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Showing posts from June, 2007

Bearings Cut Stress On Ship Structure

Bearings from Trelleborg Bakker improve FPSO manoeuvreability and safety. One of company's most complex projects was the supply of 42 specially designed bearings for the Sea Rose. Constructed of steel and rubber, these compensated for the flexing of the hull, lowering the stresses on the ship's structure. As floating production storage offloading (FPSO) vessels travel further offshore to extract oil and gas, the demands on them become greater. They need to house more large pieces of machinery such as compressors and pumps. Weighing considerable amounts, these can create significant stresses on the vessel, affecting manoeuvreability and safety. This effect is intensified by the potential severe weather conditions of deeper waters, with increased forces from waves and wind. Another complication is that the tonnage of the ship constantly changes as oil is pumped in and then offloaded to tankers. Trelleborg Bakker, an operating unit of Trelleborg Engineered Systems, has worked