FORESTWAVE NAVIGATION
COMMITTED STERN TUBE SEAL SUPPLIER FOR ALL VGP/VIDA-RELATED DEMANDS.
FORESTWAVE NAVIGATION
ForestWave Navigation Group is a young shipping company that does have a fleet of more than 40 vessels in commercial management. Since 2018, ForestWave has chosen Lagersmit as the committed seal supplier for all VGP/VIDA-related demands for stern tube seals. Up until now, 12 vessels have been retrofitted to our Supreme Ventus® air-type seal.
VGP/VIDA REGULATIONS
ForestWave Navigation had to deal with the VGP/VIDA regulations. Initially, they complied with these regulations by means of bio-oil. Eventually, they realized that bio-oil was not a technically reliable solution. From this point, the technical superintendent of ForestWave, Tjeerd Steenbergen, sought other approved solutions. In 2018, he got in touch with Bart van Lee (Technical Account Manager) about our Supreme Ventus® air-type seal. The simple but effective working principle, the lowering of the Total Cost of Ownership, less work needed for installation and the fact Lagersmit was able to customize the solution convinced ForestWave to chose Lagersmit as the committed stern tube seal supplier to meet the VGP/VIDA regulations.
CHALLENGES DURING THE RETROFIT
One of the unique benefits of the Supreme Ventus is that the split version can be installed without shaft withdrawal, but with external piping. We prefer to manufacture the piping through the stern tube, but this isn’t always, technically or commercially, feasible for all vessels. If classification authorities don’t require shaft withdrawal, it is preferable to avoid this work in certain cases. Together we optimized our solution for the installation of external piping. In close collaboration with the yard, classification authorities and our technical departments we made these projects a real success.
CLOSE COLLABORATION
Due to their high level of satisfaction, ForestWave will retrofit more vessels in the upcoming years; we have made great strides recently towards close collaboration.