Diesel engines used as prime movers on ships are exposed to the varying climatic temperature conditions that prevail in different parts of the world, and must therefore be able to operate under all ambient conditions from winter to summer and from arctic to tropical areas.

As the temperature variations on the surface of the sea are rather limited, the diesel engine will not normally be exposed to really extreme temperatures. However, the changes that do occur in the ambient conditions will, among other things, cause a change in the specific fuel oil consumption, the exhaust gas amount and the exhaust gas temperature of the diesel engine. These changes are already described in our Project Guides and will therefore not be discussed in this paper.