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 with leading FPSO fabricators and operators since the inception of these floating rigs.

Machinery fitted to FPSOs is commonly installed on Trelleborg Bakker bearings. These, constructed of steel and rubber, compensate for the flexing of the hull, lowering the stresses on the ship's structure. One of Trelleborg Bakker's most complex projects was the fitment of the Sea Rose. This required the installation of 42 bearings in three special designs. Each of them over 2m high and the heaviest weighing close to 10 tons, they can withstand exceptional load vertically up to 10,000kN and horizontally up to 3500kN. They are also capable of compensating for distortions up to 75mm. The Trelleborg Bakker bearings fitted on the Sea Rose are proving successful in her assignment extracting oil off the coast of Newfoundland in Canada. Technology developed for this project and others globally, allows Trelleborg Bakker to offer cost-effective bearing solutions for frames a secondO vessels worldwide.

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