Princess Cruises Continues to Install Water Lubricated Propeller Shaft Bearings

For Immediate Release - May 2005

Princess Cruises has specified Thordon water lubricated COMPAC propeller shaft bearing systems for two new GRAND Class cruise ships (Hull No's 6131 and 6132) being built at Fincantieri Cantieri Navali Italiani SpA for 2007 and 2008 delivery. There is an option for a third bearing system for a follow-on ship.

Princess Cruises, part of Carnival Corporation, currently has seven vessels fitted with water lubricated COMPAC bearings after the first installation in 1998 on Grand Princess. "The water lubricated bearings from Thordon have been problem free," says Richard Vie, Vice President Newbuildings for Carnival Corporation. "Based on bearing wear data, we are not expecting to replace the bearings more than once in the life of the vessel, or perhaps not at all."

Thordon Bearings is supplying its unique COMPAC Single Key Design Bearings for the 116,000 GRT twin screw newbuild vessel. The tapered Single Key Design allows the bearings to be easily withdrawn from the bronze carrier, inspected and re-installed with the shaft still in place. The COMPAC elastomeric polymer alloy bearings for the 642mm (25 in.) diameter propeller shafts are designed to promote hydrodynamic operation at low shaft speeds and provide long wear life. A flow of seawater will be provided to the bearings for efficient cooling and lubrication in this pollution free propeller shaft bearing system.

By completely eliminating oil from the stern tube and struts, Thordon's COMPAC system ensures there is no risk of pollution or subsequent environmental violations that could result from stern tube oil leakage, however small. There are currently over 380 Commercial and Naval vessels that are equipped with Thordon COMPAC water lubricated propeller shaft bearings plus many more on order.