Universidad Nacional Experimental Marítima del Caribe

Vicerrectorado Académico
Cátedra de Idiomas
Inglés VI. Ingeniería Marítima
Instalaciones Marinas

Unit V. Auxiliary machinery

Speaking and writing.

What do you know about auxiliary machinery?

Do you know what it includes?

All marine machinery falls under two heads:

that which is responsible for the driving of
the ship's propeller, and that which supplies
the requirements of the machinery.

Auxiliary machinery

All machinery and devices which form the non-propulsive

equipment is auxiliary machinery.

It is used to serve the main engine and the necessities of the

ship.

It includes diesel generator, a boiler, a refrigerating

installation, compressors, separators, evaporators, pumps and
other units to carry out a number of functions.
Reading and writing.
Read the functions of the auxiliary machinery provided in the box below.

To moor the ship and handle cargo

To provide for safety
To apply the main power of the engines
To supply the ship with electric power and lighting
To supply the needs of the main engines and boilers
To supply domestic needs
To keep the ship dry and trimmed

Now, write these functions in the corresponding paragraph in the following article.

The functions of the auxiliary machinery may be summarized as follows.

 _____________________________________________________. Air compressors

are used to supply compressed air for starting engines. Coolers are used for cooling
either oil or water. Water for the boilers is also heated before being admitted into
the boiler by feed water heaters. This increases the efficiency of the boiler.
 _____________________________________________________. This is done
through the bilge and ballast piping systems. The former removes water which has
gathered in machinery, cargo and other spaces. The latter pumps water into and out
of ballast tanks. In general cargo ships, these systems are usually interconnected and
served by the same pumps. In tankers and other bulk carriers, these systems are
entirely separate, because these ships may need to ballast at 12,000 tons/hour and
therefore need larger pumps.
 _____________________________________________________ such as fresh
water from distillation plant, sanitation from sewage plant and heating and
ventilation from heaters and air conditioners.
 _____________________________________________________ for propulsion
and maneuvering. The engine power is transmitted to the propeller by a line of steel
shafting. This is made up of the thrust shaft, intermediate shafts and the propeller
shaft. Steering gear is also necessary to operate the rudder for maneuvering.
 _____________________________________________________. This is done by
steam or diesel power generators.
 _____________________________________________________. Deck machinery
is extensive and varied. It can be divided into anchor handling machinery - windlass
and capstans, mooring machinery - winches and capstans and cargo handling
machinery - winches and cranes. It also includes cargo oil pumps.
 _____________________________________________________. Firefighting and
fire detection equipment, lifeboat engines and launching gear are also included.
 No type of machinery fitted to a ship, is self-sufficient. In addition to the large number
of auxiliaries needed for the operation of the main machinery, most of which are now
operated electrically, electricity is playing such an important part in shipboard life to-day,
that, even if it is needed for every other purpose requiring mechanical operation. Therefore,
all ships have power-generating stations.

Check the answers with your partners.

Read the article again and write TRUE or FALSE.

1. The bilge piping system removes water which has gathered in

machinery, cargo and other spaces. ____________
2. Both bilge and ballast piping systems are separate in some ships,
such as the tanker and some bulk carriers. ____________
3. The propeller is made up of the thrust shaft, intermediate shafts and
the propeller shaft. ____________
4. Deck machinery is divided into anchor handling machinery and
cargo handling machinery. ____________

Vocabulary
Read the explanations of these terms and write them in the corresponding definition.

Rudder used for maneuvering the ship.

Ballast regulates and improves the ship’s stability.

Trim has to do with the stability of the vessel.

Thruster has to do with power for maneuvering the ship

______________ The condition of a vessel that is loaded and balanced properly so that she
floats correctly on her waterline.

______________ A submerged plane mounted astern for steering a vessel.

______________ An auxiliary motor and propeller usually mounted athwartships at the

bow to maneuver the ship sideways.

______________ Heavy weights (sometimes seawater) installed deep in the hull to adjust
the draft of a ship and improve stability.
Match the terms in the box with the definitions given below.

boiler – pump – shaft - shafting - propeller shaft - thrust shaft - intermediate shaft – bilge –
device – windlass – capstan - sewage plant

1) A special form of winch used to hoist anchors, house them safely and warp the ship when in
harbor __________________________

2) Bar or rod joining parts of a machine or transmitting power _______________________

3) The lower internal part of the hull adjacent to the keelson where the water collects
_____________________________

4) The medium by which the motion of the engines is transmitted to the propeller screws
_____________________________

5) A machine used on board a ship for rising anchor, lifting heavy weights or any other similar
work ____________________________

6) The aftermost section of shafting which carries the propeller ___________________________

7) A machine (device) for forcing liquid out of or through something

_____________________________

8) One of the lengths of main drive shafts between the thrust bearing and the propeller shafts
_____________________________

9) An installation for treatment or disposal of waste ___________________________________

10) Metal container in which water is heated ____________________________________

11) The length of shafting which transmits the thrust of the propeller to the thrust bearing
___________________________

12) Something invented or adapted for a special purpose __________________________

Fill in the blanks.

1. All ship machinery can be divided into main and _________________________ machinery.

2. Ballast piping system pumps water into and out of _____________________________.

3. The auxiliary machinery is used to serve _________________ and the necessities of the
ship.

4. The engine power is transmitted to the propeller by ____________________________.

5. Coolers are used for _________________________ either oil or water.

6. Deck machinery is divided into _________________ machinery, __________________

machinery and ______________________ machinery.

7. Bilge piping system removes water from machinery, ___________________ and other
spaces.

Read the text again and answer the following questions.

1. What two groups is all marine machinery divided into?

2. What is auxiliary machinery used for?

3. What are the main functions of auxiliaries?

4. Why do all ships have power-generating stations?

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