Low-Grade Fuel Engines in the United States

Abstract

All major low-speed and many medium-speed engines now have the capability of operating and maneuvering on low-grade fuel oil (Bunker C). Low-grade fuel engines have recently been appearing in U.S.-flag ships. The economic reasons which influence owners to order these engines are surveyed here. The increased price of diesel oil and the improved efficiency of low-grade fuel engines have been major factors for their implementation. Improved equipment design for reliability and maintainability has decreased downtime due to repairs. Many ships operate auxiliary engines on low-grade fuel. Maritime schools have followed this trend by adding or expanding diesel courses to provide hands-on training and advanced techniques such as engine room simulators to teach problem handling. The low-grade fuel engine, with its superior fuel efficiency, is expected to become the dominant propulsion mode in U.S. merchant ships, as it already is in the rest of the world.