What equipment allows providing two sources of power to vital ship machinery?

The bus transfer, often referred to as a bus tie or bus transfer switch, is designed to facilitate the seamless operation of multiple power sources. It allows for connecting either a primary or secondary power source to vital ship machinery, ensuring that if one power source fails, the other can automatically or manually take over without disrupting operations. This redundancy is crucial for maintaining power to essential systems onboard a ship, particularly during emergencies or power outages.

In contrast, other equipment mentioned, such as a power distribution panel, primarily focuses on directing power to various loads within the ship, but does not inherently provide the ability to switch between multiple sources. A load center functions similarly by redistributing power but is also not specifically designed to manage multiple incoming power sources. A generator set serves as a standalone source of power generation and could be part of the overall power strategy, but it does not provide a mechanism for switching between multiple sources in the way a bus transfer does.