Matson Navigation Company, Inc., U.S.A has signed a contract with Thordon Bearings to install COMPAC seawater lubricated propeller shaft bearings systems on two of their Jones Act containerships.
The ships, which are under construction at the Aker Philadelphia Shipyard Inc. (APSI), represent the first large containerships that will feature the COMPAC bearings and the largest commercial ship propeller shafts to be fitted with the technology.
The largest Jones Act containerships ever built are to be 36,000 TEU Aloha Class and will each feature a COMPAC system for a 930mm diameter shaft driving an 8.1m diameter fixed pitch propeller. The Aloha class has a number of environmental and efficiency technologies fitted to its ships. Matson Navigation chose the seawater lubricated bearings to drive efficiency and reduce environmental impact of shipping further.
The COMPAC system poses no threat to the environment and the likelihood of oil spill is completely removed as no oil is involved at all. Therefore, the risk of non-compliance with the United States Vessel General Permit (VGP) is completely removed.
According to Thordon Bearings, this latest order is one of the most important for the COMPAC system as it shows that liner companies trading in new US waters are taking the VGP regulation seriously.
The order to Matson Navigation includes COMPAC elastomeric bearings with a tapered keyset, a Thordon Water Quality package, bronze liners and Thor-Coat shaft coating to help meet classification requirements for extended shaft withdrawal periods.
The newbuilds are expected to be delivered from the Aker Philadelphia Shipyard in the third and fourth quarters 2018 and will enter service on Matson’s West Coast-Hawaii route in anticipation of an increased demand for higher cargo capacity and diversity.
Ship Efficiency Review News
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