(The Naval Architect, May 2012) Seawater lubricated propeller shaft bearings use no oil-based lubricants and can bring 0-EI (zero environmental impact) below the waterline, writes Craig Carter, Director of Marketing at Thordon Bearings, following the company's presentation to the IMO's DE56 meeting in February.
Can this all be true? If you are like the majority of global ship owners using oil lubricated white metal propeller shaft bearings, the cost of aft seal maintenance and the risk of oil discharges from a stern tube is always present. However, if you look at Canadian bulk carrier owners, Algoma Central Corp. and Canada Steamship Lines (CSL), both are benefiting from the decision to use the pollution free propeller shaft bearings systems on their new ships.
Another article has recently been published providing decent information on the Vessel Discharge Evaluation and Review Act in the United States. As it relates to the VGP, oil-based lubricants ARE considered to be pollutants so don’t be fooled into thinking that pollution-free alternatives do not exist.
(Canadian Plant, September/October 2011) Thordon Bearings Sea-Faring Bearings - Cleaning Up the Marine Industry article from Canadian Plant magazine.
With the recent National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy announcement of the awarding of large ship packages worth $33 Billion(yes – with a B) to Canada’s Irving Shipbuilding on the East coast and Seaspan Marine Corp. on the West coast, this is great news for the Canadian shipbuilding and marine industry.
Many ports around the world are offering incentives to shipping companies that are using technology that reduces the environmental impact on the port waters.
The Arctic ocean is becoming ice-free much earlier in the summer allowing ships a quicker route from Asia to Europe and eastern USA
(MER, June 2011) On May 26, 1998, then the largest cruise ship in the world, 109,000 GT Grand Princess, made her inaugural voyage with a 12 night cruise from Barcelona to Istanbul.
Recently, there has been much press regarding alternative forms of clean power generation.