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Britannia rides on Thordon Bearings’ COMPAC system

P&O Cruises' 3,647-passenger Britannia, built by Fincantieri’s Monfalcone shipyard and named this week, features a bevy of environmental-friendly solutions, including Thordon Bearings’ COMPAC system to safeguard the marine environment against operational oil spills.

Anne Kalosh, Editor, Seatrade Cruise News & Senior Associate Editor, Seatrade Cruise Review

March 12, 2015

1 Min Read
Credit: Seatrade Cruise News

'P&O Cruises’ new flagship is the third Britannia in the company’s illustrious history. The first entered service in 1840, while the second was built to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee in 1887. It also operated a water-lubricated shaft seal and bearing system,' said Andy Edwards, commercial director, Thordon Bearings.

Prior to 1950, seawater was used as the lubricant for all vessels with lignum vitae used as the bearing material to support the propeller shaft, while stuffing boxes acted as the seal to prevent seawater from entering the engine room, Edwards said.

'The propeller shaft bearing has evolved considerably since then and we are pleased that P&O Cruises has chosen such an environmentally safe technology,' he added.

About the Author

Anne Kalosh

Editor, Seatrade Cruise News & Senior Associate Editor, Seatrade Cruise Review

Anne Kalosh covers global stories, reporting both breaking and in-depth news on cruising's significant people, places, ships and trends. A sought-after expert on cruising, she has moderated conferences around the world, including the high-profile State of the Industry panel at Seatrade Cruise Global. She created and led the acclaimed itinerary-planning case study for Seatrade's cruise master classes held at Cambridge and Oxford universities. She has been the cruise columnist for AFAR.com, and her freelance stories have appeared in a wide range of publications, from The New York Times to The Miami Herald.

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