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Marine Engineer Course
More than 2 million students worldwide

Marine Engineer Course

5

Master every system aboard a modern vessel with this comprehensive Marine Engineer Course, built for aspiring and working engineers who demand real technical depth. From diesel engine overhauls to electrical automation and environmental compliance, you'll gain the hands-on knowledge required to operate, maintain, and troubleshoot shipboard machinery with confidence.

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What you will learn:

This course covers the full scope of marine engineering, beginning with ship‑system fundamentals and international regulations. You’ll study thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and combustion theory as applied to shipboard machinery. Diesel engine construction, fuel injection, turbocharging, and overhaul procedures are presented in technical detail. Auxiliary systems—including generators, boilers, compressors, and steering gear—are examined alongside electrical distribution and PLC automation. The programme also explores planned maintenance, condition monitoring, dry‑docking, and green propulsion options such as LNG, methanol, and ammonia. Safety management, pollution prevention, and emergency response procedures are integrated throughout.

How you study in practice Marine Engineer Course

How you practise Marine Engineer Course

For businesses looking to train their team

With Dedika for businesses, the course includes exercises and examples tailored to your own business and the way your company needs.

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Course content

8 Chapters • 39 LessonsDuration between 4 and 360 hours (you decide)

Chapter 1See details

Foundations of Marine Engineering

  • Lesson 1 • The Marine Engineer's Role and Responsibilities

    Defines the duties, watch-keeping obligations, and career hierarchy of marine engineers. Connects professional identity to safe ship operation.

  • Lesson 2 • Regulatory Framework for Marine Engineers

    Outlines international maritime safety and environmental regulations governing engineers. Establishes compliance awareness required for certification and shipboard practice.

  • Lesson 3 • Ship Types and General Arrangement

    Surveys vessel categories and their machinery configurations. Provides spatial awareness of engine room layout essential for all subsequent chapters.

  • Lesson 4 • Engineering Terminology and Units

    Introduces standard marine engineering vocabulary and measurement systems. Ensures precise communication and accurate calculations throughout the course.

Chapter 2See details

Thermodynamics and Fluid Mechanics

  • Lesson 1 • Combustion Fundamentals

    Analyses fuel-air combustion chemistry and heat release in marine engines. Provides the basis for fuel selection and engine tuning topics in later chapters.

  • Lesson 2 • Pumps and Piping System Analysis

    Covers centrifugal and positive-displacement pump characteristics and system curves. Enables correct pump selection and fault diagnosis in shipboard systems.

  • Lesson 3 • Laws of Thermodynamics Applied to Ships

    Covers energy conservation, entropy, and heat transfer in marine contexts. Directly supports understanding of combustion engines and heat exchangers.

  • Lesson 4 • Heat Exchangers and Cooling Systems

    Explains heat exchanger types, effectiveness, and fouling in marine cooling circuits. Prepares students to maintain and troubleshoot cooling systems.

  • Lesson 5 • Fluid Properties and Flow Behavior

    Examines viscosity, density, and flow regimes relevant to marine piping systems. Connects fluid theory to pump selection and pipeline design.

Chapter 3See details

Marine Diesel Engines

  • Lesson 1 • Engine Construction and Major Components

    Details bedplate, crankshaft, piston, and cylinder head design and materials. Supports correct assembly, clearance checking, and component replacement procedures.

  • Lesson 2 • Diesel Engine Operating Principles

    Explains compression ignition cycles and power stroke sequences for both engine types. Establishes the conceptual base for all diesel maintenance and troubleshooting topics.

  • Lesson 3 • Turbocharging and Scavenging

    Explains turbocharger operation, scavenge air management, and charge air cooling. Connects air supply quality to engine power output and thermal efficiency.

  • Lesson 4 • Fuel Injection Systems

    Covers fuel pump, injector, and common-rail injection system operation and adjustment. Directly affects combustion quality, fuel economy, and emissions compliance.

  • Lesson 5 • Engine Starting, Manoeuvring, and Stopping

    Covers compressed-air starting systems, bridge control interfaces, and crash-stop procedures. Prepares engineers for safe engine room watch-keeping during port approaches.

Chapter 4See details

Marine Fuels and Lubrication

  • Lesson 1 • Lubricating Oil Monitoring and Management

    Covers oil sampling, laboratory analysis, and condition-based oil change decisions. Reduces machinery wear and unplanned downtime through proactive oil management.

  • Lesson 2 • Lubrication Theory and Oil Selection

    Explains hydrodynamic, boundary, and mixed lubrication regimes and additive functions. Guides correct lubricant selection for engines, gearboxes, and deck machinery.

  • Lesson 3 • Marine Fuel Oil Properties and Grades

    Examines viscosity, sulphur content, flash point, and stability of heavy and distillate fuels. Connects fuel quality to combustion performance and emissions regulation compliance.

  • Lesson 4 • Bunkering Operations and Safety

    Details pre-bunkering checks, transfer procedures, and spill prevention measures. Directly supports environmental compliance and safe cargo operations.

  • Lesson 5 • Fuel Treatment and Conditioning

    Covers settling tanks, centrifugal purifiers, and heaters in the fuel treatment train. Ensures clean, correctly viscous fuel reaches injection equipment.

Chapter 5See details

Auxiliary Machinery and Systems

  • Lesson 1 • Marine Boilers and Steam Systems

    Covers water-tube and fire-tube boiler design, combustion control, and water treatment. Supports cargo heating, fuel heating, and steam-driven auxiliary operations.

  • Lesson 2 • Deck Machinery and Cargo Handling Equipment

    Covers windlasses, mooring winches, cranes, and cargo pumps driven by hydraulic or electric power. Prepares engineers to support deck operations safely.

  • Lesson 3 • Diesel Generator Sets

    Examines generator construction, load sharing, and parallel operation on the main switchboard. Builds competency in power plant management essential for all shipboard operations.

  • Lesson 4 • Air Compressors and Compressed-Air Systems

    Details two-stage compressor operation, intercooling, and air receiver management. Directly supports engine starting and control air supply reliability.

  • Lesson 5 • Steering Gear and Stabilizers

    Explains hydraulic and electro-hydraulic steering gear operation and testing requirements. Connects steering reliability to navigational safety and regulatory compliance.

Chapter 6See details

Electrical Systems and Automation

  • Lesson 1 • Shipboard Power Distribution

    Covers main switchboard architecture, bus-tie arrangements, and shore power connection. Establishes the electrical framework for all subsequent automation and motor topics.

  • Lesson 2 • Control and Instrumentation Fundamentals

    Introduces sensors, transmitters, and control loops used in engine room automation. Provides the measurement theory needed to configure and calibrate automated systems.

  • Lesson 3 • Programmable Logic Controllers in Marine Systems

    Covers PLC architecture, ladder logic, and integration with engine room management systems. Enables engineers to interpret and modify automation programs safely.

  • Lesson 4 • Electric Motors and Motor Starters

    Explains induction motor principles, starting methods, and variable-frequency drives. Supports maintenance and fault-finding for the most common shipboard prime movers.

  • Lesson 5 • Integrated Automation and Alarm Systems

    Examines integrated bridge and engine room automation, unattended machinery space requirements, and alarm management. Prepares engineers for UMS watch-keeping certification.

Chapter 7See details

Maintenance, Repair, and Planned Maintenance Systems

  • Lesson 1 • Maintenance Philosophies and Strategies

    Compares corrective, preventive, and condition-based maintenance approaches in a marine context. Establishes the decision framework used throughout the maintenance chapters.

  • Lesson 2 • Condition Monitoring Techniques

    Covers vibration analysis, thermography, and ultrasonic testing for early fault detection. Reduces unplanned failures by integrating monitoring data into maintenance decisions.

  • Lesson 3 • Welding and Fabrication for Engineers

    Introduces MIG, TIG, and arc welding techniques applicable to shipboard repair tasks. Enables engineers to perform emergency repairs and fabricate replacement parts.

  • Lesson 4 • Engine Overhaul Procedures

    Details piston removal, liner measurement, bearing inspection, and reassembly to clearance limits. Builds hands-on competency for major diesel engine overhauls.

  • Lesson 5 • Planned Maintenance System Implementation

    Covers computerised maintenance management system set-up, job card creation, and spare parts control. Ensures regulatory compliance and audit readiness for port state inspections.

Chapter 8See details

Safety, Emergency Procedures, and Environmental Compliance

  • Lesson 1 • Pollution Prevention and Waste Management

    Covers oily water separator operation, garbage management, and exhaust gas cleaning systems. Ensures engineers can maintain compliance with international environmental discharge standards.

  • Lesson 2 • Flooding, Stability, and Damage Control

    Addresses bilge system operation, watertight integrity, and emergency stability assessment. Enables engineers to support damage control teams during flooding emergencies.

  • Lesson 3 • Emergency Response and Crisis Management

    Develops decision-making skills for blackouts, main engine failures, and man-overboard scenarios. Integrates all prior safety knowledge into coordinated emergency response leadership.

  • Lesson 4 • Fire Detection and Firefighting in Engine Rooms

    Covers fixed fire detection systems, CO2 flooding, and portable extinguisher use in machinery spaces. Prepares engineers to respond effectively to the highest-risk fire scenarios.

  • Lesson 5 • Safety Management Systems on Ships

    Explains the structure and implementation of shipboard safety management systems and risk assessment. Connects SMS compliance to accident prevention and flag state requirements.

Certification

Your valid completion certificate

This course is for you:

  • Cadet engineers: building technical knowledge before their first sea contract.

  • Junior officers: seeking structured theory to back up hands-on engine room experience.

  • Deck officers: wanting to understand machinery systems that affect vessel safety.

  • Mechanical engineers: transitioning their land-based expertise into a maritime career.

  • Navy veterans: converting military engineering experience into commercial maritime credentials.

  • Shipyard technicians: expanding their role toward seagoing engineering officer positions.

What our students say

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