It has been slower throughout Europe this week. The U.S. has stalled, whilst Asia is neither up nor down in terms of activity.-by Adrian Brown

Motorcycles and scooters are the preferred mode of transportation in many Asian countries, and while new environmental regulations drive the formulation of their lubricants, they are also affected by several other factors, an industry expert said at the ICIS Asian Base Oils & Lubricants conference.

The coal-to-liquids base oil operations that Shanxi Luan Group is opening in Changzhi, China, this year includes a plant with capacity to make 3,000 metric tons per year of low-viscosity polyalphaolefins, adding to Chinas blossoming supply of PAO.

New, more stringent emissions limits are laid out clearly for the shipping companies in coming years. Less clear is which route the industry will follow to meet those mandates, and that makes it difficult to predict the impact on marine lubricants, industry sources say.