Recommendation Date
Recipient Name
Bureau Veritas
Text
Put in place an inspection regime to check for load stress cracks in rudderstocks made from high-strength steel of tensile strength exceeding 400 MPa or yield strength exceeding 200 MPa that were manufactured to comply with the 1996 rules.
Reply Text
With reference to the recommendation 022/04 of the TAIC report 03-212, please be advised that Bureau Veritas are not yet in a position to take a final decision on the appropriate measures to be taken.
This recommendation is also being considered in the light of the explanations that have been given to IACS whereby, according to our understanding, "high-grade steel" should be regarded in the present context as any grade of steel allowing a reduction in diameter of the rudderstock in compliance with the applicable class rules in force. However, we are still not quite sure as to how it should be implemented, as most of the ships are nowadays fitted with rudderstocks with a reduced diameter as per these rule, and therefore the recommendation made by the report should virtually apply to all modern ships.
This recommendation is also being considered in the light of the explanations that have been given to IACS whereby, according to our understanding, "high-grade steel" should be regarded in the present context as any grade of steel allowing a reduction in diameter of the rudderstock in compliance with the applicable class rules in force. However, we are still not quite sure as to how it should be implemented, as most of the ships are nowadays fitted with rudderstocks with a reduced diameter as per these rule, and therefore the recommendation made by the report should virtually apply to all modern ships.
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