Bearing assembly for a marine turbine shaft, and marine turbine including such a bearing assembly

A bearing assembly for absorbing axial force transmitted by a rotating marine turbine shaft about an axis of rotation, the bearing assembly comprising a plurality of bearing units distributed about the axis of rotation, each bearing unit comprising:

• a stationary base;
• a resilient member having a stationary portion rigidly connected to the base and a portion that is generally movable in a main direction of the forces to be supported;
• a bearing surface suitable for defining, together with the shaft, a volume for receiving a liquid film, the bearing surface being connected to the movable portion of the resilient member, wherein the liquid film is a water film, a minimum radius of the bearing surface is between 1 m and 3 m, the resilient member and the stationary base define at least one chamber containing water, surfaces of the resilient member and the base in contact with water comprising a rustproof material, and
• the bearing assembly further comprises a plurality of ducts configured for circulating water, each duct being arranged so as to connect at least two chambers together, the ducts and the chambers defining a closed circuit extending about the axis of rotation.