Damaged Volvo Ocean yacht Team Sanya is expected to arrive in Tauranga tonight before being shipped to the US.

Sanya was forced to return to New Zealand after rudder and hull damage suffered on March 22 meant it could not carry on racing into the Southern Ocean.

David Rolfe and Bert Schandevyl on board Team Sanya during leg 5 of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12, from Auckland, New Zealand to Itajai, Brazil. Picture: Andres Soriano.

The crew are unable to deploy the reserve race rudder as the bearings are mangled.

They are using the emergency rudder over the stern of the boat to sail to Tauranga.

The race boat and team are due to reach Tauranga later today, March 27.

The team will immediately prepare the boat for shipment from Tauranga to Savannah in the United States.

The boat will be loaded onto the Maersk Bratan a ship departing Friday, March 30 for Panama.

DHL, the race's official logistics partner, has organised all the team's freight, and arranged for a crane to haul the boat out of the water and will oversee all on-site operations in a major boost to the team.

Team Sanya will make its return to competing in the Volvo Ocean Race in Miami.

All options that would get the boat back in the race in Brazil have now been exhausted.

Team Sanya will miss leg six and return for the Miami In-Port Race on May 19 and the start of leg seven to Lisbon on May 20.

'Once we reach Savannah, we will re-assemble our shore team there and carry out the necessary repairs,” says David Duff, COO for Team Sanya.

'We will then sail the race boat for the 350 mile trip from Savannah to Miami as a shake-down opportunity and we should be in place in Miami in early May – in line with the other race boats that are expected there on May 6.

'Twice now we have been leading the fleet only to encounter a major issue forcing us out of the leg,” says Mike Sanderson, Team Sanya CEO and skipper.

'That said, we are as focused as ever to get back into the race and to make our sponsors and fans proud.”