Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 3:47:06-3:47:49

Why new warships still favor shafts over azipods

Damage-control and maintenance concerns favor familiar shaft lines even though podded propulsion continues to attract naval interest.

AzipodsDamage ControlNaval MaintenanceShip PropulsionWarship Design
Watch at this timeFull video guide
Question

Why have newer naval ships not moved broadly to azipod propulsion?

Short answer

Damage-control concerns, maintenance costs and implementation complexity favor the well-established practices used for conventional shafts.

Notes

Podded propulsion continues to be considered for warships. Damage-control requirements, maintenance costs and the complexity of fitting the system have discouraged adoption. Conventional shafts benefit from familiar, well-established operating and maintenance practices. Naval use of azipods remains a possibility rather than an announced development.