New Orkim Tankers fitted with Thordon’s COMPAC shafting system

China’s Fujian Southeast Shipyard has delivered four in a series of five new product tankers ordered by Malaysia’s Orkim Sdn Bhd.

Orkim is a significant player in the Malaysian shipping industry, transporting petroleum products and gas for customers that include Shell, ExxonMobil, Petronas, Nippon Gas Line, and other major oil companies.

The 9,000 dwt Orkim Sapphire and Orkim Pearl, and 14,500 dwt Orkim Diamond and Orkim Emerald represent the first vessels in the ship operator’s fleet to be fitted with a COMPAC seawater lubricated shafting system from Thordon Bearings.

Working with the shipowner’s representative, Shanghai-based CY Engineering, Thordon’s authorised distributor in China, supplied, installed and commissioned COMPAC seawater lubricated bearings machined for shaft diameters of 380 mm (14.96 in) and 405 mm (15.94 in). Thordon’s Water Quality Package also formed part of the supply scope to the single screw ships.

When the 9,000 dwt Orkim Topaz, the final vessel in the series, is delivered later this year, the Orkim fleet will total 23 oil and gas tankers totalling 187,328 dwt, ranging from 3251 dwt LPG carriers to 50,000 dwt product tankers. The average age of the fleet is under eight years old.

The award-winning COMPAC system is a high-performance seawater-lubricated bearing system primarily for ‘blue water’ operating environments.

Specially formulated to reduce start up friction and eliminate stick-slip, an open seawater lubricated propeller shaft system offers considerable advantages to ship owners, not only in bearing wear life predictability and reliability, but they are also more economical to maintain, easier to install and are future compliant.

The COMPAC system, which typically includes bearings, shaft liners, Water Quality Package, ThorShield shaft coating and a forward seal, is guaranteed to meet Classification Society propeller shaft bearing wear specifications for 25 years.

For more information visit www.orkim.com.my