Seals And Bearings News

Canada-headquartered water-lubricated and grease-free seals and bearings company Thordon Bearings has appointed propeller manufacturer Bruntons Propellers as its new distributor for the U.K. and Ireland region.The propeller manufacturer will market, supply and service Thordon’s entire marine portfolio of propeller shaft bearings and seals. There is also provision for Bruntons to promote and service Thordon’s products in other market segments.Neil McDonald, Thordon Bearings’ Regional Manager…

Thordon Bearings and Wärtsilä have announced the formation of the Blue Ocean Alliance to develop and promote a stern tube-less ship concept.The Blue Ocean Alliance brings together Thordon Bearings, Wärtsilä, the School of Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering of the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), naval architect SDARI (Shanghai Merchant Ship Design & Research Institute CSSC) and ABS.The companies say that the concept of a ship design that does not require a…

Wärtsilä was tapped to supply the propulsion machinery for four new fishing vessels being built at Karstensens Shipyard in Denmark. The 75 m-long purser/trawler vessels are being built for different owners. Two are for Icelandic fishing and processing companies, namely Skinney-Thinganes and Gjögur, while the other two are for Norwegian owners, Veibust Fiskeriselskap and Ronald Ervik.Each of these vessels will operate with the Wärtsilä 31 main engine linked to a Wärtsilä-supplied gearbox fitted with ‘take-me-home’ functionality.

Thordon Bearings’ authorized distributor in Mexico, TZ Industrias, has secured an order to supply the Canadian company’s TG100 shaft seals, equipped with a safe return to port (SRTP) emergency seal, to a quartet of shrimpers operated by Pesquera Axel, one of the country’s leading fishing vessel operators.TZ Industrias will deliver four 127mm (5in) diameter mechanical seals to the Mazatlán-based repair yard Constructora y Reparadora de Buques for installation this June to the 7m (23ft) long fishing vessels Kukulkan…

Thordon Bearings said ABS issued an Approval in Principle to the “sterntube-less ship” concept developed in cooperation with the Shanghai Merchant Ship Design & Research Institute (SDARI), the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) and Thordon Bearings Inc.The design replaces a vessel’s sterntube with an irregular shaped chamber that allows a shorter, water-lubricated propeller shaft to be inspected and maintained while the vessel is afloat, without having to withdraw…

Canadian manufacturer Thordon Bearings confirmed it has secured contracts to supply 24 TG100 propeller shaft seals to Drydocks World-Dubai and Abu Dhabi Shipbuilding and Repair yards for installation to six UAE Navy vessels. Each quad screw ship will operate a quartet of TG100 shaft seals.Rafid Qureshi, managing director of Dubai-based Ocean Power International (OPI), Thordon’s authorized distributor in the region, explained the award win was “a direct result of the yards’ recommendations”…

Resolute, one of two high-speed passenger catamarans delivered by Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation, to the Government of Bermuda, Ministry on Transport in 2002, has returned to service after a compete refit. In turn, the vessel’s sister ship, Serenity, has been delivered to the shipyard for the same types of upgrades — scheduled for completion by next March.Designed by Incat Design (currently Incat Crowther), Resolute carries 250 passengers. It measures 84 feet (27.7m) long…

Wärtsilä announced it will reorganize its marine business into three independent entities, with the objective to accelerate strategy execution and simplify the business structure.The new businesses, consisting of Marine Power, Marine Systems and Marine Voyage, will be operational as of July 1, 2020.The organizational structure change is a continuation to the shifts made in 2019, whereby Wärtsilä's equipment and service businesses were integrated to strengthen the focus on complete lifecycle solutions…

Canadian company Thordon Bearings has notched up another success story for a customer in the demanding offshore sector, with a bearing and seal installation in “perfect condition” after over three years of operation.Global Tiger, operated by UAE-based Global Marine Co is a 42m (138ft) crew/supply vessel currently in service in the Middle East. It is one of a pair of all-aluminium crewboats built by Grandweld of Dubai in 2015/2016. The vessel, with 83-person capacity, is powered by a triple-screw Caterpillar propulsion plant…

The technology group Wärtsilä has successfully tested its remote guidance service, thereby creating an entirely new dimension in vessel repair and maintenance operations. Through real-time communication using voice-controlled Augmented Reality (AR) wearables and remote guidance software, ship crew members, field service engineers and shipyard personnel can communicate with shore-based experts anywhere in the world. The tests were carried out onboard the ‘Huckleberry Finn’, a RoRo ferry operated by TT-Lines…

Digitalization and the rapid development of new technologies is fundamentally transforming the marine industry. New innovations increase efficiency and flexibility. However, these innovations are no longer confined to products and systems. They will also revolutionize marine maintenance services. Wärtsilä Seals & Bearings is introducing augmented reality and smart glasses in stern tube seals & bearings services, creating a whole new dimension in repair and maintenance operations.The augmented reality technology does not only have one specific application.

Wärtsilä and Crowley Petroleum Services said they are continuing their co-operation by extending and expanding their maintenance agreement for 11 articulated tug barges (ATBs) owned and operated by Crowley. The agreement, signed in December 2017, extends the original contract term from 2019 to 2023, and covers the maintenance of 22 Wärtsilä engines installed on board 11 ATBs. With the contract Crowley receives a comprehensive maintenance package, access to prompt technical service and troubleshooting and a response time guarantee in case of unforeseen circumstances requiring immediate action.

Wärtsilä said it has been contracted to deliver the ship design for a new processing and transportation vessel to be built at the Balenciaga shipyard in Spain on behalf of Hav Line AS of Norway. In addition to the design, Wärtsilä will also supply an integrated solution comprising a 10-cylinder Wärtsilä 31 main engine, auxiliary engines, propulsion machinery, the propulsion remote control system, and the electrical and automation system. The delivery of the Wärtsilä solutions will be during autumn 2017 and the vessel is scheduled for delivery in summer 2018.

1 January 2017 was a historic milestone in the protection of our polar waters for future generations. On that day, International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) International Code for Ships Operating in Polar Waters (the Polar Code) came into force. The Polar Code is aimed at protecting ships and the people aboard them, both seafarers and passengers, in the harsh environment of the waters surrounding our two poles, Arctic and Antarctic. The Polar Code covers the full range of shipping-related matters relevant to navigation in waters surrounding the two poles, including ship design, construction and equipment as well as operational and training concerns. Also, search and rescue, the protection of the unique environment and eco-systems of the Polar Regions are covered by the Code.

Wärtsilä said it has been awarded a contract to supply controllable pitch propellers and power take off / power take home (PTO/PTH) shaft generator systems for two new RoRo vessels being built at the Uljanik shipyard in Croatia. The ships have been ordered by the Luxembourg based operator, CLdN Ro-Ro SA. There is an option for an additional two vessels. Wärtsilä, which booked its orders in December 2016 and February 2017, will supply the vessels with its latest design, WCP G-hub, optimized for high power density.

SeaThigor, the forward propeller shaft seal Thordon Bearings introduced to the market last year, has been nominated in the technology category of the Green4Sea awards, which will take place in Athens this April. Officially unveiled at Hamburg’s SMM exhibition, last September, the SeaThigor forward seal has been cited as “raising the bar in dynamic and static seal design”. It incorporates an ingenious secondary seal module to provide Safe-Return-To-Port capability in the event of a face failure of the primary seal. A pneumatically activated inflatable element prevents water ingress along the shaft, allowing for the repair of the main seal whilst at sea, or for the shaft to turn at a lower speed so the vessel can safely return to port for primary seal repair or replacement.

Wärtsilä has signed a long-term Technical Management Agreement to optimize the performance of 10 of the Spanish company Albacora S.A.'s fishing vessels. The five-year agreement was tailored to meet the requirements of Albacora's fleet management, providing technical assistance and maintenance planning for fishing vessels operating around the world. Wärtsilä has previously provided Albacora with engines and propulsion systems as well as seals and bearings. The new agreement includes monitoring of the equipment as well as yearly audits…

Thordon Bearings’ US West Coast Distributor, Pacific Marine Equipment has successfully completed the installation of a pair of TG100 mechanical propeller shaft seals to Hornblower Cruises & Events’ 1000-passenger capacity twin screw flagship, Inspiration Hornblower. Hornblower, one of the leading river cruise operators in the U.S., operates a fleet of 70 sightseeing and dinner cruise vessels in several cities across the Golden State, the United States and Canada. Todd Terry, President, Pacific Marine Equipment, Thordon Bearings’ U.S.

AME President Richard Merhige has pioneered the use of lasers in the marine industry. AMEsolutions.com is comprised of Advanced Mechanical Enterprises/AME and Advanced Maintenance Engineering/AME, comprehensive marine and industrial engineering services companies specializing in Predictive, Preventative and Corrective Maintenance for rotating machinery. Since 1992, AME has pioneered the use of the most cutting-edge technologies and state-of-the-art equipment to the diagnostics, maintenance and repair of rotating machinery, particularly for private and commercial vessels.

he first ever UK domestic dual-fuelled new build vessels will feature fully integrated Wärtsilä propulsion machinery packages. Wärtsilä will also supply extended engineering and site support services. The two ships, both 102 metre long ro-ro passenger ferries, are being built for Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) based in Port Glasgow, Scotland. The contracts with Wärtsilä were recorded in December 2015. Besides being the first dual-fuel vessels for CMAL, they are also the first ever dual-fuel ships to be built in the UK. These will be built by Ferguson Marine Engineering Ltd. The yard is located on the River Clyde in Glasgow. "This project highlights the fact that high-end, technologically advanced commercial shipbuilding is again present in Scotland.

Wärtsilä's Nacos Platinum Integrated Navigation Automation Control System has been selected for a series of three 'mega-class' container vessels being built for French shipowner CMA CGM at the HHIC-Phil yard in Subic Bay, Philippines. The contract with Wärtsilä was signed in August. The Wärtsilä Nacos Platinum platform is based on an Ethernet-based network and covers all aspects of integrated bridge and machinery monitoring and control systems. It combines all relevant navigation and automation tasks under a single HMI (Human Machine Interface) umbrella. The system uses modern ring topology and provides the flexibility to navigate, control and monitor the vessel from different multifunctional operator stations.

Two new marine geological research vessels under construction in China will feature a broad scope of Wärtsilä engines and propulsion equipment. Wärtsilä has maintained a leading position in China for supplying propulsion solutions to research vessels. Since 2011, more than 70% of the research vessels built in Chinese yards have been fitted with Wärtsilä products. These latest contracts were placed with Wärtsilä in September. The new vessels are being built at the Shanghai shipyard of CSSC (China State Shipbuilding Corporation) and the COSCO shipyard in Guangdong, on behalf of the Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology and the Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey respectively.

Wärtsilä, the marine and offshore industry's leading solutions and services provider, introduces an innovative new seal that can be fully serviced underwater, without setting up a habitat. The new Sternguard In-Water Serviceable Seal is the first product of its kind on the market, offering customers increased uptime and lifecycle efficiency. Wärtsilä Sternguard In-Water Serviceable Seal is a fully split, underwater serviceable seal that minimises overhaul downtime and costs. Designed and built to the highest standards, the oil-lubricated outboard face type seal is available for stern tubes and thrusters. The seal has been designed to provide a smoother, faster service, as well as enhanced overall performance and endurance.