3. Thordon Bearings Inc.
• Head office: Burlington, Canada
• State-of-the-Art polymer processing facilities
Main production plant in Burlington, Canada
Additional plant in Poland
• In-house design, CAD and R&D facilities
• Currently ISO 9001:2008 certified
• Extensive distribution network
Over 85 distributors
Over 100 countries served
3
4. ‘Green’ Technology
• World leader in elastomeric bearing
technology for over 35 years
Non-metallic, self lubricating journal bearings
Proprietary polymers
• Pollution free replacement for grease or oil
lubricated metallic bearings
With equal or better operating performance
• Proven technology in service around the
world
4
7. ThorPlas-Blue
• Best for problem areas that have
Frequent maintenance
Grease lubrication not always possible
High cost consequence of seized bushings
• ThorPlas-Blue eliminates grease
Labour time and cost
Potential pollution source
Eliminates safety issues of manual greasing
7
8. ThorPlas-Blue Applications
• Lifeboat and tender davits and sheave
bushings
• Fairleads
• Cargo ramp bushings
• Ride control equipment
• Winches
• Hinge points on doors and hatches
• Cranes hoists and deck loading
equipment
• Pumps
8
9. Stern Roller Applications
• Thordon SXL stern roller bearings on the
aft end of offshore support vessels
• Stern roller thrust washers
11. SXL Rudder Bearing Benefits
• Tolerates misalignment better than rigid
plastics or bronze
• Dry or water lubrication eliminates
greasing systems; zero pollution risk
• High abrasion resistance
11
12. Oil Lubricated Propeller Shafts
Shaft and Pod Seals are not perfect
• Pollution risk
Seal must leak to lubricate its sealing lip
Oil pollution from leaking shaft or pod seal
Escalating detection and enforcement
• MARPOL Annex I / Satellite tracking
• Criminal fines / jail terms
Increased expectation of corporate
responsibility
• Damage to corporate brand and image
• Catastrophic failure risk
Major loss of stern tube oil
Vessel may be stranded at sea
Significant seal and pod repair cost
12
13. Operational Oil Leakage
13
Environmental Research Consulting study
“Total annual inputs of lubricating oil worldwide from stern tube
leakage and other operational discharges into port waters is
estimated to be between 37 million to nearly 61 million litres. If the
same rates of discharge occur at sea as they do in port, the
estimated worldwide annual inputs of lubricants to marine waters
both in ports and harbours and at sea might be estimated to be
about four times the port estimate. This assumes that each vessel
spends, on average, three days at sea for every day in port.
Total worldwide use of lubricants from operational leaks and
discharges would then be about 130 million to 244 million litres
annually.
Etkin, Dagmar Schmidt. Environmental Research Consulting “Worldwide Analysis of In-Port
Vessel Operational Lubricant ,” Arctic and Marine Oilspill Program Technical Seminar
of Environment Canada, 8 June 2010, Halifax, Canada
14. 14
Accidental Oil Leakage
• Typical causes of increased oil leakage
from stern tube seal damage:
Fishing nets or rope caught in the propeller
Propeller shaft misalignment or bent shafts
Aged or worn lip seals
Propeller contact
with ice or ocean floor
15. Accidental Oil Leakage
15
Rope and fishing line damage aft seals.
Lloyd’s Register reports: “aft stern seal and
forward stern seal represent 43% and 24%
of failures respectively.”
3 Smith, Andrew, Lloyd’s Register Global Technology Leader-Engineering Systems .,
“Shaft Alignment Problems Analyzed,” Marine Engineers Review April 2009, pp. 16
16. EAL’s – Still considered a pollutant
(less harmful than mineral oil)
Oil-based EAL’s are still considered a pollutant under
the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA ‘90) and US Clean
Water Act (if there is a sheen)
Any discharges of oil-based EAL’s still require
reporting of the discharge to the U.S. Coast Guard, as
well as having clean-up and remediation costs.
Even though biodegradable lubricants may be
deemed non-toxic by OECD testing, their presence
on the water surface is a threat to seabirds
16
17. Shaft Air Seals
Are they the answer?
• A major seal manufacturer states the following
related to air seals on their website:
However, since it is not possible to rule out
circumstances in which there could be a leakage,
EALs must be used on this type of seal as well.
• Depending on seal manufacturer and EAL, the
EAL will need to be replaced either at 2.5 or 5
year drydocking (aggressive nature of the EAL
on seals)
17
http://www.simplexturbulo.com/2013/07/12/vessel-general-permit-latest-news/
18. Typical Piping of Air Seal
18
Air control unit
Air source
(Control Air)
L.O. tank unit
Float
switch
Stern tube
Stern tube
L.O. pump unit
Filter
Pump
Drain
collection unit
Flow meter
Air
Oil
Slight amount of air
is leaked from here.
Aft seal
Cooler
Needle valve
20. Water Lubrication
• Seawater as a lubricant dates back to
earliest days of shaft driven propellers
• Thordon COMPAC - No grooves on
bottom half to induce hydrodynamic film
formation at low shaft speeds
20
Video
21. • Open Water System Components
21
COMPAC BEARINGS
FWD Seal
Sea Water
from Water
Quality
PackageShaft Liners
Shaft Coating
Or Cladding
Water Flow
System Components
NO AFT SEAL!
22. Piping for Seawater Lubricated Propeller
Shaft Bearing System
22
NO AFT SEAL!
23. COMPAC Bearings
• Elastomeric polymer alloy bearings
• Best combination of strength/stiffness and
flexibility/elasticity
toughness
abrasion resistance
shock loading
• Thordon is homogeneous
Typical bearing wall thickness
of 20-25mm (0.787” -0.984”)
• Typically, 2:1 L/D ratio for AFT bearing and
1:1 L/D ratio for FWD position
23
24. Thordon COMPAC Bearings
• Class approved design for pressures to
0.6MPa (87 psi)
• Fitted in bronze carrier or installed directly
into stern tube
24
25. Split COMPAC Bearing with
Single Tapered Keyset
25
Split COMPAC -
Single Tapered
Keyset allows for
easy removal,
inspection and
re-install in a matter
of hours without
shaft withdrawal
(left: COMPAC bearing
inspection on Disney
Magic at Norshipco,
December 2000)
26. 26
Thordon Water Quality Package
• Designed to provide a clean supply of
water to our water lubricated bearings
Controlled environment
• Flow is monitored and low flow alarms provided
Removes abrasives
Improves bearing wear life
Self contained unit
Several configurations available
28. Shaft Coating
• Class approved shaft coating or non-
corrosive material required
• Thordon has developed Thor-Coat
A highly flexible, tough corrosion
protection coating for propeller shafts
designed to extend shaft withdrawal
period
ABS, LRS, GL, BV, NKK approval; DNV is
case-by-case; RINA approval not required
28
32. Disney Magic equipped with
COMPAC since 1998
Long Predictable Bearing Wear Life
Two ships (83,000 GT) built at Fincantieri (Italy) -
1998/1999 and two more at Meyer Werft (Germany) -
2011/2012. All equipped with COMPAC seawater
lubricated propeller shaft bearings.
33. 33
Carnival Corp. (U.S.A.) – 13 Cruise ships
(108,000 to 115,000grt) equipped with COMPAC.
Three more on order.
Grand Princess equipped with
COMPAC since 1998
Long Predictable Bearing Wear Life
36. Conversion Overview
Start planning early !
Tie conversion into a scheduled docking
(tailshaft survey cycle)
Conduct engineering up front to minimize
unanticipated problems
Utilize standard designs where possible
Seal(s) and metal work (liners) can have long
lead times
36
38. Proven Technology!
Over 600 commercial ships
equipped with COMPAC seawater
lubricated propeller shaft
bearings, including…
39. Who Uses Seawater Lubricated
Propeller Shaft Bearings?
Over 600 commercial ships including…
• US Gypsum Corporation (U.S.A.) – 2 bulk carriers
• Carisbrooke Shipping (U.K.) - 8 dry cargo ships
• CSL (Canada) - 9 bulk carriers
• COSCO (China) - 12 bulk carriers, 3 car carriers, 2 on order
• BC Ferries (Canada) - 10 ferries
• Staten Island Ferries (U.S.A) - 3 ferries
• Tidewater (U.S.A.) – 5 AHTS vessels
• ConocoPhillips (U.S.A.)- 5 oil tankers
• Disney Cruise Lines (U.S.A.) – 4 cruise ships
39
40. COMPAC Guarantee
15-Year Bearing Wear Life Guarantee
• Commercial newbuild ship owners of ships with stern tube
(single/twin screw) with shaft diameter of 300mm (12”) or
greater
• Ship owner must clearly specify the complete COMPAC
system to the shipyard in order to qualify for the 15-year
wear life guarantee.
• We can offer this guarantee because of our confidence in
Thordon COMPAC propeller shaft bearings and the
proven experience and wear life of COMPAC bearings
operating in commercial vessels in the last 25 years
40
41. Technical Equivalence to Oil
Lubricated Propeller Shaft Bearings
• New Lloyd’s Register rules for Water
Lubricated Propeller Shaft Bearings
• SCM (Screwshaft Conditioning Monitoring)
Notation
For water lubricated propeller shaft bearings
Effective Jan. 2013
• If vessel is compliant, no shaft
withdrawal until 18 years from newbuild
41
42. Trading in US Waters?
• 2013 Vessel General Permit (VGP) regulates
discharges from commercial vessels in ‘US
waters’ effective Dec. 19, 2013
• Section 2.2.9: All vessels must use an EAL
“Environmentally acceptable lubricant” in all oil to
sea interfaces, unless technically infeasible
• EPA recommends that all new build vessel
operators endeavor to use seawater-based
systems for their stern tube lubrication to
eliminate the discharge of oil from these
interfaces to the aquatic environment.
42 http://www.epa.gov/npdes/vessels
43. Lower Life Cycle Costs
43
Newbuild Aframax tanker (640mm shaft diameter)
25 year vessel life
Note: This system estimate is for budget purposes only. For a true quotation, please contact Thordon Bearings Inc.
Life Cycle Cost Analysis
Seawater Lubricated COMPAC
Propeller Shaft Bearing System
Oil Lubricated White Metal
Prop Shaft Bearing System
Bearings and Related Shaft Line
Equipment $189,950 $193,500
Shaft Liners $66,500
Cost of Acquisition & Installation $256,450 $193,500
Cost of Ownership (25 Years) $134,000 $535,840
TOTAL $390,450 $729,340
44. Ship Owner Benefits
• Zero Pollution Risk
Eliminate oil from the stern tube
• Controlled Bearing Environment
Thordon Water Quality Package
Allows for SCM Notation (LR) – No shaft
withdrawal for 18 years with monitoring
• Survivability
Non catastrophic failure mode allows
vessel to get back to port
44
45. Ship Owner Benefits
• Long predictable bearing wear life
Fifteen year bearing wear life guarantee
for newbuilds
Installed on over 600 commercial vessels
to date
• No Emergency Dockings
• No emergency seal repairs ($$$) - no risk of
rope/line damage to AFT seal
• Predictable wear life/no oil leakage
45
46. Ship Owner Benefits
• Reduced Operating Costs
• No Aft seal to maintain as there is no Aft seal
(water lubricated FWD seal only)
• Eliminate oil or EAL’s from the stern tube
no purchase of oil or EAL’s
no storage of oil
no sampling of oil
no disposal of oil
no labour required to top up header tanks
• Maintenance of seawater lubricated bearing
system is very low
46
47. Gaining an Eco-Advantage
Future Compliance Guaranteed
with Thordon COMPAC Seawater
Lubricated Propeller Shaft Bearings
Thank You!