We service, overhaul and test ship steering gear across the UAE: annual services, ram and rotary vane seal renewal, pump and valve overhauls, and steering tests that class surveyors regularly witness. We attend vessels alongside in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah, at Fujairah and Khor Fakkan anchorages, and in drydock.
Steering gear has no tolerance for guesswork. A slow rudder, a hunting tiller or a leaking ram gland is a detention risk and a safety risk at the same time. Our aim is a gear that meets its timing with margin and a report that answers the surveyor’s questions before they are asked.
What we work on
- Ram-type steering gear, two-ram and four-ram, with Rapson slide or roller crossheads
- Rotary vane steering gear, including vane seals, stopper seals and the rotor and housing
- Steering pumps: variable displacement axial and radial piston pumps, and fixed pumps with directional valves
- Control and safety valves: directional and servo valves, relief and shock valves, isolating and bypass valves, and hydraulic locking alarms
- Follow-up and non-follow-up control linkages, hunting gear and feedback units, working with the vessel’s electrical team or the maker’s service engineer for electronic controls
- Emergency steering: local control, hand pumps where fitted, and the changeover between systems
Annual service
A typical annual service covers:
- Visual check of the whole gear: rams or rotary vane unit, glands, pipework, hoses, mountings and foundation bolts
- Oil sample, oil level and condition, filter elements and breathers
- Pump checks: noise, temperature, case drain flow where fitted, and pressure under steering load
- Relief and shock valve settings checked and recorded with calibrated gauges
- Rudder timing from hard over to hard over on each pump and pump combination, recorded
- Leakage check at ram glands or vane seals, and a hold test against the steering pressure
- Alarm and changeover function checks with the ship’s staff
- A written report with readings, settings, photos and recommendations
Seal renewal
Ram gear. Ram gland seals are the most common leak point. We renew packing or seal sets in place where access allows, which avoids pulling the ram. Before resealing we measure the ram for scoring and pitting, because a new seal on a pitted ram will not last. Where the ram needs work, it goes through the same process as our cylinder repairs.
Rotary vane gear. Vane and stopper seals wear and allow internal leakage between chambers. The symptom is a slow rudder, especially under load, and drift when steering stops. Seal renewal means lifting the housing or rotor following the maker’s procedure, so it is usually planned for a drydock or a long port stay with the rudder secured.
Testing and what we measure
- Rudder timing. SOLAS requires the main steering gear to move the rudder from 35 degrees on one side to 30 degrees on the other within 28 seconds, at the conditions set in the regulation. Alongside or at anchor we record timing as a check of the gear’s health, and we compare it with the commissioning and previous figures. The full requirement is demonstrated during sea trials.
- Working and relief pressures while steering.
- Internal leakage: rudder drift with the gear stopped and pressure held, and pressure decay across rams or vanes.
- Pump condition: noise, temperature, and output on each pump.
- Oil cleanliness against a target suitable for the pump and valve types. See ISO 4406 oil cleanliness.
Our guide on steering gear SOLAS tests explains the routine pre-departure checks, the emergency steering drills the crew runs and what a surveyor usually asks to see.
Common failures we see in UAE trade
- Hot oil in the steering flat. Steering compartments in summer can be well above 45 C. Oil runs hot, seals harden and internal leakage grows.
- Gland leaks from scored or corroded rams, often on vessels that spent long periods at anchorage in humid conditions.
- Worn pumps with high case drain flow, giving slow timing on one pump only.
- Contaminated oil after a pump failure, spreading wear to valves and seals.
- Linkage and feedback wear that causes hunting or overshoot.
What drives the cost
An annual service with tests and report is the base of our steering gear work. The cost rises with seal renewal (especially rotary vane, which needs lifting gear and more time), pump overhaul, parts lead times for the gear’s make, anchorage launch logistics, and any need to work around cargo operations or a tight departure time.
What to send for a fast quote
- Vessel name, type and where it will be (berth, anchorage or yard) with dates
- Steering gear make, model and type (ram or rotary vane) and nameplate photos
- What is wrong, or what the service is for (annual, class survey, after a leak)
- Last service report and timing figures, if available
- Whether a class surveyor will attend
Related services
Steering pumps are rebuilt under our pump and motor service. If the ship has more than one hydraulic job, an engineer attendance day can cover several systems on one visit.
