Ecuador’s leading tuna fishing operator, NIRSA, has successfully completed a retrofit project to enhance the propeller shaft arrangement on its 1973-built vessel, BP EL Marquez, reports SeaNews.
Seawater-lubricated package
Working with Thordon Bearings, NIRSA converted the tailshaft seals and bearings to a seawater-lubricated package, replacing the existing competitor’s equipment. The project involved the installation of four Thordon SXL propeller shaft bearings, a pair of TG100 mechanical shaft seals, and bronze shaft liners. The retrofit was carried out at the Astinave EP shipyard in Guayaquil, Ecuador, with technical support provided by Thordon’s local distributor, Inrioch.
NIRSA, which operates a fleet of tuna boats, sardine boats, and smaller fishing vessels, sought a cleaner and more reliable propeller shaft arrangement. Thordon’s seawater-lubricated elastomeric polymer bearings offer numerous advantages, including zero pollution risk, lower friction coefficient, early hydrodynamic film development, reduced fuel consumption, and improved acoustics. Environmental performance and cost reduction were key considerations for NIRSA when selecting Thordon’s solution.
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Source: SeaNews
