Page 90: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (August 2018)

TECH FILES

Thordon: Protecting Canadian Waters

Thordon Bearings has played a part in ties of composite materials with the ni? cant improvement in this situation.” upgrades, refurbish the existing bearing keeping Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) toughness and abrasion resistance of A third CCG ship in the same carriers, supply and install new stern vessels running, with several vessels rubber. 1200-class, the Amundsen is expected tube bearings and to design a compact more than 40 years old. to be converted to Thordon COMPAC WQP and integrate it into the ship.

As a Special Operating Agency within New Orders bearings in 2019. This contract was notable as the ? rst

Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the Cana- Thordon’s COMPAC systems have order for SeaThigor, which was placed dian Coast Guard (CCG) is entrusted to recently been ordered for two icebreak- Permanent Repairs with Avalon through the Government’s ensure the safety of all mariners, protect ers. Having had more than 17 years CCGS Hudson, an offshore oceano- ‘Build in Canada Innovation Program’ the marine environment and support operational experience with Thordon graphic and hydrographic survey ves- (BCIP), introduced to support home- economic growth through the safe and on the 6098-gt CCGS Des Groseilliers, sel, ? rst entered service in 1963 with grown innovations and facilitate sus- ef? cient movement of maritime trade in CCG speci? ed new COMPAC bearings the Canadian Oceanographic Service, tainable economic growth.

Canada’s waters. as part of the vessel’s major upgrade transferring to CCG in 1996. Hud- The SeaThigor forward seal incorpo-

To conduct its missions it maintains scheduled for 2020. Des Groseilliers’ son’s diesel-electric propulsion plant rates a secondary seal module to pro- and deploys a 116-strong active ? eet of 5910-gt sister, CCGS Pierre Radisson, is arranged with twin shafts running in vide Safe-Return-To-Port capability in varying size and class, in diverse wa- is scheduled to have its existing bear- dovetail stave bearings which were also the event of a face failure of the primary ters including the Atlantic and Paci? c ings replaced with Thordon COMPAC considered to be worn out due to age. seal.

coasts, Arctic waters and on the Great later in 2018. Thordon distributor, Avalon Marine,

Lakes. Its choice of seawater-lubricated These will also be supplied and ma- was approached in 2016 about the pos- Hero Class bearings for stern tubes and propeller chined by RMH Industries, along with sible options available for refurbishing The Hero Class Mid-Shore Patrol shafts, rudders and deck machinery was supply of a Thordon Water Quality the vessel’s propeller shaft bearings. Vessels are relatively modern, the ? rst a nature, with water being the ultimate Package (WQP) which maintains the During discussions it transpired that of the nine-vessel class being delivered zero-pollution lubricant. correct seawater ? ow rate to the bear- the original shaft packing glands were in 2012. They are designed to operate at

CCG installed Thordon’s COMPAC ings and removes any abrasives in the severely worn and leaking seawater into high speed in heavy weather, engaged and XL/SXL bearings and associ- seawater, ensuring a long bearing wear the ship, requiring continuous pumping in maritime security, search and rescue, ated seals on numerous vessels in the life. The Pierre Radisson was launched out. With the proposed replacement ves- ? sheries enforcement, anti-smuggling ? eet ranging in size from small ? sher- in 1978, while the Des Groseilliers en- sel still a number of years away from de- and maritime patrol duties. They were ies monitoring vessels, to self-righting tered service four years later. livery, CCG wished to carry out perma- built by Irving Shipbuilding, and based

SAR vessels to its larger icebreaking “The Thordon COMPAC bearings nent repairs to the stern tubes and at the on the Damen Stan Patrol 4207 design, and navigational aid ships. were ? tted to the Des Groseilliers to same time ? t new inboard shaft seals. with a 43m (141 ft.) long steel hull and

The four grades of bearing systems replace another manufacturer’s dovetail Avalon Marine proposed upgrading the aluminum superstructure. Four are de- the Burlington-based manufacturer has staves,” said Jasmin Racicot, Technical vessel to Thordon XL full form bearings ployed on the Great Lakes and St Law- developed – COMPAC for blue water Development Director of RMH Indus- (from the existing staves) and to ? t new rence seaway, with the remaining ? ve operation, XL and SXL for varying de- tries. “Wear and fatigue had led to the Thordon SeaThigor mechanical seals on coastal patrols on the Atlantic and grees of abrasives and RiverTough for dovetail staves becoming loose between during the same re? t, which CCG ac- Paci? c coasts. The Hero Class is pow- the most abrasive water conditions – are the bronze separators, leading to high cepted, along with a WQP to maximize ered by twin CP propellers driven by proprietary synthetic elastomeric poly- levels of vibration. Replacing dovetail the life of the Thordon bearings. The two Caterpillar diesel engines, rated at mer alloys combining the best proper- staves with full form bearings was a sig- company was contracted to engineer the 4992kW for a maximum speed of 25 knots. The propellers run on Thordon

COMPAC bearings while Thordon SXL bearings are used in the rudder. Each ship is equipped with a Thordon Water

Quality Package. The WQP and SXL bearings were supplied by distributor

Avalon Marine, while the COMPAC bearings were supplied and machined by the Duwel Group, Thordon’s distrib- utor in Sweden.

Samuel Risley

Icebreaker CCGS Samuel Risley, built in 1985, was converted from oil to

Thordon seawater lubricated stern tube bearings in 2009. The 69.7m (229 ft.) long vessel is equipped for buoy han- dling, emergency towing and ? re? ght-

Jasmin Raicot, RMH Industries,

Thordon’s distributor with the

Photos: Thordon Bearings

Pierre Radisson.

90 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • AUGUST 2018

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