Complete Loss of a Bulk Cargo Ship Rudder

A 177m long / 23 m beam bulk carrier vessel encountered steering problems soon after leaving port. The rudder had disconnected from the ship during the outbound pilotage. The vessel dropped anchor and was later assisted by tugs to a safe anchorage. Divers later recovered the rudder and brought it ashore. Examination of the fracture surface revealed that the rudder assembly had large fatigue cracks, leading to brittle fracture. Factors leading to the failure and lessons learned will be presented.