Steering Gear

A Steering Gear is the equipment provided on ships to turn the ship to left (Port side) or to right
(Starboard side) while in motion during sailing. The Steering Gear works only when the ship is
in motion and, does not work when the ship is stationary. All the ships are to be provided with,
an efficient main steering gear, an auxiliary steering gear and, except for very small ships,
the main steering gear should be power operated.

Fully hydraulic type

Electro-hydraulic type
Fully electric type

The steering gear provides a movement of the rudder in response to a signal from the bridge. The
total system may be considered made up of three parts, control equipment, a power unit and a
transmission to the rudder stock.

Main Parts of Steering Gear System

Control Unit is the link between the Telemotor and the Power Unit. I receives signal from the
Telemotor and operates the Power Unit until it receives another signal, this time from the Rudder
through the Hunting Gear, to stop the operation of Power Unit.
Control Equipment conveys a signal of desired rudder angle from the bridge and activates
the power unit and transmission system until the desired angle is reached.

Power Unit can be any prime mover like steam engine, diesel engine or, an electric motor,
directly coupled to the Rudder; it can be an electro-hydraulic unit or, an all- electric unit
complete with the Telemotor.
Power unit provides the force, when required and with immediate effect, to move the
rudder to the desired angle.
Transmission Unit is the transmitter of order in the control unit to move the rudder into its desire
movement.
Transmission system, the steering gear, is the means by which the movement of the
rudder is accomplished.

Telemotor
The Telemotor is generally hydraulic type, electric type or, as is the case with modern steering
systems, it could be electro-hydraulic type. In olden days, Telemotors were purely mechanical
type consisting of linkages and chains with sprockets. As they were operated manually, they
required very healthy sailors to operate them.Telemotor unit comprises of two parts
namely, Transmitter and Receiver.
Transmitter is located on the navigation bridge in the form of a wheel, which transmits
the given order to the Receiver located in the steering gear compartment, by turning the
steering wheel.
Receiver conveys this order to the Control Unit, also located in the steering gear
compartment, via linear motion.
Requirements for steering gear, including the routine tests, as stated in SOLAS
Convention:
1. The transmission system, the steering gear, is the means by which the movement of the
rudder is accomplished.
2. Certain requirements must currently be met by the ships steering system. There must be
two independent means of steering although where two identical power units are
provided, an auxiliary unit is not required.
3. The power torque capacity must be such that the rudder can be swung from 35 degrees on
one side to 35 degrees on the other side with the ship at maximum speed. Also, the time
to swing from 35 degrees on one side to 30 degrees on the other side must not exceed 28
seconds.
4. The system must be perfected from shock loading and have pipe work which is exclusive
to it as well as be constructed from approved materials.
5. Control of the steering gear must be provided in the steering gear compartment.
6. Tankers of 10,000 ton gross tonnage and upwards must have two independent steering
gear control system which are operated from the bridge. Where one fails, changeover to
the other must be immediate and achieved from the bridge position.
7. The steering gear itself must compose two independent system where a failure of one
result in an automatic changeover to the other within 45 seconds. Any of these failures
should result in audible and visual alarms on the bridge.

Steering gear general arrangements

The general requirements of a steering gear are based on the regulations laid down by the
S.O.L.A. S. (Safety Of Life At Sea) 1974 Convention.
Regulations 29 and 30, state the following:
1.

Every ship is to be provided with a main and auxiliary steering gear. The main steering
gear and auxiliary steering gear must be so arranged that the failure of one does not render
the other inoperative.

2.

All steering gear compartments are to be of a sound and reliable construction and must
satisfy the requirements of the administration (i.e. Department for Transport and
classification societies). The design pressure for piping and other steering gear components
is to be subjected to an internal hydraulic pressure of at least 1.25 times the maximum
expected working pressure, when under the sea-going conditions specified in paragraph (4).

3.

An auxiliary steering gear need not be fitted, when the main steering gear has two or more
identical power units and is arranged such that on a single failure in its piping system or
one of its power units, steering capability can be maintained. To meet this latter alternative,
the steering gear has to comply with the operating conditions mentioned in paragraph (4)
i.e. In the case of passenger ships, while any one of the power units is out of action. In the
case of large tankers, chemical tankers and gas carriers, the provision of two or more
identical power units is a mandatory requirement for the main steering gear.

4.

The main steering gear must be capable of steering the ship at the maximum ahead service
speed, and be capable at this speed, and at the ships deepest service draught, of putting the
rudder from 35 on one side to 30 on the other side, in not more than 28 seconds. (The
apparent anomaly in the degree of movement is to allow for difficulty in judging when the
final position is reached due to hunting gear feed back).
Where the rudder stock, excluding ice strengthening allowance, is required to be over 120
mm diameter at the tiller, the steering gear must be operated by a power unit.

5.

The auxiliary steering gear must be capable of being brought quickly into operation, and be
capable of putting the rudder from 15 on one side to 15 on the other side in not more than
60 seconds with the ship at its deepest service draught and steaming ahead at a speed
greater than one half of the maximum service speed or 7 knots.
Where the rudderstock, excluding ice-strengthening allowance, is over 230 mm diameter
then the auxiliary steering gear unit must be power operated. (That diameter being at the
tiller)

6.

The navigating bridge must have the facility of bringing into operation the main and
auxiliary steering gear power units, in the event of a power failure to anyone of the steering

gear power units or to its associated control systems. An audible and visual alarm must be
activated on the navigating bridge
The power units must be so arranged as to re-start automatically on the restoration of the
power supply.
7.

Control over the steering gear must be provided on the navigating bridge and in the steering
gear compartment where the main steering gear is situated.
Where the main steering gear comprises of two or more identical power units, then there
must be two independent control systems, both of which must be operable from the
navigating bridge. (This does not mean that two steering wheels are required.)
When a hydraulic telemotor is employed for the steering control system, a second
independent system need not be fitted except in the case of a tanker, chemical tanker or gas
carrier of 10,000 grt. and over.
Auxiliary steering gear control must be arranged in the steering gear compartment. Where
the auxiliary gear is power operated, control must also be arranged from the bridge, and be
independent of the main steering gear control system.
Within the steering gear compartment, it must be possible to disconnect any of the bridge
operated control systems from the steering gear it serves. It must be possible to bring the
system into operation from the bridge.

8.

Hydraulic power systems are to be provided with arrangements to maintain the hydraulic
fluids cleanliness.
A lower level alarm must be fitted on each hydraulic fluid reservoir to give an early audible
and visible alarm on the bridge and in the engine room of any hydraulic fluid leakage.
Power operated steering gears require a storage tank arranged such that the hydraulic
systems can be readily re-charged from a position within the steering gear compartment.
The storage tank must be of sufficient capacity as to be able to recharge at least one of the
power actuating systems.

9.

Where the rudder stock is required to be over 230 mm diameter at the tiller, excluding ice
strengthening, an alternative power supply capable of providing power for the auxiliary
steering gear, as mentioned in paragraph (5), is to be automatically provided within 45
seconds.
This must supply the power unit, its control system and the rudder angle indicator
This supply can be provided from either the ships emergency power source or from an
independent source of power, located within the steering gear compartment and solely
dedicated for this purpose
The capacity of this supply shall be such as to sustain power on the steering gear, for at
least 30 minutes f or ships of 10,000 GRT and over, and 10 minutes for other ships.

10.

Relief valves must be fitted to any part of the hydraulic system which can be isolated and in
which pressure can be generated from the power source or from external forces
The setting of such relief valves must not exceed the design pressure of the system The
valves must be of adequate size and arranged to avoid an undue rise in pressure, above the
desired pressure of the system.

Ram Type Steering Gear

The changeable delivery pump is piped to each cylinder to enable suction or discharge from
either. The whole hydraulic fluid is controlled by these motors. A replenishing tank is mounted
close by and arranged with non-return suction valves which without human intervention provide
make-up fluid to the pumps. A bypass valve is coupled with spring-loaded shock a valve which
opens in the event of a very heavy sea forcing the rudder over. This maintains the position of the
ship and load on the rudder. In moving over, the pump is actuated and the steering gear will
return the rudder to its original position once the heavy sea has passes.
Four Ram steering gear

A spring loaded relief linkage on the tiller will avoid

damage to the manage gear during a shock movement.
During usual operation one pump will be running and other
will work as stand by units. But if a faster response is
required, for instance in confined waters, both pumps may
be in use. The pumps will be in the no-delivery state, so
that until a rudder progress is required by a signal from the
bridge telemotor transmitter. The telemotor receiver
cylinder will then move this will result in a movement of
the floating lever which will move the floating ring or
slipper pad of the pump, causing a pumping action. Fluid
will be drawn from one cylinder and pumped to the other,
thus turning the tiller and the rudder.
The basic principles of operation of two-ram and four ram gear is similar except that the pump
will draw from two diagonally opposite cylinders and discharge to the other two. Two discharge
valves are present on one side while two valve of inlet are opposite side. The four-ram
arrangement provides greater torque and the elasticity of different arrangements in the event of
component failure.
Either pump can be used with all cylinders or with either the two port ( left hand side) or two
starboard ( Right hand side) cylinders. Various valves must be opened or closed to provide these
arrangements. The use of a direct valve block incorporating rudder shock relief valves, pump
isolating valves, ram isolating and bypass valves, offers greater flexibility with a four-ram
steering gear. In normal operation one pump can operate all cylinders. In an emergency situation,
the defective cylinders could be isolated and operation of steering gear resumed.

Rotary Type Steering Gear

This is equivalent to a two-ram gear, with torque capacities depending on size. An assembly of
two rotary vane gears, one above the other, or with two independent hydraulic circuit with self
closing lock valves provide the security of a four ram gear.
As you can see the diagram, rotor C is fitted and keyed to a tapered rudder stock A and the stator
B is protected to the ship's structure. Fixed vanes, secured equidistantly in the stator bore and
rotating vanes secured equidistantly in the rotor, form two sets of pressure chambers in the
annular space between the rotor and stator. They are interconnected by a manifold. Three fixed
and three moving vans are normal and permit a total rudder angle of 70, i.e. 35 in each
direction. The fixed and rotating vanes may be of spheroid graphite cast iron. This is done
because the surface finishes of cast iron. They are securely fixed to the cast steel rotor and stator
by high tensile steel dowel pins and cap screws. Keys are also fitted along the length of the
rotary vanes, for mechanical strength.
The vanes fixing is well thought-out to be of enough strength to make them suitable to act as
rudder stops. Their strength is to be more than the other parts because lot of load face by these
parts. Steel sealing strips, backed by artificial rubber, are fitted in grooves along the operational
faces of the fixed and rotary vanes, thus ensuring a high volumetric efficiency, of 96-98% even
at the relief valve pressure of 100 bar or over. The anchor brackets are securely bolted to the
ship. This clearance varies with each size of the rotary vane unit, but is approximately 38 mm in
total and it is necessary that the rudder carrier should be capable of restricting the vertical
movements of the rudderstock. But if vertical motion is large then it can damage the arrangement
of steering gear present.

Axial Piston Pumps

An axial piston pump is a positive displacement pump that has a number of pistons in a circular
array within a cylinder block. It can be used as a stand-alone pump, a hydraulic motor or an
automotive air conditioning compressor. A radial piston pump is a form of hydraulic pump. The
working pistons extend in a radial direction symmetrically around the drive shaft, in contrast to
the axial piston pump.
Axial piston pumps using the swash plate principle (fixed and adjustable displacement) have a

quality that is almost the same as the bent axis model. They have the advantage of being more
compact in design and also allow use of "through-drive" series mounted auxiliary rotating
equipment, based on their in-line design. The pumps are easier and more economical to
manufacture; the disadvantage is that they are more sensitive to oil contamination. The axial
piston pump is likely the most widely used variable displacement type, being found in everything
from heavy industrial to mobile applications. By using different compensation techniques, the
variable displacement type of these pumps can continuously alter fluid discharge per revolution
and system pressure based on load requirements, maximum pressure cut-off settings,
horsepower/ratio control, and even fully electro proportional systems, requiring no other input
than electrical signals. This makes them potentially hugely power saving compared to other
constant flow pumps in systems where prime mover/diesel/electric motor rotational speed is
constant and required fluid flow is non-constant.

Radial Piston Pumps

Radial piston pumps are used especially for high pressure and relatively small flows. Pressures
of up to 650 bars are normal. In fact variable displacement is possible. The pump is designed in
such a way that the plungers are connected to a floating ring. This floating ring can be moved
horizontally by a control lever & thus causes an eccentricity in the center of rotation of the
plungers. The amount of eccentricity can be controlled to vary the discharge. The suction &
discharge can be totally reversed seamlessly by shifting the eccentricity to the opposite side.
Hence both quantity & direction can be varied in a radial piston pump, just as in the Swash plate
pump.