Marine Link
Thursday, March 28, 2024
SUBSCRIBE

Gear Oil News

05 Sep 2023

Repairs to Carrier's Anchor Windlass Completed in Record Time

Sailors aboard USS Nimitz (CVN 68) complete work on the carrier's anchor during an availability in 2015 at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility in Bremerton, Washington. (U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Jason Kofonow)

Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility employees and ship’s force worked together to repair the anchor windlass on USS Nimitz (CVN 68) in about a third of the time it took previously.The anchor windlass is comprised of motors, gears and other parts responsible for the controlled lowering and raising of the chain and anchor, which can weigh up to 200,000 pounds on a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier. It's a difficult job that requires much planning and complicated execution.According to Shawn Carragher and Zac Malone…

31 Jul 2023

Excessive Speed Leads to Tugboat Collision with Containership -NTSB

The George M (left) is pictured after the collision and the MSC Aquarius (right) is pictured in September 2022. (Source: U.S. Coast Guard (left) and Osvaldo Traversaro (right))

Excessive speed during an advanced harbor-assist maneuver led to a tugboat colliding with a containership in the Houston Ship Channel last year, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Wednesday.The tugboat George M and containership MSC Aquarius collided on April 14, 2022, while the tugboat was positioning for a ship-assist maneuver and the containership was transiting north in the Houston Ship Channel. No injuries were reported. About 1,000 gallons of gear oil were released from the damaged George M’s port propulsion unit.

07 Apr 2020

Schottel EcoPeller Deployed For Norwegian Ferry Refit

Photo: SCHOTTEL

German maritime propulsion specialist Schottel announced that its Schottel Rudder Eco-Peller (SRE) is set to be installed for the first time in a retrofit project.For the project, a pair of four-bladed SREs type SRE 340 L CP, with an input power of 750 kW each, will be featured in a double-ended ferry from the Norwegian ferry operator Torghatten Traf-ikkselskap.Significant for this project is the fact that no hull changes or major steel work will be necessary, al-lowing work to be carried out by a local shipyard…

27 Nov 2019

SCHOTTEL Propels World’s Largest LFC

Photo: SCHOTTEL

SCHOTTEL has been awarded orders in the Norwegian fishery segment. Sefine Shipyard in Turkey has won the contract to build the largest live fish carrier in the world. Ordered by the Norwegian company Frøy Rederi, the Møre Maritime-designed vessel will provide space for 7,500 cubic meters of water in fishing tanks.The 83.20-meter-long and 30.90-meter-wide LFC is powered by an advanced diesel-electric propulsion system. The portion supplied by SCHOTTEL comprises two rudderpropellers type SRP 460 L CP (1…

24 Oct 2019

Jan De Nul Group Opts for SCHOTTEL

(Image: Jan De Nul Group)

Jan De Nul Group’s new Offshore Jack-Up Installation Vessel (JUV) Voltaire – built at COSCO Shipyard in Qidong, China, and set set to be delivered in 2022 – will be powered by propulsion solutions from SCHOTTEL. The four rudderpropellers and two transverse thrusters provided by SCHOTTEL are part of the vessel’s thruster setup which will ensure optimal propulsion efficiency as well as maximum maneuverability. With a payload of approximately 14,000 metric tons and a crane capacity of over 3…

27 Aug 2019

Klüber Lubrication Improves Gearbox Performance

Photo: KlĂźber

Klüber Lubrication, a manufacturer of specialty lubricants, introduces industrial gear oils to their maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) portfolio.There is a current demand for the transmission of ever-growing power and torque in gears of all performance grades. This demand, combined with reduced gear size and weight, requires the application of mineral and synthetic high-performance lubricants.The MRO gear oils from Klüber Lubrication are designed to optimize gearbox performance across many industries…

02 Jul 2019

Successful Sustainability Starts with … Lubricants

Unappreciated, but heavily used by operators and closely regulated by the authorities, lubricants can also be a welcome part of your environmental and sustainability program. That’s right: lubricants.When it comes to the ideal operating scenario on any marine platform, the challenge of balancing sustainability with maximum operational performance and arriving at a healthy bottom line has never been more difficult. That said; the arguably perfect solution involves using on board consumable product(s) that contribute to sustainability, operational, and energy efficiency goals.

25 Sep 2018

Smarter Energy Policy Will Broaden Offshore Recovery

For the past few years, depressed commodity prices, stricter regulatory requirements and competition from onshore development at home and from other countries offering attractive offshore lease and royalty terms have had severe impacts on new exploration in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. Thankfully, the tide appears to finally be turning.In August, Gulf of Mexico Lease Sale 251 drew increased competition for offerings and $178 million in high bids, $53 million more than previous sale held in March.

08 Dec 2017

Deck Machinery: Five Stress Areas

(Photo: KlĂźber Lubrication)

When you face various deck equipment challenges, making the right lubricant selection can help lower labor costs, extend the life of the equipment, improve safety and more. The key is to identify deck equipment stresses, then apply the optimum lubricant solution. A trained lubricant specialist has the knowledge to relieve problems and significantly lower your total operating costs. That’s because selecting a specialty lubricant that can maximize the performance of a given deck application brings many benefits…

18 Sep 2017

RSC Bio Solutions Gains Kawasaki OEM Approvals

RSC Bio Solutions, a provider of high performance Environmentally Acceptable Lubricants (EALs) - hydraulic fluids, gear oils and greases - and industrial cleaners and solvents, said it has received OEM approvals for use in Kawasaki Heavy Industries’ Controllable Pitch Propellers (CPP) and side thrusters. The RSC EnviroLogic HF 68 HP was approved for use in Kawasaki Controllable Pitch Propellers (CPP). RSC EnviroLogic HF 68 HP is a high performance, readily biodegradable, synthetic ISO 68 grade hydraulic fluid. Intended for use in severe conditions, including extreme high temperatures (250°F / 121°C), low temperatures (-40°F / -40°C) and high pressure (5000+ psi / 34…

21 Nov 2016

More Sanmar Newbuilds Cross the Atlantic

Photo: Sanmar

Svitzer Americas’ newest vessels Svitzer Monte Cristi and Svitzer Catuan have been delivered by Turkish tug builder Sanmar. The boats, which will be operated in the Dominican Republic, are Ramparts 2400 SX class tugs, designed by Robert Allan Limited exclusively for Sanmar, and are known as the Bogaçay Class of which 30 have now been purchased by customers worldwide. The tugs measure 24.4m in length with a molded beam of 11.25m and an overall draft 5.7m. They are powered by pair of Caterpillar 3516 C main engines…

11 Nov 2016

EPA Approves VapCor Cleanol HDW1 for ‘Safer Choice’ Program

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has accepted VapCor Cleanol HDW1 into the Safer Choice program. This is a related program to Designed for the Environment (DFE) an environmental program run by the EPA that helps consumers, businesses and purchasers find products that perform well and are safer for human health and the environment. This new program requires a performance criteria and also categorizes the various cleaners by industry and makes different requirements within the category. VapCor Cleanol HDW1, in the marine category, can now be considered an EPP (environmentally preferred product) as per VGP 2013. The additional…

23 Aug 2016

SCHOTTEL’s LEACON Certified Leak-free

SCHOTTEL LEACON sealing system with SCHOTTEL Rudderpropeller (Image: SCHOTTEL GmbH)

Following a technical update, the SCHOTTEL LEACON system has now been certified by classification society DNV-GL as a leak-free sealing system for the oil-to-sea interface. This optimized version has already been integrated in the ongoing production. This means that SCHOTTEL drives with LEACON can still be operated in U.S. waters without the need to use bio-oils in compliance with the current VGP from EPA. SCHOTTEL LEACON is a service-proven system and has been used in its principal function since November 2009.

23 Jun 2016

Klüber Synthetic Gear Oils Offer Max Efficiency

Photo: KlĂźber Lubrication

Klüber Lubrication, manufacturer of specialty lubricants, provides high-performance gear oils that are based on high-grade raw materials and advanced additives, enabling maximum efficiency in the lubrication of gear components. Klübersynth GEM 4 N are high-performance gear and multipurpose oils based on polyalphaolefin that provide outstanding protection against wear with resistance to micropitting, foaming, and residue formation. They are used for the lubrication of plain and rolling bearings, toothed couplings, chains, guideways, joints, spindles and pumps.

28 Oct 2015

EnviroLogic 210EP Approved for Thrustmaster

RSC Bio Solutions announced that its EnviroLogic 210EP readily biodegradable gear oil has been approved for use in Thrustmaster gearboxes and thrusters. With this approval, Thrustmaster has extended its existing relationship with RSC Bio Solutions, whose sustainable technologies are approved for use by Thrustmaster in oil and gas, workboat, deep water, marine and wind construction applications. RSC Bio Solutions describes EnviroLogic 210EP as a non-sheening, readily biodegradable synthetic ISO 100 grade gear oil that offers anti-wear and extreme-pressure properties, corrosion and rust protection and system cleanliness characteristics. It is approved for use in a variety of industrial applications where incidental exposure of oil to the environment is of concern.

19 Jun 2015

Shear Stability: The Key to Proper EAL Gear Oil Selection

Selection of gear oil for marine thrusters or a stern tube lubricant for use with propeller shaft bearings is often based on analyzing price/performance characteristics of the lubricant and its availability. Now with the implementation of the 2013 Vessel General Permit, this analysis must be expanded to include environmentally acceptable lubricants (EALs) that meet the new EPA standards. To meet environmental requirements, EALs are blended from base oils other than mineral oil. They still meet the same lubricant objective – providing long-term equipment protection.

26 Nov 2014

Night Moves on America's Waterways

Overnight operations are certainly not unusual on America’s inland waterways, but that doesn’t make them any less hazardous. Onboard activities that seem so straightforward and customary in the light of day can take on a decidedly different feel after the sun sets and darkness envelopes the river and shrouds its banks. And, while navigational aids on the river and electronic equipment on board clearly assist nighttime vessel movements, many towboat and tug operators will tell you that fatigue, boredom and endless repetition in the sensory-deprived environment of darkness present very formidable challenges to even the most experienced rivermen.

27 May 2014

The ABCs of EALs for the EPA’s VGP

When the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued the new Vessel General Permit (VGP) in December 2013, lubricant and fluid manufacturers were prepared to give vessel owners a number of environmentally acceptable lubricants (EAL) to work with. EAL usage is now essentially required for any application on vessels where incidental lubricant discharge could occur in the marine environment. Those applications include stern tubes, thrusters, stabilizers, CPP propellers, and wire rope and mechanical equipment immersed in water during normal operation.

14 Apr 2014

Pioneering Tech for Offshore Wind Farm Maintenance

Image Courtesy James Fisher Renewables

James Fisher Renewables conducted an innovative trial of Ship-to-Turbine (STT), an oil change system set to significantly improve safety, efficiency and reduce down time in offshore wind turbine gearbox oil changes. James Fisher Renewables reports that it has successfully trialed an innovative oil transfer system for the direct extraction and refill of offshore wind gearbox oils from a conventional access vessel, a trial performed on an offshore wind farm off the Norfolk coast.

03 Jan 2014

Z. David Completes Construction of MV Z Sharon

Deloach Marine Services, LLC, and A & Z Marine, LLC, announced the completion of the “M/V Z Sharon.” Z. David Deloach is the sole owner of Deloach, which provides charter towing service along the GIWW and A & Z, his shipyard located in Port Allen, LA. The vessel was originally built by Janoush Marine, Rosedale, MS, as the “FOSTI EDDIE E.” Deloach purchased the vessel in 1984, renamed it the “Bonnet Carre,” but later sold it to American Commercial Lines in 1988 who renamed it the “Donald C. Clark.” Deloach operated the vessel for ACL from 1988 to 2007, when he and his partner sold their fleet to Ingram Barge Company. He later repurchased the vessel and began a refurbishment. Deloach knows the hull as a proven and efficient design, with extreme maneuverability.

11 Dec 2013

EPA’s Vessel General Permit (VGP) & You

Nothing stirs the maritime pot like new regulation, and coming soon to you (in less than a month) is the new iteration of the Vessel General Permit (VGP). The VGP applies to vessels operating in a capacity as a means of transportation, that have discharges incidental to their normal operations into waters subject to this permit, except recreational vessels. Unless otherwise excluded from coverage, the waters subject to this permit means “territorial seas” of the U.S. The Clean Water Act (CWA) does not require NPDES permits for vessels or other floating craft operating as a means of transportation beyond the territorial seas, such as in the contiguous zone or ocean. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is issuing a replacement VGP permit under its authority from the CWA.

25 Nov 2013

VGP-Compliant Stern Tube Lubricant

Water in oil lubricated systems is undesirable. In a perfect installation, there would be no seal damage or water ingress, but vessel owners encounter this all the time. Panolin's Stella Maris stern tube lubricant is based on 100% saturated synthetic ester technology with the most effective performance enhancing additives. This fully synthetic ISO VG 68, 100, 150 and 220 Stella Maris stern tube lubricant provides biodegradability and superior lubricity to protect metal surfaces, while meeting new 2013 VGP requirements. Stella Maris is not an emulsifying lubricant. It readily separates from water. The few emulsifying properties, approximately 800-1…

14 Nov 2013

Klüberbio Lubricants EU Ecolabel Approved

Klϋber Lubrication, a worldwide manufacturer of specialty lubricants, announces that its Klüberbio EG 2 gear oil for thrusters and Klüberbio RM 2 stern tube oil now carry the European Ecolabel, signifying compliance with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) 2013 Vessel General Permit (VGP). The EU Ecolabel is a label of environmental excellence that is awarded to products and services meeting high environmental standards throughout their life-cycle: from raw material extraction, to production, distribution and disposal. Klüber’s gear oils for thruster and CPP propulsion units and its stern tube oils are approved for use by leading thruster and seal system OEMs and now have independent assurance, from the EU Ecolabel Program, that the products achieve the U.S.