Shell’s newest lubricant oil blending plant (LOBP), located in Marunda Centre, near Jakarta, Indonesia, will now offer new marine products including marine lubricants Shell Argina, Shell Gadinia, and Shell Melina. Shell Argina and Shell Gadinia engine oils are used in marine propulsion engines for small to mid-size vessels, marine auxiliary engines and for stationary power generation. Shell Marine says that the local production of these marine lubricants is in response to the increase in demand for marine lubricants, due to the growing domestic maritime sector in Indonesia. This came about as a result of the Indonesian government’s maritime highway programme, which involves developing the country’s maritime infrastructure by upgrading ports throughout the archipelago. The plant has enabled Shell to transition from almost exclusively importing its lubricants products from overseas to a vast majority of it being produced locally. Today, almost 70% of Shell’s lubricants in Indonesia are “Made in Indonesia”. These are produced out of the fully automated facility with 3 small pack filling lines, 2 drum filling lines and 1 bulk filling line. The quality of Shell’s products is ensured by regular testing at the world-class test laboratory located on-site. “We are pleased by the progress we have made in one year of manufacturing operations here in Indonesia. This local capability enables us to be close to our customers and nimbly react to market demand, including our marine lubricant customers. This plant also enables our business to expand its reach, and support our customers’ needs in Eastern Indonesia, particularly in Kalimantan, Sulawesi, West Nusa Tenggara, East Nusa Tenggara, Ambon and Papua,” said Alex Marpaung, Lubricants Supply Chain Operations Manager for Indonesia. From a safety perspective, company claims that the plant has the right systems promoting a safety-conscious culture among its employees and can achieve great safety results. From the beginning of construction in October 2012, till now, the site has achieved zero lost-time incidents (LTIs).