A STATISTICAL AND ECONOMIC EVALUATION OF STERN TUBE BEARING AND SEAL FAILURES

The report presents the findings of known studies of the incidence and nature of stern tube bearing and seal failure in large merchant vessels. The repair costs and lost vessel service time associated with these failures are documented for ships of various sizes and types. It is calculated that the present value of the repair costs and lost service time is close to $100 million for ships having shafts larger than 500 mm in diameter which will be built between 1978 and 1990 unless research and development efforts are undertaken to improve stern tube bearings and seals. This cost does not include the cost of failures in ships already built that will be operating in the 1978-1990 time period.

• Corporate Authors:

  Mechanical Technology, Incorporated

  968 Albany-Shaker Road
  Latham, NY  United States  12110

  Maritime Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Arpi, D W
  • Winn, L W
• Publication Date: 1977-7

Media Info

• Pagination: 88 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Analysis; Bearings; Costs; Economic analysis; Failure; Failure analysis; Life cycle analysis; Life cycle costing; Lubricants; Mechanical failure; Merchant vessels; Propeller components; Propeller shafts; Propellers; Repairing; Seals (Devices); Tubing
• Uncontrolled Terms: Cost analysis; Merchant ships
• Old TRIS Terms: Bearing failure; Bearing repair; Economic analysis (Propellers); Propeller shaft seals; Repair costs; Stern tube bearings
• Subject Areas: Economics; Finance; Marine Transportation; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00168856
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: MA-RD-940-77091, MTI-77TR58
• Contract Numbers: MA-6-38054
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Dec 27 1978 12:00AM