Verde Marine Energy (VME) has expanded its service portfolio to include the supply and procurement of marine lubricants from 1 September, with the appointment of industry veteran Patrick Koers as lubricant trader.

The Rotterdam-based company, which has to date focused on bunker fuel activities, said the addition of marine lubricants allows it to support shipowners, operators and other maritime customers with lubricant requirements alongside their existing marine fuel needs, with the move giving customers the option to manage both their fuel and lubricant sourcing through a single point of contact.

Koers brings around 40 years of relevant experience to the role, including marine lubricant positions at Sea Bunkering International, North Sea Petroleum and Frisol.

Joe Tierney, Head of Trading at Verde Marine Energy, stated: "Adding lubricants to our portfolio is a natural extension of our existing activities. We already work closely with customers on their marine energy requirements, and this allows us to support them in another important part of their vessel operations. Patrick brings the experience and market knowledge needed to further develop this activity within Verde Marine Energy."

Koers remarked: "I am looking forward to joining Verde Marine Energy and continuing to develop the lubricant business from within VME. By combining the existing lubricant expertise with Verde's bunker activities and customer network, we see a good opportunity to further strengthen the service we can offer to both existing and new customers."

In addition to marine fuel and lubricants, VME noted that it can also source AdBlue and urea products used in selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems to reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from marine engines — a service designed to complement its existing activities in lower-emission solutions.

Lubricant enquiries can be directed to Patrick Koers at lubes@verdemarine.com or patrick.koers@verdemarine.com, or by phone on +31 (0)6 54 38 41 86.