Netherland’s based Maprom Engineering will be at SMM this year to promote water lubricated bearings as a suitable alternative to oil lubricated ones. The company says that increasingly governments and classification societies are supporting the use of water as an environmental friendly and necessary alternative for oil. At Maprom, the trend to towards designing “green shaft installations” started more than 35 years ago. Maprom shaft systems are already successfully used onboard military, inland, dredging and seagoing ships. Maprom said that some of the pros associated with using water lubricated systems include easy maintenance, low operational cost and longer life of components. Other benefits are that these systems are better for the environment as they pose no risk of pollution. The proof of the durability of water lubricated bearings, Maprom said, is evident by the vessels equipped with them that are already in operation. For example, the cutter suction dredge Halternsee had a Maprom designed water lubricated cutter shaft bearing installed in 2001. It is expected to last more than 110.000 running hours following its 2011 inspection.