Dear ExxonMobil marine partner,

Welcome to this year’s first edition of ExxonMobil Voyager.

It has been a challenging start to 2020 – the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) 0.50% global sulphur landed in January, but its impact has been overshadowed by the challenges posed by the coronavirus (COVID-19).

The impact of COVID-19 is being felt across the world, and our industry is understandably feeling the strain. Almost 90% of global trade is transported by commercial shipping and the marine industry’s importance remains as high as it has ever been.

We are truly proud to be a part of an industry that has reacted in the way it has, striving to continue operating in such a challenging, but vital time. Please rest assured that we are doing everything we can to support both our employees and customers while also focusing on ensuring that we continue to supply to all locations.

It is set against this backdrop that the IMO’s global sulphur cap was implemented after many months of conversation and preparation. This groundwork has paid off, with a relatively smooth introduction to the legislation across the first quarter. That doesn’t mean there won’t be choppy waters ahead, of course, and it’s important not to be complacent in the coming months.

With further regulation to come from the IMO on carbon emissions we have launched a new series of podcasts focusing on ‘Beyond 2020’ that probe views from across the industry into the likely path ahead and the potential seismic impact of continued changing emission regulations on vessel operations.

In this issue, we also hear from Dr. Andreas Schmid, WinGD Future Technologies Team Leader, on the role of vessel engine designs on the road to 2050.

We are delighted to have appointed Sol Group as a strategic distributor to offer our full range of high performance marine lubricants and services in Guyana.

Finally, in this edition, we take a deep dive into the latest data from our Mobil Serv℠ Cylinder Condition Monitoring (CCM) service, which provides insights into the many challenges that are still faced when it comes to optimising engine operation.

Thank you for all your support over the past year, which saw great change in the marine industry. We wish you a safe and successful 2020.

The ExxonMobil Marine Team