The new EPA Vessel General Permit (VGP) requires lubricants to be environmentally acceptable should leaks, spills or other discharges occur. To serve these requirements, Chevron Products Co., San Ramon, Calif., recently introduced Clarity Synthetic EA (environmentally acceptable) hydraulic and gear oils, which provide lubrication and thermodynamic properties and seal compatibility for hydraulic equipment and industrial gearing.
Clarity oils are high viscosity index (VI) synthetic lubricants that help address ISO 15380 HEPR, DIN, Denison and Eaton-Vickers recommendations for hydraulic systems. Chevron offers three grades of Clarity synthetic EA hydraulic oils: ISO 46, ISO 68, and ISO 100. The ISO 68 and 100 grades are recommended for marine stern tube usage.
Typical applications include stern tubes, thrusters, controllable pitch propellers, stabilizers, rudder bearings, and other mechanical equipment subject to immersion. These products may be used in other hydraulic and gear applications requiring high performance lubricants. The oils’ high viscosity index provides stable viscosity over a wide range of temperatures.
“Environmental compliance is a major concern for companies in the marine, agriculture, and construction markets,” commented Jim Gambill, Chevron’s Manager—Americas Marketing. “The goal is to meet these regulatory and environmental requirements without sacrificing equipment durability. Clarity Synthetic EA hydraulic and gear oils biodegrade by more than 60% within 28 days.”
Vessel General Permit scope
Under the revised VGP, all vessels entering or operating in U.S. waters must use EA lubricants in all oil-to-sea interfaces. This includes any application that is under the vessel’s water line, plus applications such as mooring lines where lubricants may be exposed over water. A lubricant is characterized as an EA lubricant if it meets applicable criteria for biodegradability, toxicity to aquatic organisms and is not bioaccumulative.
For information on Clarity hydraulic fluids, visit www.chevronlubricants.com and enter clarity into the search box.
