NYK develops Japan’s first additive for fuel oil compliant with 2020 SOx regulation

NYK and Nippon Yuka Kogyo Co. Ltd., an NYK Group company, have jointly developed a new fuel-oil additive for low-sulphur compliant fuel-oil that meets SOx emission requirements. Yunic 800VLS (patent pending) is Japan’s first additive for very low sulfur fuel oil, or VLSFO. The additive improves safety by helping to avoid troubles that may be caused by certain contents of VLSFO, NYK said in a media release.

A global sulfur cap will enter into force on January 1, 2020, and one way ships can meet the requirement is by using VLSFO (sulfur content below 0.5%). However, a wide variety of VLSFO is expected to be supplied because the manufacturing process differs from conventional heavy fuel oil, which has a sulfur content up to 3.5%.

NYK and Nippon Yuka Kogyo thus began examining VLSFO at an early stage and have developed an additive that will lessen the likelihood of the VLSFO causing engine problems, etc.

Yunic 800VLS effectively disperses asphaltene and paraffin (wax) specific within VLSFOs to suppress sludge formation.

The effect of Yunic 800VLS has been certified by Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK).

The NYK Group seeks to be compliant with the 2020 SOx cap and enrich safe operations by introducing this new fuel-oil additive for VLSFO.