Thordon Bearings and SNAME launch scholarship to inspire future sustainable vessel design leaders

Thordon Bearings Inc. and the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME), a Green Marine association member, have introduced a new graduate scholarship that supports the development of solutions to reduce the marine industry's environmental footprint.

The Thordon Bearings Graduate Scholarship encourages bold engineering ideas that deliver tangible environmental improvements while maintaining technical and commercial credibility.

Open to post-graduate students, the award recognizes innovation in any aspect of vessel design, above or below the waterline, that delivers meaningful benefits to noise, air, or water quality. Submissions are assessed based on novelty, engineering quality, environmental impact, and the practicality of implementing the innovation within the maritime sector.

The scholarship stems from a significant contribution from Thordon Bearings’ founder George A. "Sandy" Thomson, and aims to inspire greener, cleaner, and more efficient vessels. Thomson has emphasized the maritime industry’s need for bold ideas and determined young engineers, noting SNAME's role as a forum for rigorous technical discourse and best practices in marine engineering.

The scholarship is intended to encourage the kind of pioneering innovation that led Thordon Bearings to produce seawater lubricants under Thomson’s helm. The bearings have become integral to naval and commercial marine operations worldwide as an effective way to prevent oily discharges.

_{Photo: Thordon Bearings}