Markets around the world still feel eerily calm, almost as though they are waiting for something like a spark to ignite demand, but it just fails to happen. For many owners it is a hand-to-mouth existence.-by Adrian Brown

Vessel operators and oil marketers are girding for the impacts that IMO 2020 will have on shipping and marine lubricants, but an industry analyst predicts the law will also affect base oils, raising odds of API Group I closings while padding profitability of refineries with Group II and III plants.

Shell Lubricants opened a 455,000 square-foot regional distribution center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with the help of third-party logistics provider Kenco Logistics, the companies announced Friday. The facility is the largest of Shells 11 distribution centers in the United States and will distribute products from its blending plant in West Virginia.

Clean Harbors Safety-Kleen segment and Heritage-Crystal Cleans oil business segment each reported higher revenue for the fourth quarter and full year, while lubricant supplier Quaker Chemical rebounded with strong net income for the fourth quarter and full year.