Poor Welding Blamed after Rudder Falls off Bulk Carrier
A cargo ship narrowly avoided grounding after its rudder fell off, and New Zealand’s TAIC report highlights the need for careful oversight and quality assurance during installation of safety-critical components and for strong international safety standards.On 24 July 2023, the cargo ship Achilles Bulker, fully loaded and under pilotage, was outbound from Tauranga.The ship deviated from the center of the channel shortly after clearing the harbor entrance. As the crew and onboard pilots tried to steer it back on course, the ship’s rudder broke off.
Celebrating 75 Years of SCHOTTEL RudderPropeller
SCHOTTEL founder Josef Becker invented the fully steerable rudder propeller, an innovation that continues to shape the maritime industry today.Since its introduction, more than 17,000 SCHOTTEL RudderPropellers have been sold, powering a wide variety of vessels on nearly every major body of water around the globe. This year marks the 75th anniversary of this development.With the invention of the SCHOTTEL RudderPropeller (SRP) in 1950, ships could, for the first time, use the full power of their propulsion system for maneuvering.
Drydock Avoided with In-Water Dry Environment Repairs
Subsea Global Solutions has successfully executed a complex in-water thruster installation and rudder bushing replacement, eliminating the need for drydocking and ensuring the vessel remained on schedule.Originally planned for drydock, the repairs were expedited in-water when drydocking availability did not align with the vessel’s operational needs. Subsea Global Solutions was selected based on its extensive experience with in-water technical repairs and its history of successful projects for the client.The project was executed in Portland…
Study Highlights Need to Reconsider Fixed Sea-Margin for Gate Rudder Concept
A study published by Norbert Bulten, Product Performance Manager at Wärtsilä, has demonstrated that “there is more in life than the straight-sailing, calm water condition.”The research was carried out within the EU-funded CHEK project and involved full-scale CFD simulations that focused on the impact of rudder steering and vessel motion.The study compared a gate rudder concept to a conventional semi-spade rudder for a Kamsarmax bulker.Typically, a rudder is placed behind the propeller, where the movable part can be a part (semi-spade) or the complete rudder section (full-spade).
Kongsberg Maritime Launches DTS System for Rudders
Kongsberg Maritime has launched the Direct Trunk Support (DTS) system for rudders. According to the company, the new system transfers the manoeuvring forces from the rudder through the headbox and the steering gear deck directly into the hull structure, promising improved manoeuvring, propulsion performance and weight savings that can ultimately save fuel and help cut emissions.The DTS rudder has no upper size limit and works for vessels of any size, from container ships to fishing vessels…
Bureau Veritas Grants AIP to InfraCore for Lightweight Rudder Flap
Classification society Bureau Veritas (BV) aid it has awarded an approval in principle (AiP) to InfraCore Company for its design, modelling, production and testing of a full glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) rudder flap for an 18,500 TEU containership.The certificate was delivered as a result of the EU-funded project RAMSSES - Realization and Demonstration of Advanced Material Solutions for Sustainable and Efficient Ships – which aims to expand the application and usage of innovative materials to build more efficient and sustainable ships.Lightweight and other advanced materials…
