Thordon Bearings Inc has signed a deal to supply its COMPAC seawater-lubricated propeller shaft bearings to two Alaska ferry newbuilds, the company announced in an emailed statement.
Thordon says the two ships are set to be delivered to the Alaska Marine Highway System in 2018, and will serve the the Lynn Canal, once operational.
“These vessels, thought to be the first vessels built in Alaska for use in Alaska, are a significant step forward for the Vigor Industrial shipyard, and we are delighted to be associated with this new class of arctic ferry," said Director of Marketing and Customer Service Craig Carter.
"The COMPAC propeller shaft bearings will ensure these vessels can operate with zero risk of any oil discharges into a very ecologically sensitive area.”
The systems are Environmentally Acceptable Lubricant (EAL)-compliant.
The company also added that it has supplied seawater-lubricated bearings aboard three other Alaska Marine Highway System ferries in the past.
Early this year, Thordon argued that seawater was the "ultimate" EAL.