Then & Now: environmentally-friendly seals for inland shipping

Are you sailing a small(er) seaworthy ship or an inland vessel? The rules governing environmental legislation are also becoming stricter for your sector. Lagersmit has been working on environmentally-friendly (rear) seals for dozens of years now, including for inland shipping. Are you curious about how Lagersmit has ensured over the years that inland shipping can focus on what really matters?

Lagersmit’s first environmentally-friendly seal for inland shipping

Lagersmit has focused principally on seal solutions since the 1960s. Since then, the Sublime®, Supreme® Standaard and Liquidyne® have been developed. Within the Supreme® range, the Supreme LD (later renamed Supreme for Inland Vessels) was also developed for inland shipping. This was a shaft seal which could also be supplied from the 1990s with the so-called ECO system: a closed, greased system, where the seal prevents any grease leaking into the water. These ECO systems use a greased stern tube combined with the trusted Lagersmit Supreme lip seals.

The Supreme LD-ECO won the well-deserved Environmental Prize for Shipping in 1994. Minister Annemarie Jorritsma, at that time the Dutch Minister of Transport, Public Works and Water Management, presented the prize.

Thanks to the use of biologically-responsible grease, the LD-ECO was one of the first environmentally-friendly alternatives for inland shipping. These days, the LD-ECO is no longer part of the portfolio of seals which Lagersmit supplies. Why? Because the technology has evolved and there are now new alternatives. The Supreme Athmos is one of them.

Progressive technologies produce an innovative new solution

Lagersmit has certainly not been static over the years. Technology has also been advancing in leaps and bounds. This has led among other things to a new innovative and environmentally-friendly rear seal for inland shipping: the Supreme Athmos®. This seal is one of Lagersmit’s latest innovations, which has also been verified by DNV GL for application where the VGP applies. Among other things, this means that the Supreme Athmos may be used in American waters, while it uses mineral oil in the stern tube or thruster.

The Supreme Athmos has been developed for ships with a draught of up to five metres, making it an ideal solution for inland shipping. This shaft seal also guarantees zero emission of oil into the water environment, and it prevents water leaking into the propulsion.

The benefits of the Supreme Athmos:

• Safe for the environment: no oil emission
• Improved performance: no water in the seal or in the system
• Stable operation: 24/7 Condition Monitoring of the seal
• Extra safety: safety mode if the system breaks down
• Simple: compact and self-regulating system
• Approved by DNV GL: in line with the EAL legislation and regulations

Retrofit

Existing Lagersmit clients regularly upgrade their current seals to the Supreme Athmos. It’s a logical move, because given the current legislation and regulations, the Supreme Athmos is the ultimate seal specially developed for inland shipping among others, fulfilling the latest requirements. Are you not yet sailing with a Lagersmit seal? Then ask about the options for replacing your current seal with a Lagersmit seal!

Would you like to be advised on retrofitting your Supreme seal to the Supreme Athmos? Or would you like to learn more about the Supreme Athmos? Then please get in touch with us and we’ll be happy to advise you!