Motor ship

A ship propelled by an internal-combustion engine, typically driving a propeller. It differs from sailing ships and steamships in its primary source of propulsion.

Diesel engine: An internal-combustion engine that ignites fuel by compressing air until it becomes hot. Diesel engines became the dominant prime movers for large motor ships.
Rudolf Diesel: A German engineer who developed the compression-ignition engine patented in 1893. His engine made practical, fuel-efficient powered ships possible.
Cargo ship: A merchant vessel designed to transport freight by sea. Motor propulsion powers most modern vessels carrying goods across oceans.
Sailing ship: A vessel propelled primarily by sails driven by wind. Wind, rather than an internal-combustion engine, supplies its main motive power.
Marine propulsion: The methods and machinery used to move vessels through water. Motor ships are defined by their propulsion system within this broader subject.
Diesel engine#History: The development of the compression-ignition engine from its invention into commercial use. Marine adoption followed improvements that made diesel engines reliable and powerful enough for ships.
Motor ship (ship prefix): The ship prefix M.S. or MS, traditionally used to identify a motor ship. The prefix distinguishes engine-powered vessels in names and maritime records.
Steam turbine: A rotary engine that extracts energy from flowing steam. Steam turbines powered many ships that used boilers instead of diesel engines.
Propeller: A rotating device whose blades produce thrust by accelerating fluid. Most motor ships turn an underwater propeller to push water backward and move forward.
Selandia: A Danish ocean-going cargo ship launched in 1911 and powered by diesel engines. Selandia became an early landmark in the commercial use of motor-ship propulsion.

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