Greener bearings for European cruises

According to Andreas Gitterle, managing director of Neotecha, a member of Thordon’s distributor network, there has been a steady rise in the number of bearing retrofits to historic vessels operating on Lake Constance and other Alpine lakes over the past five years.

“A number of operators have already converted from oil-lubricated brass bushings to water lubricated propeller shaft bearings as a way of meeting stringent European environmental regulations.

“As these waters are of drinking-water quality there are significant restrictions on the vessels that can operate on these lakes,” he said.

Amongst these vessels is the 1928-built MS Österreich, which has been operating with four water lubricated environmentally sustainable COMPAC propeller shaft bearings since 2017. The art deco vessel, the first ever motorship to operate on Lake Constance, has had all four 135mm brass bearings replaced with COMPAC at the Linz-based Öswag Werft, with Neotecha providing design, machining, installation and commissioning.

Other conversions include the Stadt Thun, paddle steamer Petersinsel, the MS Bubenberg, MS Berna and MS Ville de Geneve II.

The European river cruise sector is now considering water lubricated propeller shaft bearings with interest, according to Andreas Gitterle. “We are currently negotiating a contract to convert two Danube-operating cruisers to Thordon’s RiverTough propeller shaft bearings. If the order is secured, it would mark Thordon’s entry into the river cruise segment,” he said.