Contamination Control
Marine Fuels, Lubrication & Engine Systems – The Hidden Enemy Contamination Is the Root Cause of Most Engine Failures In maritime engineering, contamination is not an accident — it is a process. Almost every major engine failure, blackout, liner wear case, bearing wipe, or pollution incident can be traced back to contaminants that were introduced, […]
Oil Monitoring & Analysis
Marine Fuels & Lubrication – Condition Monitoring That Prevents Million-Dollar Failures Oil Analysis Is Your Engine’s Blood Test Oil analysis is one of the highest-return maintenance practices on any vessel. Done properly, it turns lubrication from “change it when it looks bad” into a measured, evidence-backed reliability program. On modern ships—especially with variable fuels, slow […]
Cylinder & System Oil
The Two Oils That Decide Engine Life On large marine engines, lubricating oil is not “just oil”. It is: On large crosshead two-strokes, lubrication is split into two worlds: This article covers the full topic: selection (BN/TBN), sulphur and cold corrosion, oil-in-water and water-in-oil, real-world oil “families”, onboard management, common failure modes, and what chiefs […]
Purification & Treatment
Marine Fuels & Lubrication – Defence, Damage Prevention & Reality Where Ships Are Actually Saved or Destroyed Purification and treatment systems are the last line of defence between fuel bunkered ashore and metal moving at thousands of bar inside an engine. When purification works: When purification fails: This page is intentionally deep, broad, and complete. […]
Storage, Heating & Transfer
Marine Fuels & Lubrication – System Design & Reality Introduction – Where Fuel Problems Are Actually Born Most fuel failures do not start at the bunker hose. They start days or weeks later—in tanks, heaters, pumps, and transfer lines. Storage, heating, and transfer systems are the silent backbone of every ship’s fuel and fluid operation. […]
Bunkering & Changeover
Why Bunkering Is One of the Highest-Risk Operations on Board Bunkering is deceptively simple: fuel goes from supplier to ship. In reality, it is one of the most hazardous, regulated, and commercially sensitive operations carried out during a vessel’s lifecycle. A single bunkering or changeover failure can result in: This article explains every major aspect […]
Fuels
Why Marine Fuels Matter More Than Ever Marine fuels sit at the intersection of engineering, safety, regulation, economics, and climate policy. For over a century, ships burned increasingly heavy residual fuels with little concern for emissions. Today, engineers, operators, ports, and regulators face the most complex fuel transition the industry has ever seen. This page […]
Faults & Troubleshooting
Faults & Troubleshooting (Marine Engines) Contents < 1. Rapid Troubleshooting Method 1.1 Safety triage (30 seconds) If ANY of these apply, slow/stop immediately and switch to damage-control mode: 1.2 The “4 questions” that save hours 1.3 Minimal instrumentation you should trust 2. Engine Fails to Start / Won’t Turn / Won’t Fire 2.1 Separate the […]
Emissions Control in Marine Engines
Introduction Emissions control in maritime engineering is no longer a regulatory side topic — it is a core design, operational, and maintenance discipline. Modern marine engineers must understand: Contents (Jump Links) 1. Why Emissions Matter at Sea Shipping moves 80–90% of global trade, but it also produces: Unlike land transport, ships: Emissions control is therefore […]
Engine Performance & Tuning
The Practical Engineer’s Guide to Getting Power, Efficiency, and Reliability at Sea Introduction Engine performance is not about chasing maximum power — it is about delivering the required power, at the right moment, with minimum fuel, minimum stress, and maximum reliability. In maritime engineering, performance and tuning sit at the intersection of: Poor performance is […]