PONDICHERRY MARITIME ACADEMY

The electrohydraulic control mechanisms of the ME engine replace the following components of the conventional MC engine: Chain drive for camshaft Camshaft with fuel cams, exhaust cams and indicator cams Fuel pump actuating gear, including roller guides and reversing mechanism Conventional fuel pressure booster and VIT system Exhaust valve actuating gear and roller guides Engine driven starting air distributor Electronic governor with actuator Regulating shaft Engine side control console Mechanical cylinder lubricators. The Engine Control System of the ME engine comprises: Control units Hydraulic power supply unit Hydraulic cylinder units, Electronically controlled fuel injection, and Electronically controlled exhaust valve activation Electronically controlled starting air valves Electronically controlled auxiliary blowers Integrated electronic governor functions Tacho system Electronically controlled Alpha lubricators

MV DONA PAZ The disaster that struck passenger ferry MV Dona paz is considered one of the deadliest civilian maritime disasters in history. It occurred on December 20, 1987 when MV Dona paz collided with the oil tanker MT Vector in the Tablas strait, off the coast of the Philippines. The ship was carrying more than double its official capacity as people were trying to reach their destinations prior to Christmas. Following the collision, 8,800 barrels of oil and gasoline on the vector got ignited and both the ships got caught in the ensuring blaze. Only 26 people could be rescued among the more than 4000 passengers and crew on both ships.

SS EASTLAND: The SS Eastland shipwreck occurred on July 24, 1915, when the ship capsized on the Chicago River. The vessel was slated to carry western electric workers and their families on a day- long outing. The Eastland sank within yards of shore, still tied to the dock. The vessel was packed with people, with an estimated 2,500 people on board. Some were lucky enough to walk out after the ship toppled on its side. But more than 800 were killed.

RMS LUSITANA The shipwreck of one of the largest passenger ship RMS Lusitania was in fact a casualty of war. It was a result of Germany’s policy of unrestricted submarine warfare during World War I (1914-1918).the ship which was carrying 1960 passengers sunk after being hit by a torpedo, fired from a German u boat on May 7,1915.it killed 1,198 passengers. It was later found that apart from the passengers, the ship was carrying 150 tons of munitions and ammunition. The ship sank in just 18 minutes

MV WILHEM GUSTLOFF The MV Wilhelm gust off shipwreck is considered the worst ever shipping disaster. The German ship sunk in 1945 during World War II (1939-1945). It occurred on January 30, 1945, the same day ship had left port, when it was hit by three Russian torpedos. When hit, the ship was carrying around 10,000 people, against the capacity of 1,900. A pride of Germany, the MV Wilhelm Gustloff was originally a cruise ship. But it had served as a hospital ship during the war. The ship sunk from the torpedo attack. Around 9,000 people were killed.

The tragedy of the luxury ship titanic continues to haunt collective memory, more than a century after its sinking. Seafaring comes with a lot of risks. Today let’s take a look at a few of the worst maritime disasters. SS SULTANA: The SS sultana was a side-wheel steamboat designed to carry 376 passengers. But on that fateful day of the accident, it had 2,137 people on board. The disaster that struck the ship was due to human error (corruption and lack of basic safety measures, it is said. The disaster occurred when a faulty boiler exploded. The ship exploded on the Mississippi river north of Memphis, Tennessee on April 27, 1865.Hundreds were killed in the initial explosion. In all it killed around 1,800 people. The ship was carrying the returning prisoners of war after the end of the American civil war (1861-1865).