LNG newbuildings dominate take-up of SKF BlueMon

SKF sales director Claus Beiersdorfer shows off BlueMon SKF has sold its BlueMon environmental monitoring system to all 15 LNG carriers being built to export Russian gas from Yamal Peninsula in the Russian Arctic – and reports that LNG carriers dominate orders for the system to date. The system was developed to ensure compliance to environmental regulations, using on-board sensors and storing and mapping the vessel’s emissions data. Sales director Claus Beiersdorfer says that SKF has sold “35 SKF BlueMon systems, mostly for fitting onto LNG carriers”, since SKF launched the system two years ago. That interest from LNG carriers reflects the concentration of newbuildings ordered to operate in Polar waters under tough conditions and subject to stiff regulation, he says. Gothenburg-headquartered SKF launched a range of new products at SMM in Hamburg this week. The company has redesigned its Simplex Intermediate shaft bearings, which have a short shell length and can be aligned to avoid edge loading. The bearings were designed for ship propulsion systems’ shaft lines. SKF also launched a dynamic stabiliser cover, which closes the hull of SCF retractable fin stabilisers. This comprises two inflatable cushions fixed to the stabiliser fin box, which close the hull when the stabiliser is not in use to improve flow profile and cut fuel consumption.