1. Daily inspection and maintenance

Within 12 hours before the ship sets sail, the crew should verify and test the steering gear. The test procedure (if applicable) should include the following operations:

• 1) Main steering device;

• 2) Auxiliary steering device;

• 3) Steering device remote control system;

• 4) The steering position inside the cab;

• 5) Emergency power supply;

• 6) Rudder angle indicator relative to the actual position of the rudder;

• 7) Steering device remote control system power failure alarm;

• 8) Steering device power equipment malfunction alarm;

• 9) Automatic partition devices and other automatic equipment.

Verification and testing should include:

• 1) Operate the full rudder according to the required steering device capacity;

• 2) Visual inspection of the experimental steering device and its connecting components;

• 3) Work test of communication methods in the driver's cab and servo room.

For ships engaged in short-term voyages on a regular basis, the competent authority may waive the verification and testing requirements stipulated above, but these ships should undergo such verification and testing at least once a week.

Usually, before each voyage, the pilot should test the steering gear with the engineer to see if the steering device is working properly.

In addition, personnel should be dispatched to check for any obstacles around the stern rudder blades before the trial steering; Verify the errors of various rudder angles and rudder angle indicators, as well as the main and sub compasses; No debris is allowed to be placed in the servo room, and it should be kept clean and dry. The spare parts in the steering gear room should be tied up to prevent the ship from moving during swaying.

The steps for steering are:

• 1) The steering personnel rotate the steering wheel or pull the handle in the cab, so that the pointer of the rudder angle indicator points to the "0" scale, and observe whether the actual rudder angle in the steering room is in the positive rudder position.

• 2) Slowly turn the steering wheel to the left (right) to full rudder, and check if the rudder angle indicator on the steering platform matches the actual rudder angle in the servo room.

• 3) Use the same method to quickly activate the full rudder once to the right (left) and return to the correct rudder.

• 4) Operate the left (right) 5 °, 15 °, and 25 ° full rudder and return rudder continuously, while observing the operation of the remote control mechanism, following mechanism, rudder angle indicator, and other working systems to ensure they are functioning properly. The electric rudder angle indicator should have no error in the positive rudder position and should not exceed ± 1 ° in other rudder angle positions.

For those equipped with two main steering devices or lever steering devices, separate trial steering should be conducted. During navigation, the on duty pilot should regularly check whether the oil pressure, power supply, and steering situation are normal. Especially when encountering strong winds and waves, it is necessary to check whether movable objects between the steering gear are properly tied. After the ship stops, the power should be cut off or the bypass valve of the hydraulic steering gear should be opened. If there is a steering wheel control, the steering wheel control should be turned on, and the bridge and steering gear should be closed.

The above-mentioned verification and testing dates, as well as the dates and detailed content of emergency steering exercises, should be recorded in the navigation log prescribed by the competent authority.

In the driver's cab and servo room, simple operating instructions for the remote control system and power conversion program of the steering device should be permanently displayed, accompanied by a block diagram.

All ship pilots involved in the operation and maintenance of steering devices should be familiar with the operation of the ship's steering system and the procedures for transitioning from one system to another.

2. Regular inspections

A comprehensive inspection and maintenance of the rudder equipment should be carried out every 3 months, mainly including:

• 1) Check the wear and damage of the rudder stock and rudder blades, and keep records. The shaft neck of the rudder stock (pin) should generally be larger than the shaft neck of the non working part at the lower rudder bearing (or rudder pin), otherwise it should be repaired or replaced. A small amount of scattered rust spots are allowed on the surface of the working shaft neck, but the depth does not exceed 1% of the diameter of the rudder stock (pin). The allowable reduction of the non working shaft neck of the rudder stock is 7% of the original design diameter. The maximum clearance between the rudder knob and rudder knob, or between the rudder blade and the rudder support plane, is generally 50% of the installation clearance.

• 2) Check the insulation and contact condition of the electric steering device, and clean it with a lint free cloth. Automatically check its sensitivity; Hydraulic servos need to check for leaks in the pipelines and the quality of the fluid.

• 3) Check the operation and wear of the steering device motor, clean it, and keep records; Hydraulic servos need to be checked for leaks and the quality of oil, and repaired and filled with fluid in a timely manner.

In addition to the routine checks and tests mentioned above, emergency steering drills should be conducted at least every three months to practice emergency steering operation procedures and the condition of emergency steering equipment. The drill should include direct control inside the servo room, communication programs with the cab, and (if applicable) operations to switch power supply.

Check the active part of the backup steering device every 6 months, lubricate it, remove rust and oil, and conduct a conversion operation test to ensure its good performance. The hydraulic steering system should be thoroughly cleaned once a year or after maintenance to remove rust and other debris, in order to avoid affecting its effectiveness.

When conducting inspections in the dock, lift the rudder shaft or rudder pin in place or remove the rudder stock to inspect the wear and corrosion of the rudder shaft, rudder pin, and rudder bearing; Measure the clearance between the rudder bearings and the sinking amount of the rudder; Check the rudder stock, rudder shaft flange, and their connecting bolts and nuts; Check the locking device of the rudder pin nut.

Conduct external inspections on the rudder blades to check for corrosion and cracks. If necessary, conduct thickness checks on the rudder blades. When there is any doubt about the water tightness of the rudder blades or after repair, a tightness test should be conducted.