Thordon Bearings signs multi-vessel agreement

Supply is for several fleet boats under construction at the FMT Shipyard & Repair facility in Louisiana, USA, for workboat owner Maritime Partners.

David DiSalvo, owner of DiSalvo Marine, independent contractor for Thordon Bearings, said: ”Maritime Partners has optimised its boat charter business by opting for two different engine packages on these new fleet boats. Both engine options meet the latest US EPA requirements.

“Now with the addition of the Thordon products, the company has upped their game with environmentally friendly vessels that will offer longevity and low maintenance that its customers will also value for many years.”

Green considerations

Twelve twin-screw push boats are scheduled to be delivered from the Louisiana-based yard with equipment that includes RiverTough tailshaft bearings, ThorPlas-Blue rudder bearings with Pucker Seals, ThorPlas-Blue steering linkage bushings, SXL thrust washers and TG100 tailshaft seals.

Founded in 2015, Maritime Partners owns a fleet of 1,600 inland river vessels operated under bareboat charter. The new vessels, however, will be the company’s first newbuilds to feature a complete portfolio of Thordon technology following the success of individual installations aboard existing tonnage.

“As a leading provider of maritime assets and a founding member of the BlueSky Maritime Coalition, we have a commitment to and a responsibility for environmentally-sustainable maritime operations. The application of technical solutions that deliver absolutely zero environmental risk is a no-brainer for us,” said Austin Sperry, co-founder and president, Maritime Partners.

While environmental considerations and the reduced OPEX associated with Thordon equipment were obvious deal makers, the determining factor came when Sperry learnt that Sandy Thomson, Thordon Bearings’ founder and innovator, was a recipient of the award given in the name of his great, great grandfather, the gyrocompass inventor, Elmer Sperry.

In 2019, George (Sandy) Thomson was presented with the Elmer A Sperry Award for Advancing the Art of Transportation, one of the highest accolades given for an individual’s contribution to transportation engineering.

Jim Bright, territory sales manager, Thordon Bearings, said: “It is fantastic to see this real, physical connection between the maritime industry, Elmer Sperry and the spirit of the award. When Austin met Sandy, it was a meeting of minds. They share the same environmental vision. They both recognise the role maritime industries have to play in finding tangible, meaningful solutions to the climate change problem.”