Deck & Crane Machinery

E-winches haul tugboats forward

E-winches haul tugboats forward

Tugboat original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) have relied on hydraulic oil-driven winches for decades, but they are now starting to embrace energy-efficient, next-generation electric winches, writes Mikael Holmberg, winch and crane segment sales manager at ABB Drives Hydraulic winch systems have been adopted by nearly 70% of vessels across the world, and they’ve stood the test […]

Bearings retrofit opens up new market

Bearings retrofit opens up new market

In what marks a relatively new application for Thordon Bearings’ polymer material, Wilson Ship Management has replaced the greased bronze bearings on the hatch cover wheels of some of its dry cargo vessels with self-lubricating ThorPlas-Blue bearings. Wilson, which operates Europe’s largest short sea fleet of about 130 general cargo vessels, has now converted eight […]

Drydocking pre-inspection avoids future pain

Drydocking pre-inspection avoids future pain

Pre-docking inspections provide an increasingly powerful means of ensuring a successful drydocking, according to MacGregor Sometimes costly, periodically mandatory and ultimately inevitable, the drydock is part of the normal life of a ship. However, with days in dock also experienced as lost earnings, the stakes are high for what is a rare opportunity to deal […]