Maritime Knowledge Base
Browse questions and answers across marine machinery, merchant navy careers, shipboard operations and maritime glossary terms.
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Marine Machinery
Troubleshooting guides for pumps, boilers, purifiers, compressors and auxiliary systems.
Merchant Navy Careers
Questions about joining the merchant navy, exams, cadetships, ranks and sea-time.
Maritime Glossary
Plain-English definitions of shipping, engine-room, navigation and regulatory terms.
Shipboard Operations
Practical Q&A for watchkeeping, safety, maintenance routines and onboard documentation.
Results for "Crankshaft"
Why is the main engine lubricating oil pressure low?
Low lubricating oil pressure is a serious alarm that threatens the bearings — the cause is usually in the pump, the filters, the oil itself, or a leak.
Marine MachineryHow does a marine diesel engine work?
A marine diesel engine converts the chemical energy of fuel into rotary motion through compression ignition — here is the working principle and the two-stroke and four-stroke cycles.
Marine MachineryWhat is the difference between a two-stroke and a four-stroke marine engine?
Two-stroke and four-stroke marine engines differ in how many strokes complete a cycle, their speed and size, and the roles they play aboard ship.
Marine MachineryWhat is scavenging in a two-stroke marine engine?
Scavenging is the process of pushing the burnt exhaust gases out of a two-stroke engine cylinder and replacing them with fresh air, ready for the next combustion cycle.
Marine MachineryWhat is a bearing and what types are used in marine engines?
A bearing supports and locates a rotating shaft while allowing it to turn with little friction — marine engines rely on plain white-metal bearings lubricated by an oil film.
Marine MachineryWhat is an indicator diagram and what does it tell the engineer?
An indicator diagram plots the pressure inside an engine cylinder against volume or crank angle, letting the engineer assess the power, condition and faults of each cylinder.
