Thordon Bearings has completed the delivery and installation of propeller shaft and rudder bearings to a series of environmentally advanced high-speed ferries under construction for Italian operator Liberty Lines.

San Sebastian-based Echetalde, Thordon’s authorized distributor in Spain, delivered 18 seawater-lubricated COMPAC propeller shaft bearings and nine grease-free SXL rudder bearings to Spain’s Astilleros Armon for installation to nine hybrid ferries scheduled for delivery over the next two years.

The yard has an option for an additional nine vessels for delivery between 2027 and 2030.

The first vessels in the series, the 39.7m (130.3ft) long, 251-passenger capacity Vittorio Morace and Cristina M, were launched in June and have since completed sea trials. Delivered earlier this year, they are now the world’s first IMO HSC (High-Speed Craft) hybrid fast ferries of this size.

Malcolm Barratt, Thordon Bearings’ Regional Manager – Southern Europe & Gulf Med, explained that while the Spanish shipbuilding group has a number of years’ experience with Thordon’s SXL material, it is the first time the yard specified the award-winning COMPAC system.

“After Echetalde’s recommendation, the shipyard decided to slightly alter the original Incat-Crowther design to accommodate COMPAC. The original design included three competitor seawater-lubricated bearings on each shaft, but with COMPAC only two propeller shaft bearings – aft and fwd – were required. The yard found this the optimum solution, not only because it fits better with the environmental ethos of the design, but it was the more cost-effective solution,” he said.

Designed to operate at a maximum speed of 30kts, the hybrid-electric ferries are built according to the requirements set out in classification society RINA’s Green Plus notation, a comprehensive scheme to evaluate the degree of environmental friendliness of seagoing ships.

In addition to their COMPAC propeller shaft and SXL rudder bearings, the vessels’ integrated hybrid power train features both conventional and electric propulsion.

A pair of 2,560kW diesel engines drive propellers via reduction gearboxes, with power supplied by way of 30kW e-motors, two variable-speed gensets, and a 346kWh battery pack to deliver emission free operations in harbour.

“These ships combine traditional engines with advanced electric propulsion systems, significantly reducing emissions and improving energy efficiency. Thordon’s bearing technology certainly adds to that operational and environmental performance,” said Iñigo Arrancudiaga, Echetalde’s owner and CEO. “We hope we can supply the yard with the same bearing technology should it exercise the Liberty Lines newbuild options.”

Reliability, long-wear life and superior customer service have made Thordon the first choice in pollution-free rudder bearing applications for over 25 years with an impressive reference list of over 4000 vessels.