Ferry design comp winners to be announced in NYC

Nine student teams from around the world submitted their ideas for the design of a safe, affordable ferry for the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok.  They designed a 200-passenger ferry that could become a new addition to the 59-vessel fleet of the Chao Phraya River Express Boat Company, which currently has 38 landings along its 30 km route.

The Chao Phraya River Express Boat company has maximised the value of its landings to passengers by creating intermodal links and adding shopping and recreational opportunities. The ferries are also a tourist attraction as they ply the storied river past magnificent gilded temples.

Of the nine teams that submitted designs, six teams came from Asian universities: four from India (from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, Tolani Maritime Institute in Pune, and the Indian Maritime University in Visakhapatnam); one from the University of Cebu, Philippines; and one from the Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember, Surabaya, Indonesia. 

From Europe, there was one team, from the University of Liege, Belgium, and two teams from North America, one from the Universidad Veracruzana, Vera Cruz, Mexico, and the other from the Webb Institute, Glen Cove, USA.

The Worldwide Ferry Safety Association expects to inform the winning teams by April 23 and to present awards at a brief ceremony in connection with the Ferry Safety and Technology Conference to be held in New York City on May 11, 2017.


Alex Baird

Alex Baird is the Managing Director of Baird Maritime