‘Rudder-pod’ concept unveiled

The ‘rudder-pod’ was inspired by the CRP (contra-rotating propeller) Azipod, which is in use on Japanese ferries. Unlike the Azipod, though, the ‘pod’ part of the rudder-pod is fixed, with directional control from a single rudder, basically of traditional design.

The concept was inspired by the current large container ships, where installed power is as much as a single propeller can handle, and the vogue for slow steaming means that the main engine is operating far below its most efficient power level – in some cases as low as 15% of MCR. The rudder-pod uses a normal propeller directly driven by the ship’s main engine (which can be rated far lower), with a contra-rotating propeller driven by an electric motor in a pod integrated with the rudder, although the pod body is non-steering. Thus the electrically-driven propeller can be employed to provide additional power when required.