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Posted on Sep 16, 2021 9:24 AM by
The maritime executive
Thordon Bearings has seen an increase in the number of historic passenger ships operating on European waterways with water-lubricated propeller shaft bearings to further protect these waterways from oil and grease pollution.
According to Andreas Gitterle, Managing Director of Neotecha GmbH, a member of the Thordon distributor network, there has been a steady increase in the number of bearing refurbishments on tourist vessels operating on Lake Constance and other Alpine lakes during over the past five years.
“A number of operators have already switched from oil-lubricated brass bushings to water-lubricated propeller shaft bearings in order to comply with stringent European environmental regulations.
“As these waters are of potable quality, there are significant restrictions on the vessels that can operate on these lakes. Ships must present a zero risk of pollution and Thordon achieves this by removing oil and grease, â€he said.
For example, Lake Constance, at the northern foot of the Alps, straddles the borders of Germany, Austria and Switzerland, with a “white fleet†of steamboats, cruisers and car ferries operating on the 536 km2 (207 square miles) waterway.
Of all the ships operated by a consortium of Swiss, Austrian and German passenger ship companies, perhaps the most famous is the style icon MS Österreich, built in 1928, which operates with four propeller shaft bearings COMPAC lubricated with water and respectful of the environment since 2017.
The Art Deco vessel, the very first motorboat to operate on the lake, had the four 135 mm (5.3 inch) brass bearings replaced by COMPAC at Linz-based Öswag Werft, with Neotecha providing the design, machining, installation and commissioning.
Other ships that have been converted to water-lubricated tail shaft bearings include the 1,100-passenger Stadt Thun, operating on Lake Thun, and the paddle-wheeler Petersinsel built in 1976, both of which were fitted with Thordon’s SXL propeller shaft bearings in 2014 and 2015 respectively.
Subsequently, the Thordon COMPAC modernization facilities were completed on the MS Bubenberg with a capacity of 800 passengers and the MS Jungfrau, which operates Lake Brienz.
The most recent vessels converted to Öswag Werf are the MS Berna built in 1964 and the MS Ville de Geneve II built in 1978, both fitted with COMPAC bearings.
Gitterle said that due to Thordon’s success on ships operating on the lakes, the European river cruise industry is now considering water-lubricated propeller shaft bearings with interest.
“There is considerable interest in the environmental and business benefits associated with removing oil and grease from ship operations. We are currently negotiating a contract to convert two Danube cruisers to Thordon RiverTough propeller shaft bearings. If the order is secured, it would mark Thordon’s entry into the river cruise segment.
Thordon Bearings, EMEA & ANZ Regional Director George Morrison said: “European operators are researching water-lubricated propeller shaft bearing technology as a way to preserve the crystal-clear waters of Lake Constance, Danube and Rhine.
“With COMPAC, SXL or RiverTough bearings there is absolutely no risk of pollution as they do not use mineral or synthetic oil to lubricate the driveshaft – only water. ‘a Thordon bearing is less expensive to operate and maintain.
In 2020, some 3,158 additional berths have been added to the European river cruise industry, and growth is expected to continue on a similar upward trajectory.
The products and services described in this press release are not endorsed by The Maritime Executive.
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