BUET's Team Black Pearl Wins Global Ferry Design Competition
A team of students from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) has won the prestigious worldwide ferry design competition, organized by the U.S.-based Worldwide Ferry Safety Association (WFSA). The team, ‘Team Black Pearl,’ secured first place in the 12th edition of the competition with their innovative, environmentally friendly, sustainable, and safe ferry design, Naija Spirit.
The BUET team outperformed competitors from the Shipbuilding Institute of Polytechnic Surabaya, ITS Indonesia, and the University of Indonesia to claim the top position.
Under the supervision of Dr. Zobair Ibn Awal, a professor in the Department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering at BUET, the seven-member team designed the energy-efficient and eco-friendly ferry over three months. The team members include Md. Safayet Hossain Shishir, Md. Abdul Kader, Abu Rasel, Mahmudul Hasan Shahed, Afif Bin Habib Omio, Md. Atiqur Rahman, and Md. Kawsar Mahmud Zidan. Among them, elder team member Abdul Kader is pursuing a master’s degree, while Shishir, Rasel, Shahed, and Omio are in their final undergraduate year, and Atiqur and Zidan are third-year students.
Using 3D Rhinoceros software, they developed a futuristic ferry design. This marks the fourth time BUET has participated in the competition, and Team Black Pearl has previously secured second place in the 11th edition, an honorable mention in the 10th edition, and third place in the 9th edition.
As winners, the team received a prize of $5,000. The estimated cost to bring their design to reality is approximately $1.02 million.
Speaking about the prize money, elderly team member Abdul Kade stated, “We are using the funds to upgrade our PC and necessary peripherals for research, purchase necessary equipment, and support financially disadvantaged team members. If the government provides financial assistance, our research efforts will gain even more momentum.”
The competition took place from October to December last year, with results announced on February 9. The deadline for submitting designs was December 31. The second-place winner was the Shipbuilding Institute of Polytechnic Surabaya from Indonesia, while ITS Indonesia and the University of Indonesia jointly secured third place.
Explaining the competition requirements, team captain M D Shafayet noted that each competition assigns a specific ferry route, passenger capacity, and type. This year’s challenge was to design a ferry for Lagos, Nigeria, operating on a 25-kilometer inland waterway route from Ikorodu Terminal to CMS. Lagos, being a densely populated city, frequently faces transportation disruptions. The design needed to accommodate 200 passengers and be fully electric-powered.
Another team member, Afif Bin Habib, described Naija Spirit as a state-of-the-art, safe, and eco-friendly ferry featuring an aluminum-built lightweight and sturdy catamaran structure. The 28-meter-long and 9-meter-wide double-deck ferry uses a rechargeable battery propulsion system. He added, “For emergencies, the ferry will also have solar power and hydrogen fuel cells to minimize greenhouse gas emissions. The battery will take 24 minutes to charge, and a charging station has been proposed at Ikorodu Terminal.”
Team member Atik emphasized that BUET’s Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering Department is producing highly skilled engineers capable of competing internationally. “Our success in such a highly competitive global event demonstrates that our department fosters innovation and talent. We have the potential to contribute significantly to the modern shipbuilding industry and lead Bangladesh in ocean and offshore engineering sectors,” he said.
Since 2008, WFSA has been working to reduce ferry accidents worldwide by promoting safe ferry designs and operations. In recent years, the organization has expanded its focus to include environmental sustainability. The annual ferry design competition aims to enhance safety and reduce pollution, particularly in developing countries, by engaging students from leading universities across the world.
