A marine engineer is someone who designs, builds, tests and repairs ships, boats, underwater craft, offshore platforms, and drilling equipment. They often work closely with naval architects to design everything from small yachts and fishing boats to submarines and aircraft carriers.
A marine engineer (or ship engineer), works in researching, developing, and constructing new marine vessels and their component parts. This includes creating blueprints, designing engines and propulsion systems, testing prototypes, and supervising the construction of full size ships.
Marine engineers can choose to work on certain types of vessels (for example, passenger boats, sailboats, cruise ships, submarines, or military battleships and aircraft carriers). He or she often oversees the construction of prototypes and helps to test and tweak finished boats.
When working on smaller recreational vessels, such as sailboats, speedboats, and fishing boats, marine engineers will design new models, improve different types of on-board systems, experiment with different types of fuels and fuel systems, navigation systems, steering systems, propulsion devices, outboard and inboard motors, and other important equipment. When working on larger ships, such as cruise ships or ocean liners, marine engineers use computer-aided drafting programs to conduct simulated efficiency tests and to design systems. The engineer is very involved with the construction process, and has specialized knowledge of large-scale power supply systems and propulsion devices.
Marine engineers are responsible for designing on-board systems such as:
– Steering or control systems
– Propulsion systems (gas turbine, diesel engine, or nuclear reactor)
– Mechanical and electrical systems
Much of a marine engineer’s work can be performed in the office, but there are times when sea trials are part of the job. Marine engineers may spend time aboard a ship testing how the vessel is performing, gathering information for maintenance, or for an upcoming retrofit. Marine engineers who specialize in offshore drilling often spend time on the oil rig to oversee maintenance or repair efforts involving the rig’s mechanical systems.
A person working as a Marine Engineer in Kenya typically earns around Ksh130,000 per month. Salaries range from Ksh67,800 (lowest) to Ksh200,000 (highest).
Demand for Marine Engineers is expected to continue growing about as fast as the national average for all careers. New fields like alternative energy from wind and tides combine with traditional ship design and oil platform work to generate a healthy demand for professional Marine Engineers.
Anyone interested in becoming a marine engineer will need to earn a bachelor’s degree in engineering from an accredited university. Marine engineers are highly involved in the design and operation of shipboard electrical and environmental systems as well as power plants, so students will take courses in electrical engineering, fluid dynamics and power production.
After graduation, one will need several years of professional experience before taking the licensure exam to become a professional engineer. Professional engineering licensure is required for all marine engineers who provide services to the public.
