Winners Selected in the 2019 WFSA Ferry Design Competition

The Worldwide Ferry Safety Association (WFSA) is pleased to announce that winners have been selected for its 2019 Ferry Design Competition.

The awards will be presented at WFSA’s Ferry Safety and Technology Conference, which will be be held in Bangkok February 20‐22, 2019. In the contest, student teams were tasked with designing a passenger ferry for the Pasig River, the locus of commercial and public activities in Manila. Dr. Roberta Weisbrod, Executive Director of WFSA, had noted that navigational challenges included low bridges and waterborne vegetation and debris.

In announcing the 2019 winners, Dr. Weisbrod said: “The seriousness and sensitivity which all the teams expressed with their designs gives hope to the future.” The 1st Prize of $5000 will be awarded to a team from the Singapore Institute of Technology and Newcastle University in Singapore, while the 2nd Prize ($3000) will go to a team from Institut Teknologi Sepuulah Nopember, in Surabaya, Indonesia. The 3rd Prize will be shared between students from Shanghai Maritime University and the Universidad Veracruzana, in Mexico.

The winning team, under the guidance of Faculty Advisors Dr. Ivan CK Tam (Newcastle University) and Dr. Mohammed Abdul Hannan (Newcastle University) has designed MV Pasig Express (a rendering is attached), an aluminum hulled catamaran, with hybrid propulsion‐ which enables minimized energy consumption when operating at slow speeds and when berthing. The fin propeller reduces cavitation, as well as lowering noise (and reducing the wake). Importantly, the design speaks to the challenges identified by Dr. Weisbrod.

A debris and vegetation collector placed in front of propulsion – protects propulsion against fouling saving energy and maintenance costs at the same time it helps the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission restore cleanliness to the river. This unique debris collector is called Malinis which means “clean” in Tagalog. Safety looms large in the design; the vessel features three level fire protection, and egress through six points of escape (including exit doors on both sides of the craft).

The 2nd place finishers, from Surabaya, worked under the guidance of Faculty Advisors Ir. Agoes Santoso, M.Sc., M.Phill., CEng, (FIMAREST, MRINA) have designed MV Aquilla, an aluminum catamaran with stern drive propulsion. The design is specially adapted to the Pasig River, with its low bridges and concern about waves’ impacts on riverbanks; the propeller is a highly efficient contra‐rotating design. Similar to the 1st Prize winner, the boat has solar panels attached, which reduce fuel consumption (as does the propeller design).

Of the two 3rd place finishers (each team awarded $1000), a team from Shanghai Maritime University (with Advisor Wu Gong Xing) has designed the swath catamaran Molly, while the team from Veracruz (under the guidance of Advisor Mtra. Edna D. Rosas Huerta) has designed Jaracho, a multihull aluminum vessel. Attention is given in both designs to safe egress, and fire prevention. The Shanghai Maritime entry contemplates construction in sections‐ important as shipyards look at the design, while the Universidad Veracruzana entry features a diesel electric propulsion solution (lowering operating costs and reducing greenhouse gas emissions).

For further information: contact Dr. Roberta Weisbrod at [email protected]