Kooiman Stern Tube Seals Earns BV Type approval

Shipyard Gebr. Kooiman BV in Zwijndrecht successfully started with the production of an in-house developed Kooiman Stern Tube Aft Seal several years ago. Kooiman now has obtained Bureau Veritas Type Approval of her Stern Tube Aft Seal.

Compact, simple, robust and effective. This stern tube seal is most suitable for both retro-fit and new building applications. Combined with an integrated rope guard, this stern tube seal warrants an excellent protection of the shaft against accumulation of sand, dirt, rust, etc.

A commonly known problem, leakage of the stern tube aft seal. Years of experience in installing and repairing sealing systems of existing brands has inspired Kooiman to develop a sealing system  themselves. The aft seal is provided with an integrated rope guard, resulting in a very short installation length. This rope guard in fact forms the housing of the outer seals. The space between the rope guard and the fixed part of the housing on the stern tube, will be filled with grease. With this grease-buffer and the extra outer seals, compared to existing seals in the market, lubricant spills are almost completely avoided and the propeller shaft will not get in touch with (salt) water. The created labyrinth avoids wires to reach the inner seals. Also the stern tube seal is able to absorb thermal axial and radial expansion of the shaft. In addition, the greasing connection at the top and bottom of the aft seal allows measuring the clearance using a poker gauge.

Kooiman has a track record of successfully applied stern tube aft seals to the satisfaction of its users. Kooiman type approved Stern Tube Aft Seals are produced for stern tubes with a diameter of 70 – 300mm.