life.

RecordsMarine maintains a directory of cylinder oil suppliers covering bunker hubs and minor ports across the major shipping regions, so chief engineers and purchasing teams can match oil grade to fuel sulfur content and engine type.

Cylinder Oil Grades by Fuel Type

The right oil depends mostly on the sulfur content of the fuel in use:

• VLSFO and ULSFO (under 0.5% sulfur) — BN 25 to 40
• HSFO with scrubber (over 1.5% sulfur) — BN 70 to 100
• LNG and dual-fuel engines — specialty low-BN grades
• Methanol and ammonia engines — new specialty lubricants emerging

Standard viscosity is SAE 50 across most grades. Engine builders such as MAN ES and Wärtsilä publish service letters listing which oils are approved for each model. Reliable suppliers of cylinder oil stock for all common grades at major bunkering ports.

Vessel Types That Use Cylinder Oil

Cylinder oil applies to large two-stroke crosshead engines, found mainly on:

• Container ships
• Bulk carriers
• Tankers
• LNG/LPG carriers
• VLCCs and ore carriers

Smaller vessels with four-stroke trunk piston engines use system oil or trunk piston oil instead. Outboard engines and small craft use a different category altogether. This split matters when ordering, since cylinder oil bought for the wrong engine cannot be returned once delivered to a vessel.

Top Brands

The marine cylinder oil category is led by:

• Shell — Alexia, Argina
• ExxonMobil — Mobilgard
• Castrol — Cyltech
• BP — Energol CL
• Total — Talusia
• Chevron — Taro
• Lukoil — Navigo
• Gulf Oil

Most carry OEM-approved marine lubricant status from MAN ES, Wärtsilä, and other engine builders. Working with established providers of cylinder oil keeps purchasing teams supplied across global trading routes.

How to Order

Useful checks before placing an order:

• Engine maker's no-objection letter for the chosen oil
• BN level matched to the current fuel sulfur
• ISO 8217 reference and product data sheet
• Bunker barge or shoreside tank delivery option
• Sample retention for at least 12 months
• Realistic ETA, especially in remote ports

Most fleets also run scavenge drain analysis to track BN depletion and adjust feed rates between deliveries.

Industry Standards

Cylinder oil supply must meet ISO 8217, MARPOL Annex VI sulfur rules, and engine maker bulletins. Records for each batch — date code, certificate of analysis, MSDS — should travel with every drum or bulk shipment. Approved distributors of cylinder oil supply each delivery with full traceability paperwork.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is cylinder oil delivered?

By bunker barge in bulk for large fleets, or in 208L drums and IBC totes for smaller vessels.

Can BN grades be mixed?

Some makers allow blending between two approved grades, with written approval first.

What is a typical feed rate?

0.6 to 1.2 g/kWh, adjusted by engine load, fuel sulfur, and maker guidance.

How is cylinder oil different from system oil?

Cylinder oil lubricates the combustion chamber of two-stroke engines. System oil covers the crankcase, bearings, and four-stroke engines.

How long can cylinder oil be stored onboard?

Up to 24 months in sealed containers, kept dry and out of sunlight.

Find Cylinder Oil Suppliers Near You

Below is a vetted list of marine lubricant sources at the world's main bunker ports. Pick from the entries to match the BN grade, brand, and delivery format your fleet needs.