BUET Live: Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology BUET wins the Third Prize at "International Student Design Competition for a Safe and Affordable Ferry, 2021". A team comprising four students from the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) and the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Maritime University (BSMRMU) secured 3rd place in the competition. 

The team captain is Rounak Saha Niloy, an MS student of the Department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering (NAME), BUET with team members Parama Roy Chowdhury (Undergraduate student, Level 4 Term 1, NAME, BUET), Mohammad Abrar Uddin (Undergraduate student, Level 4 Term 1, NAME, BUET), and Md. Shariful Islam (Level-3, Department of Naval Architecture and Offshore Engineering, BSMRMU). The Faculty Advisors are Dr. Zobair Ibn Awal (Associate Professor, NAME, BUET) and Dr. Mohammed Abdul Hannan (Assistant Professor and Degree Programme Director, Marine Technology, Newcastle University, Singapore).

The Worldwide Ferry Safety Association (WFSA) aims at reducing fatalities in ferry transport and
increasing the global use of safe ferries. The objective of the International Student Design competition
is to reduce ferry fatalities by designing safe affordable vessels.

WFSA announced the award-winning teams for the 8th Annual International Student Design
Competition for a safe, affordable ferry on July 15, 2021.

This year, the students had been tasked with designing a RoPax ferry to carry around 300 passengers from Manaus to Tefe on the river Amazon on a trip of 20 hours.

The ship would also carry small vehicles, cycles, bicycles, and agricultural products. The students had to design outdoor hammock zone/zones for around 35% of the total passengers. Due to the continued expansion and transmission of Covid 19 in Brazil by river transportation, student teams had been asked to include features to prevent viral transmission.

The designed ship includes sustainable features such as solar panels, rain-water harvesting
systems, hybrid propulsion systems, hydrofoils, etc. The hydrofoils reduce draft by generating lift.
Consequently, fuel consumption reduces.

Overcrowding of passengers is a common scenario in Brazil which resulted in one of the worst
maritime tragedies, Sobral Santos II (1981). To check to overcrowd, RFID-based entrance gates
have been installed. Considering the ferry tragedy of Herald of Free Enterprise (1987), sensors are
used to ensure that the main engine will not start unless the bow ramp is properly locked.

Cargo handling mechanism with flat racks, rails, and trolleys ensure efficient cargo handling.
A simulated optimized evacuation plan consisting of sufficient exit doors and adequate inflatable
life rafts ensures the fastest evacuation.

Hot water cannon, alarm system, staircase locking system placed to resist pirate intrusion. Child care room for nursing mothers, emergency medical care room, platform lifts for elderly and wheelchair persons, wheelchair and child-friendly deck areas are some of the features for passenger comfort. Seating areas and hammocks are strategically placed to maximize the river view.

Disinfection tunnel with hand sanitizers at the entrances and transparent PVC partitions between seats work as measures for minimizing infection during pandemics. The vessel uses marine LIDAR to detect shallow riverbed & debris, key Amazon River issues. 

Dhaka, 02 August (campuslive24.com)//BSC