Gas Detection & Monitoring
Design philosophy, sensor technologies, alarm logic, failure modes, and sector-specific realities across merchant ships, tankers, cruise ships, fishing vessels, offshore units, and mega yachts. Why Gas Detection Is a Primary Safety System at Sea Gas detection on ships is not a “nice to have” alarm layer — it is a primary life-safety system. Unlike shore […]
Relief/Safety Valves & Burst Discs
Design, selection, installation, testing, failure modes, and real-world accident lessons (merchant, cruise, fishing, mega yacht). Introduction Relief devices are the last engineered barrier between a pressure system and a rupture. On ships they protect: But they’re also one of the most misunderstood pieces of machinery on board: wrong set pressure, gagged/isolated valves, undersized discharge, “temporary” […]
Ventilation & HVAC
From Engine Room Heat Rejection to Guest Comfort — A System That Touches Every Space Why Ventilation & HVAC Are Not “Hotel Extras” On a modern vessel, ventilation and HVAC are no longer comfort-only systems. They are: On cruise ships and large yachts, HVAC can account for 40–60% of total electrical load.On fishing vessels, refrigeration […]
Exhaust System & Waste Heat
Why This System Matters More Than Most Engineers Admit A modern marine diesel engine is thermodynamically brutal: The exhaust system is therefore not just gas piping.It is: Poor exhaust system design quietly increases fuel consumption, destroys turbochargers, cracks boilers, and violates IMO rules — often without obvious alarms. This article treats the exhaust system as […]
Inert Gas Systems (IGS)
Why This Page Exists And Why Inert Gas Is Not “Just a Tanker System” Inert Gas Systems are often taught as: “Keep oxygen below 8%.” That simplification has: • killed crew • destroyed tankers • caused massive pollution • led to criminal prosecutions Inert gas is not just about fire prevention. It is about pressure […]
Control & Instrument Air Systems
Why This Page Exists And Why Control Air Is More Dangerous Than It Looks Control and instrument air is often dismissed as: “Just low-pressure air for valves.” That misconception has: Control air does not move pistons or propellers — it moves decisions. When control air fails, automation lies. And when automation lies, humans react too […]
Starting Air systems
Why This Page Exists Why Starting Air Is Treated With Fear Starting air systems are often described as “only used during start”. That misunderstanding has: Starting air is not auxiliary. It is stored energy under direct control of combustion timing. This page treats starting air systems as what they truly are: One of the most […]
Scavenging & Charge Air Systems
Why This Page Exists ? Scavenging and charge air systems are often described as “just air delivery”. That mindset is responsible for: This page treats scavenging and charge air as what they actually are: The primary determinant of combustion quality, engine efficiency, component life, and safety. Fuel systems can be perfect. Lubrication can be textbook. […]
Fuel & Lubrication Systems – Faults, Failures & Troubleshooting
This is fuel & lubrication treated as living systems under stress, not static pipe diagrams. 1. How Fuel & Lube Failures Really Start Very few failures start catastrophically. They usually begin as: By the time alarms activate, the root cause may be days or weeks old. 2. Fuel System – Faults & Troubleshooting 2.1 Low […]
Environmental Protection & MARPOL
Most MARPOL content stops at limits and certificates. This page goes further: it explains why the rules exist, how ships actually break them, how inspectors and courts prove breaches, and why modern ships are now engineered around environmental compliance as much as propulsion performance. What is fully addressed here: Treat MARPOL here not as “law”, […]