CMT Launches Compact Onboard Oil Analyser for Rapid Lubricant Testing
Key Takeaways
- •The WBS Analyser uses infrared spectroscopy to test a single oil sample for water content, base number, and soot levels within minutes.
- •The device enables detection of oil degradation, additive depletion, and glycol or fuel contamination while a vessel remains in operation.
- •CMT positions the tool as a complement to laboratory testing rather than a replacement, with Managing Director David Fühlbrügger stating labs remain the benchmark for comprehensive analysis.
- •Portable oil analysis tools are gaining traction as maritime operators pursue condition-based maintenance strategies aligned with classification society expectations.
- •CMT will showcase the WBS Analyser at SMM, the biennial international maritime trade fair in Hamburg, scheduled for September.
Testing and monitoring technology firm CM Technologies (CMT) is set to launch a new compact oil analyser that enables ship crews to assess lubricant condition onboard within minutes, eliminating the need to wait for shore-based laboratory results.
The device, known as the WBS Analyser, employs infrared spectroscopy to test a single system-oil sample for water content, base number, and soot levels, CMT said in an emailed statement on Monday. Water ingress accelerates corrosion and film breakdown, a declining base number signals that alkaline additives are losing their ability to neutralise acidic combustion by-products, and elevated soot indicates abrasive particles that thicken oil and wear surfaces — each a leading indicator of engine damage if left unchecked.
The results allow engineers to detect oil degradation, additive depletion, and contamination from glycol or fuel while the vessel remains in operation, rather than relying solely on shore-based laboratory reports that can take days or weeks to process.
"Laboratory analysis remains the benchmark for comprehensive oil investigations and long-term trend analysis," said David Fühlbrügger, Managing Director of CMT.
"The objective isn't to replace laboratory testing, but to give engineers reliable information while the vessel is still operating."
Regular lubricant monitoring is a critical part of ship maintenance programs, helping to prevent engine wear, extend equipment life, and reduce the risk of costly breakdowns. Traditionally, vessel crews collect oil samples and send them to onshore laboratories, a process that introduces delays particularly for ships on long voyages or in remote regions.
Portable oil analysis tools have gained traction in the maritime industry in recent years as operators seek to increase operational autonomy and reduce downtime through condition-based maintenance strategies — an approach increasingly embedded in planned-maintenance software and aligned with classification society expectations for proactive machinery care.
CMT said it will showcase the WBS Analyser at SMM, the international maritime trade fair held biennially in Hamburg, Germany, scheduled for September.
Source: Ship & Bunker
