This postgraduate-level course gives a broad, integrated view of marine engineering, from the role of the marine engineer and the design drivers of a ship through propulsion, auxiliary and control systems to the engineering science behind them. It explains the ship powering concept, the choice of prime movers and electric drive, propulsors and transmission, and fuel and propulsive efficiency. It then sets out a framework for auxiliary systems, covering propulsion support services, hotel, safety and environmental systems, control and management systems and deck machinery. Core thermodynamics and fluid mechanics lead into the major fields of marine engineering study, including diesel engines, steam plant and the Rankine cycle, heat exchangers, refrigeration, propeller theory and linear control theory, before the course applies this knowledge to transmission systems, resistance and seakeeping and engine and propeller matching in a case study.
Course at a glance: Duration 20 hours · Self-paced online · 9 sections, 34 lessons, a 158-page downloadable course book
What you will learn
- Define the role of the marine engineer and relate marine engineering to naval architecture in ship design.
- Explain how propulsion, auxiliary and control systems interact as a system of systems.
- Compare prime movers, electric drive, propulsors and transmissions, and relate fuel choice to energy content and efficiency.
- Describe auxiliary system frameworks, including hotel, safety, environmental, control and deck machinery systems.
- Apply core thermodynamics and fluid mechanics to marine engineering problems.
- Explain the principles of diesel engines, steam plant, heat exchangers, refrigeration, propeller theory and linear control.
- Apply integrated knowledge to resistance, seakeeping and engine-propeller matching problems.
Inside the course: a high-level summary, section by section.
Marine engineering in context
The course begins by defining the marine engineer’s role and the relationship between marine engineering and naval architecture. Design drivers and constraints are set out early: always begin with the ship’s mission, where it must operate and what it must carry or support, and keep in view the cost pressures of production, fuel, maintenance and crew. Within those drivers, regulation, space, weight, safety and environmental performance constrain every machinery decision.
Propulsion systems
Ship powering is introduced as a single view of the whole problem. A ship does not move simply because an engine turns; it moves when the propulsion system converts fuel energy into useful thrust that balances the vessel’s resistance at the required speed. Prime movers, including diesel engines, steam turbines, gas turbines and electric drive, are compared in terms of power density, efficiency, fuel flexibility and how well they suit the ship’s operating profile and internal arrangement. Propulsors and transmissions, from fixed and controllable pitch propellers to gearboxes, shafting and electric motors, complete the chain.
Fuel and propulsive efficiency link machinery choice to running cost and emissions. Different fuels, such as heavy fuel oil, marine diesel, liquefied petroleum gas and natural gas, have different energy contents and handling requirements, and fuel selection shifts the balance between cost, storage volume, emissions and complexity.
Auxiliary systems
A framework for auxiliary systems sets out how they are designed and operated within a legal and technical hierarchy. IMO and SOLAS address the safety of personnel and functional reliability, IMO and MARPOL address environmental protection, and classification rules and standards provide detailed requirements. Propulsion support services cover fuel, lubricating oil, cooling water, starting air and exhaust systems.
Hotel, safety and environmental systems include fresh water, sewage, ventilation and air conditioning, and fire protection. The course explains the fire triangle and fire classes, and compares fixed and portable fire-fighting systems, each of which must be matched to the hazard. Control and management systems are illustrated with an interactive alarm-cascade scenario, in which a duty engineer must sort signal from noise, protect the plant and coordinate the response. Deck machinery, such as windlasses, mooring winches and cranes, and methods for estimating auxiliary loads complete the section. Load estimation matters because the auxiliary electrical and thermal demand of a modern ship can be substantial, and it directly affects generator sizing, fuel consumption and the case for waste heat recovery.
Engineering fundamentals
The fifth section consolidates the science. Thermodynamics essentials cover the laws of thermodynamics, properties, processes and cycles, while fluid mechanics essentials cover fluid properties, the continuity and energy equations, pipe flow and losses. These fundamentals are revisited throughout the remaining sections. The emphasis is on using them as working tools: an energy balance to check a heat exchanger, a pressure-loss estimate to size a pump, or a cycle analysis to compare machinery options. Engineers returning to these subjects after some years in practice often find that a short, applied refresher of this kind makes the later machinery topics far easier to follow.
Major fields of study
The core of the course surveys the major fields of marine engineering. Diesel engines are reviewed in terms of cycles, combustion, performance and efficiency. Steam plant and the Rankine cycle explain how boilers, turbines, condensers and pumps work together and how superheating and reheating improve efficiency. Heat exchangers are analysed by type and performance, and refrigeration covers vapour-compression cycles used for provisions, cargo and air conditioning.
Propeller theory introduces momentum and blade-element approaches and the open-water characteristics of propellers. Linear control theory explains feedback, transfer functions, stability and controller tuning, providing the basis for understanding engine governors, steering systems and automated machinery control.
Advanced marine applications
The final technical section applies this knowledge to integrated problems. Transmission systems, including reduction gearboxes, couplings, clutches and shafting, are discussed in terms of power transfer and reliability. Resistance and seakeeping explain how hull resistance and ship motions determine power demand and operability. Engine and propeller matching brings resistance, propeller characteristics and engine limits together to find the operating point and check margins. Supplementary topics and an applied case study show how these strands combine in a realistic design or operating problem.
Why this matters in practice
Marine engineers increasingly work on complex, highly automated ships with mixed propulsion systems, stringent environmental rules and small crews. A broad, integrated understanding of propulsion, auxiliary and control systems, grounded in the underlying science, allows engineers to design better systems, operate them more effectively and respond confidently when something goes wrong. It also provides a common language for working with naval architects, electrical engineers and regulators.
Key takeaways
You leave with an integrated, postgraduate-level overview of marine engineering: how ships are powered, how auxiliary and control systems support them, the thermodynamic, fluid and control principles behind the machinery and how these come together in engine and propeller matching.
How you study
The course is delivered fully online and is self-paced, so you can fit roughly 20 hours of study around professional commitments. Lessons combine clear explanation with examples, diagrams and short interactive checks, and the main sections end with graded quizzes (6 in total) so you can confirm you can apply each method before moving on. A 158-page course book can be downloaded and printed for offline reading and later reference.
Course contents
- Marine Engineering Foundations: The Marine Engineer’s Role; Design Drivers and Constraints; Marine Engineering in Context
- Propulsion Systems: Ship Powering Concept; Prime Movers and Electric Drive; Propulsors and Transmission; Fuel and Propulsive Efficiency
- Auxiliary and Control Systems: Auxiliary Systems Framework; Propulsion Support Services; Hotel, Safety, and Environmental Systems; Control and Management Systems; Deck Machinery and Estimation
- Engineering Fundamentals: Thermodynamics Essentials; Fluid Mechanics Essentials
- Major Fields of Study: Diesel Engines; Steam Plant and Rankine Cycle; Heat Exchangers; Refrigeration; Propeller Theory; Linear Control Theory
- Advanced Marine Applications: Transmission Systems; Resistance and Seakeeping; Engine and Propeller Matching; Supplementary Topics; Applied Case Study
- Summary: Key Takeaways
Who this course is for
This postgraduate-level course is for engineering graduates and practising engineers who want a comprehensive refresher across marine engineering, including mechanical engineers moving into the marine sector, marine engineers preparing for senior roles and technical managers who oversee machinery design or operation. A background in engineering thermodynamics and fluid mechanics is helpful.
Frequently asked questions
How long does Marine Engineering — Propulsion, Auxiliary Systems & Control Engineering take?
The course is designed for about 20 hours of study. It is self-paced and fully online, so you can spread it over a few weeks or complete it more quickly.
What is covered?
The course is organised into 9 sections with 34 lessons, moving from foundations to applied methods, as summarised above.
Is there material to keep after the course?
Yes. A downloadable 158-page course book accompanies the lessons for offline reading and later reference.
How is progress checked?
Each main section closes with a graded quiz (6 in total). The quizzes test understanding of the concepts and methods explained in the lessons rather than memorisation, and you can review the relevant lessons before attempting them.
Can I record this study for my own professional development?
Yes. The course notebook includes a self-assessment of the course objectives before and after study, a reflection page and a learning log, which you can use to keep your own record of professional development.
Duration: 20 hours
Related courses: B01 – Introduction to Marine Engineering & Naval Architecture; B02 – Marine Engineering 1; B08 – Design of Auxiliary Systems; B14 – Advanced Marine Engineering Design
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Study at your own pace and work through the full course material, worked examples and section quizzes. Enrol in B13 – Marine Engineering — Propulsion, Auxiliary Systems & Control Engineering →
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