| Actually you would be surprised. You can keep a ships main engines at various notice levels. For example: Immediate Notice - Engines should be ready to start immediately from the bridge when required. 5 Minutes Notice - Usually - Indicator cocks are open.
- Fuel pumps are on.
- Lube oil pumps are on. Starting sequence :
- Turn the engines on compressed air
- Close indicator cocks
- Engines ready to start 30 Minutes Notice - Usually
- Indicator cocks are open
- Fuel pumps are off
- Lube oil pumps are off Start sequence:
- Start Lube oil pumps
- Turn engines on turning gear for 10 minutes
- Turn engines on compressed air
- Turn fuels pumps on
- Close indicator cocks
- Engine ready to go 2 Hours: You can do minor maintenance on the engines. For example, swapping out injectors. Engines are warm. Starting sequence is similar to the 30 minute starting sequence. 24 Hours: Some larger maintenance can be done. Like changing a cylinder head. 48 Hours: Engines can be completely cool. Jacket water drained. Usually for major maintenance. Like changing a cylinder liner. These timings can vary between ships/companies. But generally they operate with similar ideas. Source: I was a marine engineering officer working at sea for 5 years. |
I saw an old documentary following a big cargo ship who was anchored with others waiting to get in to the suez.
Another ship broke free of its anchor and was having trouble starting their engines and were drifting toward the ship in the documentary.
The captain was doing the math on how quickly they could start their engines to try to get out of the way and it would have to be an emergency start that they thought might result in damage.... particularly upsetting as this was their first voyage on a new ship, new engines... they didn't want to start them.