The primary propulsion machinery of a vessel, responsible for driving the propeller. On large commercial ships, the main engine is typically a slow-speed two-stroke diesel engine directly coupled to the propeller shaft, producing thousands of kilowatts of power.
Category: Marine Engineering
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EEXIEnergy Efficiency Existing Ship Index, a measure introduced by the IMO to reduce the carbon intensity of existing ships by requiring them to meet a minimum energy efficiency standard.Four-Stroke EngineA type of internal combustion engine that completes a power cycle in four strokes of the piston (two revolutions of the crankshaft).LNG FuelLiquefied natural gas used as a marine fuel to power ship engines, offering significant reductions in sulphur oxides, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter emissions compared to conventional heavy fuel oil.ScrubberAn exhaust gas cleaning system (EGCS) installed on ships to remove sulphur oxides (SOx) and particulate matter from engine exhaust gases, enabling the use of high-sulphur fuel oil while meeting MARPOL Annex VI emission limits.Shaft GeneratorAn electrical generator driven by the main engine through the propeller shaft, used to produce electrical power while the vessel is at sea.Stern TubeA watertight tube through which the propeller shaft exits the hull at the stern of the vessel.
Back to DictionaryEntry updated May 2026