The containership segment’s commitment to ocean sustainability has been underscored with another order for Thordon Bearings’ COMPAC water lubricated propeller shaft bearing concept.
The decision by Brazil-based cabotage carrier Log-In Logística to select the Thordon solution for a 2700TEU newbuild Log-In Polaris, is indicative of a trend in the sector for mitigating against the risk of oil pollution by adopting the simpler, environmentally-safer water-lubricated propel shaft concept.
Extensive in scope, Thordon will supply a complete COMPAC water lubricated propeller shaft system that entails: fwd and aft COMPAC bearings, its proprietary water quality package (WQP), fwd and aft shaft liners, the Thor-Shield shaft coating system, a Thordon bearing condition monitoring system for real-time wear assessment, and an SKC forward shaft seal.
Commenting on the decision to select the Thordon system, Enio Stein, Log-In Logística’s CFO, said: “As we operate in some very sensitive eco-systems, we have a strict policy of ensuring our operations are environmentally sustainable. One of our core values is to use efficient solutions that help reduce our environmental footprint. The water lubricated propeller shaft concept meets this objective, as its operation does not contaminant the marine environment.”
Log-In Polaris, based on a similar design to the two ships that the Guangzhou Wenchong Shipyard has built for Lomar, will be built to DNV GL class and meet TMON notation requirements for extended withdrawal periods for water lubricated tail shafts.
Log-In Logística has selected other systems to ensure compliance with all environmentally focused conventions, including those for emissions, wastewater, ballast water and biofouling. For example, the use of LED lighting across the vessel’s navigation and cargo areas further reduces its carbon foot print.
José Fabio Camocardi, Director, Thortech, Thordon’s distributor in the region, said: “This is Log-in Logística’s first experience with the COMPAC system, so they have trusted Thordon to deliver a solution that does not pollute and is simple to maintain. Performance will be assessed and if the results show an advantage, the owner has said it will consider the system for further newbuildings.”
When delivered from the Chinese shipbuilder in April 2019, Log-In Polaris will operate in the Brazilian cabotage from Manaus, up in the Amazon river, to Buenos Aires in the Rio de la Plata.
Last year, Thordon received a record number of containership COMPAC contracts, with orders from Lomar, Tropical Shipping, COSCO Shipping and Matson Navigation. To date, Thordon has supplied its water lubricated shaft system to more than 40 containerships.