How Does Types of Propulsion - Naval Architecture Work?

A ship moves across water using propulsion, which is just a fancy word for "how it pushes itself forward."

Imagine you're in a bathtub, and you want to move from one end to the other. You might kick your legs or push off the sides, that's like how ships move!

Some ships use engines and propellers, which are like big spinning fans underwater. When the propeller spins, it pushes water backward, and the ship moves forward, just like when you kick your legs in a pool.

Other ships use sails, like a boat on a windy day. The wind hits the sail, pushing it forward, similar to how a kite flies when the wind catches it.

• A steam engine is like a big, powerful boiler that turns water into steam to spin wheels.
• A diesel engine works more like a car engine, it burns fuel to make power.
• Electric engines use batteries or energy from the sun (like solar panels) to move the ship.

Each kind of propulsion helps ships travel in different ways, just like how you can walk, run, or ride a bike to get to school!