The 2013 Vessel General Permit (VGP) regulations require the use of an environmentally acceptable lubricant (EAL) for all oil to sea interfaces for vessels unless technically infeasible. The intent of this new requirement is to reduce the environmental impact of lubricant discharges on the ecosystem by increasing the use of EALs for vessels operating in waters of the United States. In time, these or similar rules regarding EALs are likely to be adopted around the world.

The lubricants should be used in a wide range of equipment, including stern tubes, rudders, stabilisers, thrusters, azipods, stern rollers and any mechanical equipment subject to immersion such as dredges and grabs. Oil leakage from oil lubricated stern tube bearings was once considered normal but is disallowed under VGP regulations unless an EAL is used. Many class societies and the VGP regulations themselves advocate seawater lubricated propeller shaft bearings as an alternative.

ACM L2 Marine is a grade of material developed and manufactured by ACM Composite Bearings that has been specifically formulated for marine environment applications. ACM L2 Marine has been successfully installed on approximately 7,000 vessels around the world. It is, of course, approved for rudder applications and indeed is the only composite material approved to operate as a rudder bearing in wet and dry conditions at bearing pressures up to 10 MPa.

In addition, ACM L2 Marine has also been tested and approved for stern tube bearing applications and has been proven to offer superior performance in terms of wear, extended life and low shaft wear over other water lubricated propeller shaft bearing materials.

ACM Composite Bearings has extensive experience supplying L2 Marine bearings and other composite materials from its range for the marine and offshore industry in a wide range of applications including rudder and steering gear, water lubricated propeller shaft bearings, anchor handling systems, cranes, life boat systems, winches, stern roller bearings, offshore moorings and many more.

Users of ACM L2 Marine are one step ahead of the VGP and any future regulations. The complete ACM range of materials, including its class approved L2 Marine grade, is fully compatible with EALs. Material properties remain the same and there is no degradation of ACM materials in contact with these types of lubricant. Further, in many applications ACM materials can run dry or in conjunction with nature’s own EAL – water.