(PoliBatam NavTech’s Shankara Ferry Design, Doc.: WFSA Youtube)
Three Indonesian higher education institutions recently won The Ninth Annual International Student Design Competition for a Safe, Affordable Ferry organised by Worldwide Ferry Safety Association (WFSA) 2022. The three winners are namely: ITS, PoliBatam, and UI.
The competition started by participants’ completion of online registration due on February 1st, 2022, through which participants were provided with Terms of Reference for the design. Design entries were subsequently due on the 1st of March, 2022 via http://www.ferrysafetydesigncompetition.org.
The competition aims to provide suitable ferry transport systems for river-like waterways around the world. Ferry designs competed for during previous years include designs of: a passenger ferry for Bangladesh river system; an inter-island RoPax for Papua New Guinea; inter-island RoPax for Indonesia; a passenger ferry for Bangkok; a passenger ferry for the Singapore Straits between Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore; a passenger ferry for the Pasig River of Manila; a RoPax for Lake Victoria; and a RoPax for the Amazon River.
This year’s competition asks for a ferry design to use on the Brahmaputra River in Assam, India. India’s Brahmaputra River is known for its shallow water characteristics.
Indonesia’s ITS (Institute Teknologi Sepuluh November Surabaya; translated as Surabaya Tenth of November Institute of Technology) obtained first prize, with a ferry design named Lakshmi (name of Hindus’ goddess of good fortune and wealth). Having side and bow ramps, sensors for obstacle and navigational issues, and urethane foam for maintaining buoyancy in case of hull breach, the design also includes a good safety plan and evacuation analysis, a Covid prevention plan, and complemented with a good analysis on return of investment. ITS’ Lakshmi video design can be viewed here.
(ITS Nawasena’s Lakshmi Ferry Design, Doc.: WFSA Youtube)
ITS itself has been a continuous winner of the international ferry design competition. This year’s win celebrates its 5th consecutive title, and first time as the competition’s 1st champion. \
(ITS’ History of Winning the Annual International Student Competition for A Safe, Affordable Ferry by WFSA, Doc.: ITS)
Indonesia’s Batam State Polytechnic (PoliBatam) designed a mono-hull vessel named Shankara (another name for Hindu god Shiva), which was awarded second prize (photo at top of this post). PoliBatam’s design was favoured for its manoeuvrability, solar panels for electrical power, vessel traffic management system for safe navigation working alongside shoreside support, and LIDAR sensors for obstacle avoidance. Shankara is also equipped with good safety and evacuation analysis, with flexible design for pandemics. PoliBatam’s Shankara design video can be viewed via this link.
(University of Indonesia’s Triwitono Ferry Design, Doc.: WFSA Youtube)
Third prize was awarded to two contestants, one of which was University of Indonesia’s (UI) design, the Triwitono, which is equipped with a propulsion system and can use biodiesel. Having enclosed deck spaces for cargo and passengers, as well as radar and GPS as safety equipment, the Triwitono is favoured also for its affordability analysis and good operational calculations. UI’s Triwitono design video can be viewed via youtube.
Such achievement is indeed great news, not only at global level, but especially the Indonesian shipyard industry. Furthermore, such maritime infrastructure development capability supports Indonesia’s current national vision to be a Global Maritime Axis.
