The stern tube bearing consists of sealing arrangement to prevent ingress of water and to avoid the lubricating oil to escape into the sea. Water lubricated bearings use only seawater for lubrication, thereby they eliminate any risk of oil pollution from the stern tube.
Stern tube bearings are of the slide bearing type (also referred to as journal bearings or plain bearings). The bearings are located inside the stern tube of the vessel, therefore the name stern tube bearings. The amount of bearings used in a stern tube varies, but a set-up of one aft bearing and a forward bearing is a common solution.
