TECHNICAL SUPPORT
Published 2026-02-06
As the core component of the ship's steering system, the ship's electro-hydraulic steering gear converts electrical signals into hydraulic power to control the rudder blades, which is directly related to the ship's maneuverability and navigation safety. There are various types of electro-hydraulic steering gear used on modern ships, and each has its own characteristics. Understanding their classification will help you select the most suitable equipment.
Classifying electro-hydraulic steering gear according to the form of power transmission is an extremely basic classification method. Common electro-hydraulic steering gear classifications can be divided into two types: pump-controlled and valve-controlled. There are essential differences in the working principles of these two methods.
The pump-controlled steering gear changes the displacement or speed of the hydraulic pump to control the flow and direction of the oil, thereby achieving the rotation of the rudder blade. The response speed is relatively slow, but the operation state is stable and the efficiency is relatively high. It is suitable for large ships that do not have particularly high accuracy requirements. The valve-controlled steering gear regulates the oil circuit by controlling the opening and closing of the reversing valve. Its response speed is rapid and the control accuracy is quite high. However, the throttling loss is large and the efficiency is relatively low.
Depending on the actuator form of the steering gear, it can be divided into rotary type and fork type. This classification is directly related to the installation method and space occupation of the steering gear, which are factors that must be considered during design selection.
The rotary steering gear performs rotational motion, and its oil cylinder drives the tiller. This structure is compact and takes up little space, but the output torque is relatively limited. The fork-type steering gear uses an oil cylinder to push the fork to drive the tiller. It can provide greater output torque, although the structure is relatively complex and takes up more space. Which form to choose depends on the cabin space and required torque.
The operating performance and degree of automation of the steering gear are determined by the control method. Here, starting from simple manual control to highly automated follow-up control, different types of control methods are adapted to different ship needs.
The earliest method is manual control, which uses a handle or handwheel to directly operate. Its structure is very simple, but the labor intensity is much greater. Electric controls are operated using buttons or switches, which reduces the burden on the crew. The current mainstream is follow-up control, which can maintain the rudder angle by itself. Together with the autopilot, automatic navigation can be realized, and navigation efficiency and safety are greatly improved.
Various types of ships have huge differences in the requirements for steering gears. Passenger ships, cargo ships, tugs, engineering ships, etc. each have different characteristics, so it is necessary to adapt to different types of steering gears.
The steering gear required by large cargo ships is the one with large torque and high reliability, and the pump-controlled fork type is often used. Because its navigation characteristics are different from passenger ships, passenger ships have high requirements for comfort and safety, so the steering gear required is a valve-controlled type with fast response and precise control. The operating conditions of engineering ships and tugs are complex, which requires their steering gear to have good low-speed performance and micro-movement control capabilities.
For steering gear selection, torque is a very important key parameter. It will directly affect the maneuverability of the ship. If the torque is insufficient, it will cause difficulty in turning the rudder. If the torque is too large, it will cause increased costs and energy consumption. This needs to be noted.
To determine the torque, many factors such as ship displacement, speed, rudder blade area, and maximum rudder angle must be considered. It is generally calculated in accordance with ship regulations, and a certain safety margin must be left. In practice, the steering gear torque of medium-sized cargo ships is usually in the range of tens to hundreds of kilonewton meters, while the steering gear torque of large oil tankers may reach thousands of kilonewton meters.
As the degree of ship automation increases, electro-hydraulic steering gear is also developing in the direction of intelligence. A series of functions such as integrated sensors, adaptive control and status monitoring are evolving into a new trend.
An intelligent steering gear that can monitor its own status in real time and predict maintenance needs to reduce sudden failures. There is an adaptive control that automatically adjusts parameters according to sailing conditions to optimize maneuverability. There is also a remote diagnostic function that enables shore-based support staff to assist in problem solving, ultimately improving vessel operation efficiency.
When choosing an electro-hydraulic steering gear, there are different types of boats. Which performance indicator do you think must be considered with the highest priority? You are welcome to share your personal opinions and experiences without reservation in the comment area. If you think this article can be helpful, please like it and share it with more peers.
Update Time：2026-02-06
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