The Suez Canal Authority (SCA) has replaced the rubber cutterhead bearings on the 102m (335ft) dredger Mahmoud Younis with a water-lubricated Composite bearing from Thordon Bearings.
The retrofit, which took place at the Port Said Shipyard’s floating drydock, follows the success of a similar installation aboard CSD Mashhour, the largest dredger in the SCA fleet. Its rubber cutterhead bearings were replaced last year, providing the first Thordon installation with the Authority.
Mahmoud Younis, named after the SCA’s former Chairman, and capable of dredging down to depths of 25.3m (83ft), was fitted with a 600mm (23.6in) outside diameter Thordon Composite bearing in August.
The bearing was machined and finished by Alexandria-based Nefertiti Marine, Thordon Bearings’ authorized distributor in Egypt, prior to being freeze-fitted to the vessel’s cutterhead during a scheduled drydocking.
Nefertiti Marine and Thordon are now working with the SCA to replace propeller and rudder bearings on other vessels in the organisation’s fleet with Thordon’s long-wearing water lubricated elastomeric polymer technology.
The dredging department of the Suez Canal Authority is responsible for maintaining the canal to ensure all types of vessels can transit safely. Its fleet includes five cutter suction dredgers, three self-propelled hopper suction dredgers and several barges, tugs, pilot boats and floating cranes.
SCA vessels are also deployed to work on external dredging projects at ports around Egypt and the Middle East.