STOP (Stern Tube Oil Pollution)

Abstract

Ships using Arctic trading routes have led to some concern of environmental threats to the Arctic ecosystems including ship source pollution. Zero tolerance for any kind of ship source pollution is now becoming the norm and international regulations are becoming more and more stringent. This paper presents an overview of the mechanism relating to stern tube oil pollution from ships and its impact on the seas. The paper also looks at a proven, available technology that eliminates stern tube oil pollution by focusing on the performance of seawater lubricated stern tube bearings based on ship owner experience and life cycle costs.