Integrated full electrical propulsion uses a single shipboard power plant to supply both propulsion and every other electrical load, giving designers flexibility in where machinery is placed, how many generators run and how the ship responds to changing missions. In this project-based course you build and defend an integrated full electric propulsion design for a tanker that must support naval fleets and also work in the oil industry. The ship’s requirements are paired with the electrical, machines, power electronics and propulsion theory you need for the design and its calculations. Work includes reading the operating profile and load cases, refreshing DC, AC, three-phase and per-unit fault theory, weighing machines, converters, switchboard layouts and prime movers, producing a reasoned architecture with its single-line diagram, and estimating fuel, running cost, losses and emissions over the ship’s speed range.
Course at a glance: Duration 20 hours · Self-paced online · 9 sections, 24 lessons, a 141-page downloadable course book
What you will learn
- Interpret the tanker’s operating profile, load cases and design constraints for an IFEP proposal.
- Apply core DC, AC and three-phase electrical principles to marine power system calculations.
- Explain per-unit methods and their use in fault level assessment.
- Compare machines, converters, distribution arrangements and prime mover options for shipboard electrical propulsion.
- Design a justified IFEP architecture and single-line diagram for the specified vessel.
- Estimate fuel use, operating cost, losses and emissions across the vessel’s operating range.
- Present supporting evidence that makes a design proposal defensible.
Inside the course: a high-level summary, section by section.
Design requirements
The course begins with what the tanker must do. A realistic shipboard power design must cover more than the headline propulsion curve. For a dual-role tanker, auxiliary loads change with the mission: fleet support, oil-industry work, manoeuvring and port operations each create different electrical demands. The design separates demand into layers: continuous hotel and service loads that are always present, manoeuvring loads dominated by thrusters, and loads that appear only during cargo discharge or replenishment at sea. Distinguishing these is central to generator sizing. The required outputs of the design work, a justified architecture, a single-line diagram and supporting calculations, are defined at the outset.
Electrical foundations
The course revisits the electrical principles needed for the design. Core quantities, circuit laws and equivalent networks establish the analytical tools. AC fundamentals, impedance and power, and three-phase power relationships follow. Per-unit methods are introduced as a practical way to handle generators, transformers and cables at different voltage levels, and they underpin fault-level assessment, which determines switchgear ratings and protection design.
Machines and power electronics
Transformers, motors and generators are reviewed with a focus on their role in IFEP systems. Synchronous generators supply the main bus, transformers step voltages for distribution and converters, and propulsion motors drive the shafts. Power electronic converters control motor speed and torque and introduce considerations such as harmonics and efficiency. Understanding these components allows designers to choose equipment that matches the propulsion and auxiliary demands.
Architecture: propulsion chain, distribution and prime movers
The propulsion chain is traced from prime mover through generator, switchboard, converter and motor to the propeller, with losses at each stage. Distribution design on a ship is as much about how much capability survives a fault as about delivering power. The course compares parallel distribution from a common switchboard with split distribution across multiple generators and switchboards, judging each on availability, fault tolerance and operational flexibility.
Prime mover selection is treated as a design problem in its own right. The preferred option has to meet commonality with the fleet, flexibility of fuel, emission limits and the electrical needs of generators and propulsion. The course explains how these criteria interact and how to justify a selection.
Load cases, sizing and the single-line diagram
Load cases translate the operating profile into electrical demands for each mode. Equipment sizing determines how many generators of what rating are needed so that each mode can be supplied efficiently with appropriate redundancy, and how converters, transformers and switchgear should be rated. The single-line diagram captures the architecture in a standard form, showing generators, switchboards, bus ties, transformers, converters and major loads, and it becomes the central deliverable of the design.
Fuel, cost, losses and emissions
An IFEP ship’s fuel consumption cannot be captured by one figure, since its time is spread unevenly across speeds. Combining engine data with the operating profile, and weighting each condition by its share of the year, gives an annual figure that compares designs much better than a calculation at full power alone. Operating cost, electrical losses and emissions are estimated in the same way. Supporting evidence, the calculations, assumptions and comparisons that justify the design, completes the proposal.
Why electric propulsion suits a varied mission
The case study highlights why integrated electric propulsion is attractive for ships whose power demand varies widely between modes. Because all generators feed a common electrical system, the number of engines running can be matched to the load, keeping each engine nearer its efficient operating point rather than running large engines lightly loaded. Power freed from propulsion in port or at low speed can be redirected to cargo pumps, thrusters or replenishment equipment. The trade-off is additional conversion losses and electrical complexity, so the design must demonstrate that the operational benefits outweigh these costs across the actual operating profile, not just at a single design point.
Making a design defensible
The final output of the course is not merely a configuration but a justified proposal. Learners practise linking every major choice, number of generators, distribution arrangement, prime mover type, converter topology, to explicit requirements and evidence. This mirrors how design proposals are reviewed by owners, navies, classification societies and shipyards, where unsupported assertions carry little weight and clear reasoning backed by calculations is essential.
Why this matters in practice
Integrated electric propulsion is used across a range of ship types, from cruise ships to naval and specialist vessels whose power demand varies widely between operating modes. Engineers who can translate an operating profile into an electrical architecture, size equipment, assess fault levels and quantify fuel, cost and emissions are well placed to contribute to concept design, procurement and retrofit decisions. The project-based structure mirrors how such work is done in practice, where electrical, mechanical and operational considerations must be balanced together.
By the end, the separate strands of electrical theory and ship design come together in one coherent, defensible propulsion concept.
Key takeaways
You leave able to interpret operating profiles and load cases, apply electrical principles and per-unit fault methods, compare machines, converters, distribution and prime movers, design a justified IFEP architecture and single-line diagram and estimate fuel, cost, losses and emissions.
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 (7 in total) so you can confirm you can apply each method before moving on. A 141-page course book can be downloaded and printed for offline reading and later reference.
Course contents
- Design Brief: Vessel Mission; Power Demands; Required Outputs
- Electrical Basics: Core Quantities; Circuit Laws; Equivalent Networks
- AC Power Systems: AC Fundamentals; Three-Phase Power; Per-Unit Faults
- Machines and Drives: Transformers; Motors Generators; Power Electronics
- Marine Architecture: Propulsion Chain; Distribution Options; Prime Movers
- IFEP Design: Load Cases; Equipment Sizing; Single-Line Diagram
- Performance Review: Fuel Modeling; Operating Cost; Losses Emissions; Supporting Evidence
- Summary: Key Takeaways
Who this course is for
This course is for engineering graduates, marine and electrical engineers, naval architects and technical staff involved in ship power and propulsion design. Familiarity with basic electrical principles, such as those covered in J01, is helpful.
Frequently asked questions
How long does IFEP System Design for a Dual-Role Tanker 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 24 lessons, moving from foundations to applied methods, as summarised above.
Is there material to keep after the course?
Yes. A downloadable 141-page course book accompanies the lessons for offline reading and later reference.
How is progress checked?
Each main section closes with a graded quiz (7 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: J01 – Marine Electrical & Electronic Systems; B07 – Propeller-Engine Matching & Ship Resistance; A09 – Sustainable Ship Design; B06 – Resistance & Propulsion
Enrol
Study at your own pace and work through the full course material, worked examples and section quizzes. Enrol in J02 – IFEP System Design for a Dual-Role Tanker →
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