Propeller Shaft Systems News

Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK) has joined the major classification societies to amend its rules relating to the inspection of seawater-lubricated propeller shaft systems.The amendment means that ships with open seawater-lubricated propeller shafts that are built to ClassNK rules are subject to the same 15-year shaft withdrawal inspection periods as oil-lubricated shafts and sterntubes, subject to monitoring criteria.The announcement brings ClassNK’s requirements in line with those of other large class societies…

Offshore Towing Inc (OTI) has completed the refurbishment of its 1974-built 9000hp-class tug Zion Falgout at the Conrad Deepwater shipyard, in Morgan City, La. The milestone project involved the retrofitting of TG100 seals in what marks OTI’s first mechanical shaft seal installation and the largest diameter TG100 series seals ever supplied by Thordon Bearings. An 11.75in (298mm) diameter seal was installed to each propeller shaft of the 66.88t bollard pull twin-screw workhorse.

Thordon Bearings’ Jacksonville-based distributor Coppedge Marine has secured an order with Tropical Shipping for the COMPAC seawater lubricated propeller shaft bearing system. The COMPAC systems destined for two 300TEU box ships under construction in China, at the Guangzhou Huangpu Wenchong Shipyard, will represent a first reference for COMPAC with this ship owner. “Tropical Shipping is a long-standing customer to whom we have supplied various Thordon equipment over the years,” said Ed Coppedge, Vice-President, Coppedge Marine.

Thordon Bearings has called on the marine industry to investigate the characteristics of both conventional seawater-lubricated propeller shaft systems and podded propulsion arrangements in order to provide shipowners with a better understanding of the two very different propulsion configurations. In a recently published White Paper, the Canadian manufacturer of the COMPAC seawater-lubricated propeller shaft bearing system believes there is a great opportunity for independent comparative data so that cruise ship operators, in particular, can make more informed procurement decisions.

After nine years of operation in the harsh, abrasive waters of Alaska’s Yukon River, aboard Inland Barge Service’s push boat Ramona, Thordon Bearings’ RiverTough water-lubricated tail-shaft bearing system has emerged completely free of wear and tear, according tot the manufacturer. The performance of the RiverTough bearings in waters renowned for their high content of gritty glacial silt came to light when the 16-meter workboat’s cracked struts underwent repair in dry-dock. Charles Hnilicka…

COMPAC, Thordon Bearings’ seawater lubricated propeller shaft bearing system, won the Tanker Shipping & Trade Environment Award following a verdict that the system allows shipowners to cost-effectively comply with stringent marine pollution rules. Dr. Karen Purnell, the Managing Director of the International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation (ITOPF), who sat on the award judging panel alongside representatives from INTERTANKO, IACS, UK MCA and Scorpio Tankers, said, “It is a…

If your vessel is trading in U.S. waters, you need to be aware of the new oil to sea interface law that comes into effect on Dec. 19, 2013. According to the new U.S. Environment Protection Agency Vessel General Permit (VGP), all vessels built on or after Dec. 19, 2013, must use an environmentally acceptable lubricant (EAL) in all oil to sea interfaces. For all vessels built before this date, unless technically not feasible, ship owners must use an EAL in all oil to sea interfaces. Additional information on the EPA’s VGP can be found at http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/vessels/vgpermit.cfm#final.