Shipping industry leaders attending London International Shipping Week (LISW) next week will be able to hear the case for water lubricated propeller shafts during an evening technical lecture organised by the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science & Technology (IMarEST).
Taking place on Wednesday 13th September at the IMarEST's London HQ, Thordon Bearings' regional manager George Morrison, a chartered marine engineer with 23-years' experience, will present a paper calling for full acceptance of water lubricated propulsion across the global shipping industry.
Outlining how water lubricated propeller shafts have been used since the earliest days of shaft driven propellers, Morrison's paper Water Lubricated Propulsion – A Case for Full Acceptance will explore the pros and cons of current shaft lubricating methods. It will propose the most environmentally sustainable, cost-effective solutions available and also highlight a myriad of onboard applications for grease-free bearings, such as deck winches, lifeboat davits and cargo cranes.
"The introduction of new pollution regulations has led to a return to seawater lubricated propeller shaft bearing systems, especially for those vessels trading in U.S. or Polar waters, where the discharge of oil from any oil-to-sea interface in quantities that may be harmful to the environment is restricted," says Morrison.
According to Morrison, when seawater lubricated propeller shaft lines are used rather than oil lubricated shafts or pods, operating costs are reduced substantially over the life of the vessel as there is no AFT seal, no lubricating oil, no storage of oil, no sampling of oil and no disposal of oil. Additionally, there are no costly seal repairs that can cost as much as US$300,000 per aft shaft seal.
The lecture will take place at 17.30 on Wednesday 13th September but for those that are unable to attend it will be streamed live on IMarEST TV. You can register to view the lecture on-line by clicking here.