Marine vessel and system for operating a marine vessel

A marine vessel system comprising:

• a marine vessel configured to carry and transport marine freight in an ocean environment;
• at least one engine carried on said marine vessel;
• a propeller;
• and
• a power coupling releasably operably connecting said engine and said propeller such that said propeller is rotatably drivable by said engine to thereby propel or aid in propelling said marine vessel, wherein said power coupling does not extend through a hull of said marine vessel, wherein said engine is releasably connected to said marine vessel and releasably operably connected to said power coupling such that said engine is removable from said marine vessel and from said power coupling and is replaceable with another engine in a modular manner.

A method for shipping freight system comprising:

• accessing a marine vessel configured to carry and transport marine freight in an ocean environment, said marine vessel having at least one engine module carried thereon, said engine module including an engine housed inside a container, said marine vessel further including a propeller and a power coupling operably connecting said engine and said propeller such that said propeller is rotatably drivable by said engine to thereby propel or aid in propelling said marine vessel, wherein said power coupling does not extend through a hull of said marine vessel, wherein said engine module is releasably connected to said marine vessel and releasably operably connected to said power coupling such that said engine module is replaceable with another engine module in a modular manner;
• loading freight on said marine vessel;
• and
• towing said marine vessel with a lead ship while said engine rotatably drives said propeller.

A method for modifying a marine vessel comprising:

• accessing a marine vessel configured to carry and transport marine freight in an ocean environment;
• releasably mounting at least one engine module on said marine vessel, said engine module including an engine housed inside a container;
• providing a propeller;
• and
• releasably operably connecting said propeller and said engine with a power coupling such that said propeller is rotatably drivable by said engine, wherein said power coupling does not extend through a hull of said marine vessel, wherein said engine module is releasably connected to said marine vessel and releasably operably connected to said power coupling such that said engine module is removable from said marine vessel and from said power coupling and is replaceable with another engine module in a modular manner.