Engine room

To increase a vessel's safety and chances of surviving damage, the machinery necessary for the ship's operation may be segregated into various spaces.

The engine room is usually located near the bottom, at the rear or aft end of the vessel, and comprises few compartments.

This design maximizes the cargo carrying capacity of the vessel and situates the prime mover close to the propeller, minimizing equipment cost and problems posed from long shaft lines.

High pressure steam from the boiler is used to drive reciprocating engines or turbines for propulsion, and also turbo generators for electricity.

Today, these machines are usually powered by small diesel engines or electric motors, but may also use low-pressure steam.

These thrusters are laterally mounted propellers that can suck or blow water from port to starboard (i.e. left to right) or vice versa.

Small embedded hydraulic motors rotate the blades up to 180 degrees to reverse the direction of the thrust.

ECR is connected with the Bridge through compulsory engine-room telegraph which provides visual indication of the orders and responses.

Human presence is not required to be round the clock in the ER due to high level of automation and computerization.

A typical arrangement might be to make the opening large enough to provide intake air plus 1000 Cubic Feet per Minute (CFM) for additional ventilation.