WFSA: Innovations in Ferry Design and Construction

Worldwide Ferry Safety Association – News release

The 3-D printed vessel

Vessels fashioned in a 3D printer, rather than a shipyard, will be the subject of a presentation at a Worldwide Ferry Safety Association (WFSA) event. The virtual gathering, Innovations in Ferry Design and Vessel Construction, will be held in conjunction with the presentation of awards in WFSA’s Annual Student Design Competition, now in its ninth year, to be held on May 18th, 2022.

The keynote speaker, Dr. Habib Dagher, from the University of Maine, Advanced Structures and Composites Sector, will talk about the Center’s design and construction of the world’s largest 3 D printed vessels. In 2019 the Center fabricated 3D printed a bio-based 25-foot 5,000 lb. vessel, garnering three Guinness book of records (world’s largest prototype polymer 3D printer, largest solid 3D-printed object, and largest 3D-printed boat). A video of the vessel can be seen below:

The Center has a track record of effective and inventive fabrications in the fields of energy generation, infrastructure and transport. In a more recent project, from February 2022, the Composites Center completed two prototype vessels for the US Marines. One vessel is capable of carrying two twenty-foot containers; the other can carry a rifle squad with three days of supplies. The vessels are able to be fabricated quickly, and can be linked together. The new vessels are not permitted to be photographed, but an article from the trade press, available athttps://3dprintingindustry.com/news/umaine-3d-prints-two-new-large-boats-for-u-s-marines- breaking-previous-world-record-205260/ describes this effort in considerable detail. At the May 18 event, Dr. Dagher will respond to previously submitted questions from attendees.

The 9th Annual Student Design Competition for a Safe Affordable Ferry is for a RoPax Ferry for the Brahmaputra River in Assam, India. The Brahmaputra is one of the largest rivers of the world in terms of drainage area. Its challenges include a high degree of sedimentation, and great seasonal variation in river height and width. Twenty-two student teams from Asia, Europe, and North America registered for the competition and twelve submitted designs. This year’s competition should be fierce with many of the teams from schools that had been victorious in previous competitions. Award-winning student teams will describe their vessels and respond to questions.

This year’s event is being held virtually, and the link to registration (free) may be found here.

For further information contact Dr. Roberta Weisbrod, Executive Director of the Worldwide Ferry Safety Association, [email protected]