Offshore Towing chooses Thordon shaft seals in tug upgrade

The 11.75-inch diameter seals are the largest ever supplied by Thordon and were fitted to both propeller shafts on board the 67-tonne bollard pull vessel.
The forward end of the shaft lines were undercut and then clad-welded with stainless steel to prevent corrosion. The shafts were then made up to their original size, having provided the seals with smooth corrosion-free surfaces on which to operate.
Henry Bailey, Offshore Towing’s operations manager, explained: “We were introduced to the TG100 seal by United Tugs which has operated the system for a number of years without problem. So we thought we’d give it a try. The TG100 seal has been operating successfully so far and although too early to provide a full appraisal, we are very satisfied and don’t anticipate any problems.” Assuming that the seals continue to perform well, it is likely that other vessels in the company’s fleet will be retrofitted in due course, according to Bailey.
The TG100 is a mechanical seal specially developed for water-lubricated propeller shafts with diameters ranging from 3.375 inches to 12 inches. Shafts in this size range are typically found on workboats, dredgers, tugs, yachts, patrol craft and coastal vessels. The primary seal uses hard-wearing silicon carbide faces and Thordon’s proprietary elastomeric bellows to provide an unlimited shelf life compared to rubber-based bellows which need to be replaced periodically.