drijfwerk

Drijfwerk is a Dutch term used in engineering and nautical contexts to denote the system or equipment that enables a vessel or device to move or operate on or through a fluid. The word combines drijven (to float or to drive) with werk (work or mechanism) and is used to describe both propulsion systems and floating working structures.

In maritime contexts, drijfwerk refers to the propulsion plant of ships and other afloat structures. It includes the main power source (diesel, gas turbine, or electric drives), the transmission (gearbox, shafts, clutches), propulsion devices (propellers, azimuth thrusters, bow thrusters), and the related control and power systems. It may also designate the steering and maneuvering gear, such as rudders and thrusters, as part of the propulsion and steering package. On offshore platforms, dredging vessels, and other floating installations, drijfwerk can denote the installed machinery that provides movement or position control, for example on tugs, drilling rigs, or crane barges.

In civil construction or general mechanical engineering, the term can refer to the drive mechanism of equipment that moves, such as pumps or agitators with rotating parts. However, more precise Dutch terms are often used in specific industries: aandrijving for the drive train and voortstuwing for propulsion.

Notes: the term is context-dependent and may be used variably across sectors. When precision is required, it is common to specify the exact component (for example, propulsion system, drive train, or floating equipment) to avoid ambiguity.