Rudder equipment is the main maneuvering equipment for ships. The ship rudder system is an important device for achieving ship steering, direct navigation, and other maneuvers. Any vessel must have good maneuverability so that it can maintain its course change at any time when docked or leaving the dock during navigation, enabling the vessel to operate normally. The loss of maneuverability can cause the ship to lose its ability to move, while in severe cases, it can lead to accidents and damage to the hull, even capsizing.

Ship maneuverability is one of the important performance of a ship, which broadly refers to the ship's ability to respond to the driver's manipulation. It contains two interrelated properties, namely heading stability and turning ability.

Heading stability - the ability of a ship to maintain a predetermined heading and move in a straight line;

Rotability is the ability of a ship to navigate in a straight line and enter curved motion as needed.

Good ship maneuverability must be ensured through maneuvering equipment. There are many ship maneuvering equipment, and rudder equipment is currently the most widely used maneuvering equipment due to its simple structure and reliable operation.

The rudder for ships is a flat or wing shaped structure, located at the stern of the ship. When it rotates, the hydrodynamic force generated by the rudder forms a turning moment in the direction perpendicular to the centerline of the ship.

Rudder equipment generally consists of rudder, steering mechanism, servo, and control system, as shown in Figure 2-1.

The rudder system can be divided into two types: single rudder system and double rudder system. Ships that prioritize stable heading during navigation, such as the ocean going merchant ships built in China, often use single rudder systems and are arranged in the longitudinal section of the stern of the ship. The double axis system is mostly arranged on military ships, passenger ships, and special engineering ships.

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