BD Marine Engineer Class 2 (Second Engineer) study guide
BD Marine Engineer Class 2 (Second Engineer) · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Marine Engineer Class 2 (Second Engineer) certificate is the competency credential a marine engineer needs before serving as second engineer on merchant ships, typically after holding a Class 3 or watchkeeping certificate and completing the required sea service. It is issued under Bangladesh's national merchant shipping framework, and candidates should confirm current eligibility, sea-time and documentation requirements with the issuing authority rather than relying on second-hand summaries. The BD Marine Engineer Class 2 (Second Engineer) study guide has 8 sections and about 2,245 words.
01Marine Engineering Knowledge and Machinery Operation
The watchkeeping engineer must be able to explain, not just operate, the machinery plant. Expect questions on the diesel cycle and indicated/brake mean effective pressure, specific fuel consumption, scavenging and turbocharging, cooling water treatment, lubricating oil properties (viscosity grade, TBN, base number depletion), fuel oil characteristics (density, viscosity, sulphur, pour point, cetane), and the sequence of starting, manoeuvring and stopping a main engine.
276 words, about 1 min02Marine Propulsion Systems and Main Engines
Candidates must describe slow-speed two-stroke crosshead engines (uniflow scavenge, exhaust valve, crosshead guides, stuffing box), medium-speed four-stroke trunk piston engines, and their turbocharging and charge-air cooling. Understand propeller law: power varies as speed cubed, so a small speed reduction saves large fuel.
265 words, about 1 min03Auxiliary Machinery and Systems
Expect questions on boilers (auxiliary and exhaust gas economiser), feed water treatment and testing, steam traps and condensate systems, air compressors and receivers, fresh water generators, oily water separators, purifiers, refrigeration and air conditioning, steering gear, and ballast/bilge systems. Understand safety valves, gauge glasses, water level controls, and the statutory testing of pressure vessels.
267 words, about 1 min04Marine Electrical, Control and Automation Systems
Candidates must understand three-phase AC generation and distribution, alternator excitation and voltage regulation, synchronising and load sharing, protection (overcurrent, reverse power, earth fault, preferential trip), and the meaning of essential services. For automation, know sensors and transmitters, PID control, alarm and monitoring systems, programmable logic controllers, and the unmanned machinery space (UMS) requirements.
246 words, about 1 min05Ship Construction, Stability and Engineering Watchkeeping
Understand hull structure: keel, frames, floors, stringers, bulkheads, double bottom, deep tanks, and the purpose of cofferdams. Know watertight subdivision, collision bulkhead position, and the effect of free surface on stability.
259 words, about 1 min06Maritime Safety
Know SOLAS, the ISM Code, fire safety (fire triangle, classes of fire, fixed and portable extinguishers, fire main and pumps), life-saving appliances (lifeboats, liferafts, immersion suits, EPIRB, SART), enclosed space entry, permit-to-work systems, and personal protective equipment. Understand muster lists, drills and training requirements, and the meaning of the safety management system.
233 words, about 1 min07Pollution Prevention and Environmental Protection
Know MARPOL Annexes I–VI, the Oil Record Book, garbage record book, sewage and air pollution requirements, sulphur cap, EEDI/EEXI and CII, ballast water management, and the Oily Water Separator (15 ppm) requirements. Understand the special areas, discharge criteria, and the role of the pollution prevention officer.
219 words, about 1 min08Engineering Maintenance, Materials and Workshop Practice
Understand planned maintenance systems, condition monitoring (vibration, oil analysis, thermography), and the properties of engineering materials: mild steel, cast iron, stainless steel, bronze, and aluminium alloys. Know heat treatment (annealing, normalising, hardening, tempering), welding processes and defects, and workshop practice including measurement, tolerances, fits and limits.
480 words, about 2 min