A rudder for ships having a rudder blade which has a leading edge and a trailing edge. The rudder blade has two superimposed rudder blade sections; the leading edge sections of which are offset such that a first leading edge section is offset port or starboard and a second leading edge section is offset starboard or port. The first leading edge section has a port-sided offset surface which projects over the second leading edge section, and the second leading edge section has a starboard-sided offset surface which projects over the first leading edge section. A flow body is configured so that its dimensions are adapted to the dimensions of the offset surfaces. The flow body covers the offset surfaces and is arranged in the area of both offset surfaces.