Thordon’s record rudder bearing

<p><br/></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/ueditor/php/upload/image/20220428/1651125404892737.png" title="1651125404892737.png" alt="7.png"/></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Self-lubricating polymer material used</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Thordon Bearings said it has supplied the largest&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fk-bearing.com/products/Rubber-Mounted-Units/707.html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 112, 192); text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 112, 192);"><strong>rudder bearing</strong></span></a> it has ever manufactured for a 7506TEU containership.<br/></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br/></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The 2001-built vessel, operated by a European owner, was retrofitted with a 1230 mm long, 1111 mm diameter SXL bearing after the vessel’s original bronze rudder bearing required replacement due to excessive wear.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br/></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Thordon’s authorized Distributor in the U.A.E. – Ocean Power International (OPI) – was contacted by Drydocks World-Dubai (DDW) to put forward an alternative rudder bearing solution, with OPI recommending Thordon’s grease-free SXL polymer bearing.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br/></p><p style="text-align: justify;">From receiving the order, it took just three days to manufacture, ship, deliver, machine and fit the record-breaking bearing using liquid nitrogen during the 12-day drydocking in November, the company said.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br/></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The bearing comes with a 15-year Rudder Bearing Wear Life Guarantee, which covers the provision of a replacement if the bearing wears out and requires renewal within 15 years of installation.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br/></p><p style="text-align: justify;">“Thordon’s Burlington facility produced the self-lubricating polymer material in less than 24 hours,” said Rafid Qureshi, Managing Director of Dubai-based OPI. “The bearing was then loaded on to a scheduled Emirates Airlines flight to Dubai, where U.A.E. customs quickly cleared the product, delivered and installed in another 24 hours.”</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br/></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Scott Groves, VP Sales, Thordon Bearings, said since there is no longer a requirement to grease the bearings, the associated labor, cost and pollution source is removed. Internal lubricants formulated into the material reduce friction, resulting in smoother, longer lasting, grease-free bearing operation, he said.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br/></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Thordon said its SXL material has a lower modulus of elasticity than other non-metallic bearings, resulting in significantly increased vibration dampening, accommodation of edge loading and better impact resistance. This reliability and performance are evident with almost 4500 rudder bearing applications on vessels.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br/></p><p style="text-align: justify;">OPI is also currently working with DDW on various projects to replace containership fairleads with Thordon’s grease-free ThorPlas-Blue bearings.</p><p><br/></p><p><br/></p><p class="text-white text-center" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.5rem; line-height: 1.2; font-size: 1.25rem; font-family: &quot;PT Sans&quot;, sans-serif; color: rgb(255, 255, 255) !important; text-align: justify;">MAGAZINE</p><p><br/></p><p><br/></p>