The Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers announced the release of a new introductory textbook for students of marine engineering. This is a book intended for use in the classroom and on the floor plates. Introduction to Practical Marine Engineering was prepared by Alan Rowen, Professor Emeritus of Marine Engineering at Webb Institute, Raymond Gardner and Jose Femenia, Professors of Marine Engineering at the US Merchant Marine Academy, David Chapman, Associate Research Scientist at the University of Delaware, and Edwin Wiggins, Professor of Marine Engineering at Webb Institute.

The book is published in two volumes, with approximately 170 pages of text in the first volume, and some 280 pages of illustrations and tables in the second volume. It starts with the introduction to the marine power plant covering steam plant and diesel engines. Other sections cover propulsion power transmission systems and equipment, propellers, nuclear propulsion, pumps, piping systems and components, power plant auxiliaries, electric systems, refrigeration systems, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, hull machinery, shipboard safety equipment and systems as well as shipboard procedures.