Sinopec Navigates Towards Leadership in Turkish Marine Oils Market With Prista Oil Collaboration
Prista Oil, renowned for its service speed, quality, and extensive industry experience in the marine lubricants market, is set to join forces with Sinopec, a global giant ranked 5th on the Fortune 500 list, in 2025. By becoming the distributor of Sinopec’s high-quality, OEM-approved products that meet current sustainability standards, Prista Oil is poised to enhance its leading position in the marine lubricants market.
We spoke with Prista Oil General Manager Mehmet Hakan Tuna about the company’s collaboration with Sinopec and its strategy for 2025. Tuna is confident that Sinopec’s exclusive products will quickly gain traction in the Turkish market, leading to a significant breakthrough in the coming year. With plans to start production in Türkiye soon, Prista Oil aims to achieve top customer satisfaction through its operational speed, technical capabilities, and extensive organizational infrastructure worldwide.
Can you give us information about Prista Oil?
Founded in Bulgaria in 1993, Prista Oil is a prominent company operating across Eastern Europe, Türkiye, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan. We have two factories in Bulgaria dedicated to producing lubricants. Our sister company, Monbat, is a leading battery manufacturer with a significant market presence in Europe. Prista Oil began its operations in the Turkish market in 2000. Although we had a lubricant production facility in Türkiye until 2017, it was closed due to market conditions. Despite this, from 2009 to 2023, we established strong distributorship relationships, becoming one of the top companies in marine oil sales in Türkiye. We consistently broke export records, securing our place among global leaders. Today, with our extensive experience and expertise in marine oils, we are proud to be one of the leading companies in Türkiye, boasting a turnover of 200-250 million. Our contributions to the Turkish economy and the lubricant sector are a testament to our commitment and success.
“PrIce Is never a sustaInable competItIve tool. WhIle beIng cost-effectIve mIght attract customers InItIally, It won’t retaIn them If they are not satIsfIed wIth the qualIty of your products and servIces. Therefore, our strategy at SInopec Is to compete not on prIce, but on the superIor qualIty of our products and servIces.”
How was 2024 for Prista Oil?
2024 was a transformative and renewing year for Prista Oil. We reached a significant agreement with Sinopec, one of China’s largest companies and ranked 5th on the Fortune 500 list. Starting in 2025, we will import Sinopec’s marine oils and produce them at our factory in Bulgaria, making these high-performance products available to shipowners in Türkiye and globally. We believe that combining Sinopec’s extensive product range with Prista’s experience and expertise will enable us to make a strong entry into the Turkish marine oil market. We are confident that 2025 will be a landmark year for Sinopec in the marine oil segment. We are ending 2024 with high morale and eagerly looking forward to the opportunities that 2025 will bring.
PrIsta OIl, poIsed to make a sIgnIfIcant breakthrough In the marIne oIl market wIth the global gIant SInopec In 2025, prImarIly relIes on Its exceptIonal servIce qualIty and extensIve Industry experIence. The company boasts hIgh customer satIsfactIon, thanks to Its robust servIce Infrastructure capable of delIverIng anywhere In the world wIthIn a few hours.
What features will make Sinopec stand out in the marine oil market?
Sinopec is a global powerhouse renowned for its financial strength, extensive production infrastructure, and operational capabilities worldwide. The company offers a wide range of high-standard products, ensuring reliability and performance. The most prominent feature that sets Sinopec apart is the trust and confidence the brand instills in the sector and among stakeholders.
Another outstanding feature of our products is that they meet all current standards and OEM approvals. With the maritime sector increasingly focusing on sustainability and the transition to a circular economy, new environmental regulations have been introduced. These regulations set new standards for the fuels and oils used by ships. MAN, a leading supplier in maritime and ship machinery, has updated its standards to align with these regulations. By the end of 2024, all companies in the marine oil sector must comply with these new standards. Sinopec products are environmentally friendly and fully compliant with these regulations and standards, with all necessary approvals already secured.
One of the significant challenges in the maritime industry is oil leakage. To address this, Sinopec has developed bio-oils specifically designed for such situations. While we strive to prevent any leaks into the sea, our bio-oils are formulated to decompose naturally within 28 days, ensuring they do not harm the environment. Sinopec products stand out in the market due to their compliance with legal regulations, OEM approvals, and environmental standards. Users of our products can be confident that they are choosing environmentally friendly solutions that meet the highest standards of performance and safety.
At Prista, we prioritize environmental sustainability in all our services, leading the industry in eco-friendly practices. For instance, we are pioneers in using solar energy on our barges. For many years, our barges have utilized electricity generated from their own solar panels while anchored and not in operation. Additionally, during oil supply, we ensure that ships are anchored to prevent issues such as discharge and leakage. As a company renowned for its environmentally friendly practices, Prista adheres to the products and standards of our new partner, Sinopec.
PrIsta OIl’s near-term goals Include re-establIshIng productIon facIlItIes In TUrkIye. Currently operatIng two lubrIcant productIon facIlItIes In BulgarIa, the company plans to resume productIon In TUrkIye, as It dId In the recent past.
How was 2024 for the lubricants sector in general and marine lubricants in particular?
In 2024, the lubricants sector faced significant challenges due to the global economic recession and other adverse developments. This led to a market contraction and a decrease in demand, resulting in lower prices and reduced profit margins. Unfortunately, the outlook for 2025 does not appear much brighter, particularly in the automotive segment.
However, the marine oil market was much less affected by this negative trend. Regardless of global challenges, shipping continues to operate, as over 90% of world trade is conducted by sea. Ships must keep moving to avoid financial losses, which means the demand for marine oils remains steady. In fact, the marine oil market even experienced some growth despite the overall recession. I believe this positive trend in marine oils will continue into 2025.
Of course, there are other challenges in maritime affairs arising from the global situation. Due to the conflict around the Red Sea, ships are seeking alternative routes and are forced to navigate around the Cape of Good Hope. This detour extends the journey to Europe from 30 days to 45 days, causing delays in shipments, increased fuel and freight costs, and consequently higher prices. I hope these geopolitical issues will be resolved in the new year, and that peace will be established worldwide as my New Year’s wish.
Spot: Prista Oil is confident that its collaboration with Sinopec will resonate well in the market. The company is gearing up to participate in the Expo Maritt Show in Istanbul from February 18-21, 2025. Throughout the year, Prista Oil plans to further strengthen its business connections by attending numerous trade fairs and industry events.
About Mehmet Hakan Tuna
Mehmet Hakan Tuna was born in Çorlu in 1965. After graduating from Çorlu High School in 1982, he completed his studies in the Faculty of Maritime, Department of Marine Engineering in 1986. Between 1986 and 1990, he served as a watchkeeping officer and 2nd engineer on transport vessels and private sector ships. In 1990, Tuna went to the USA for his master’s degree and returned to Türkiye in 1995. From 1998 to 2010, Tuna worked in the Marine Sales Department of BP Petrolleri A.Ş. He then joined Prista Oil in 2010, where he has held various positions over the years. Currently, he serves as the General Manager of Prista Oil.
