Thordon Bearings Bags 24-Seal Order
<p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/ueditor/php/upload/image/20220121/1642739569931853.png" title="1642739569931853.png" alt="1.png"/></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Canadian manufacturer Thordon Bearings confirmed it has secured contracts to supply 24 TG100 propeller shaft seals to Drydocks World-Dubai and Abu Dhabi Shipbuilding and Repair yards for installation to six UAE Navy vessels. Each quad screw ship will operate a quartet of TG100 shaft seals.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br/></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Rafid Qureshi, managing director of Dubai-based Ocean Power International (OPI), Thordon¡¯s authorized distributor in the region, explained the award win was ¡°a direct result of the yards¡¯ recommendations¡± following the success of TG100s retrofitted seven years ago to a 28m [91.9ft] tug.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br/></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The government-operated tug entered Drydocks World-Dubai yard in late 2014 after a competitor¡¯s shaft seal failed during dredger support operations in the Persian Gulf.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br/></p><p style="text-align: justify;">¡°The tug was taking on water but because the seal didn¡¯t have an emergency return-to-port function, it had a real tough time getting back safely,¡± Qureshi said. ¡°The failure was of huge concern to the owner as it could have ended in tragedy. Apparently, failure is not uncommon with these seals.¡±</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br/></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Based on the Drydocks World-Dubai experience with, and reliability of, Thordon¡¯s bearing products (the tug¡¯s 200mm [7.874in] diameter shafts were each operating XL propeller shaft and SXL rudder bearings) it was decided that both seals would be replaced by TG100s.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br/></p><p style="text-align: justify;">OPI sales manager Anupam Paul said, ¡°Drydocks World-Dubai pushed for the Thordon shaft seal because of the reliability and performance of the design but it was the safe-return-to port capability that sealed the deal.¡±</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br/></p><p style="text-align: justify;">More than seven years on, and after one scheduled drydocking, the Thordon seals and <a href="https://www.bearing-asia.com/products/catalogue.html" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 112, 192); text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 112, 192);"><strong>bearings</strong></span></a> remain unchanged. ¡°Even the bellows are in great shape.¡± he said.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br/></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Commenting on the success of the TG100 seal, Thordon Bearings¡¯ Technical Director Tony Hamilton, said, ¡°With hundreds of units now in service, this seal is a vitally important component to vessel safety, protecting both crew and vessel. The design¡¯s inflatable secondary seal means a vessel can return safely to the nearest port if the seal is badly damaged, preventing water ingress and potential sinking.¡±</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br/></p><p style="text-align: justify;">¡°The success we now have in the UAE is directly related to the excellent working relationship between Ocean Power International and local yards,¡± Hamilton added. ¡°The work Rafid and the OPI team carried out to this tug, Thordon¡¯s first reference on a UAE Navy vessel, has strengthened our position across this region.¡±</p><p><br/></p>
21 Jan,2022
