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Azimuth thrusters are a method of propulsion for Ship s. The thruster is located in a 'pod' underneath the ship, and can be rotated in any direction. In this design a conventional Rudder is not needed.

Azimuth thrusters are said to give ships better maneuverability than a Propeller and rudder system. Further advantages include increased electrical efficiency, better use of ship space and lower maintenance costs.

Also, because of their increased maneuverability, vessels with azimuth thrusters may dispense with the services of Tug s while docking.

There are two major variants, based on the location of the motor:
  • A) Mechanical Transmission , where the motor is inside the ship and power gets transmitted to the propeller via bevel gears. The motor may be either a directly mechanically connected diesel engine, or an electrical motor getting its power from generators run by diesel engines elsewhere in the ship.

  • B) Electrical Transmission , where the electrical motor is in the pod itself, directly connected to the propeller without gearboxes. ABB '' Azipod '' was the first product using this technology.


The energy used to drive the motor in the pod is produced by machinery inside the vessel, usually by Diesel Engine s or Gas Turbine s which drive Electric Generator s, in a system comparable to that used by Diesel-electric locomotives.


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