🔍 Key Concepts

• Main propulsion engines that are non-reversible (cannot be directly reversed and depend on starting air for each ahead/astern attempt) • SOLAS and 46 CFR requirements for starting air capacity for main engines on seagoing ships • Difference between requirements for reversible vs non-reversible engines in terms of number of consecutive starts

💭 Think About

• Think about why a non-reversible main engine might need more starting attempts available from stored air than an auxiliary engine or a reversible engine. • Consider what could happen during maneuvering (harbor approaches, docking, emergency avoidance) if you did not have enough consecutive starts available. • Ask yourself: is the required number of starts usually a small number (like a few tries) or a larger safety margin, given that loss of propulsion is a major casualty under SOLAS?

✅ Before You Answer

• Check what SOLAS or 46 CFR say specifically about the minimum number of consecutive starts for non-reversible main engines. • Confirm whether the rule is about one engine on a single screw ship (main propulsion), not auxiliaries or generators. • Verify that the requirement is for consecutive starts without refilling air receivers, meaning using only the stored air capacity.