Boat design challenge charts new course for maritime

THE Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) is gearing up to celebrate its 50th anniversary with a boat design contest to establish a benchmark design for passenger ferries to navigate the interconnected water routes of Laguna Lake, Pasig River and Manila Bay.

The Marina Boat Design Contest (MBDC) is a celebration of Marina’s milestone and a strategic move to propel the Coastal and Inland Waterways Transport System forward.

Central to the success of the MBDC are the esteemed judges who have committed their expertise and experience to the cause. The memorandum of agreement was solemnized with three distinguished figures, all engineers: Raymund Puso, president of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers; Divino Isleta, a naval architect of Dhitect Marine and Engineering Consultants; and Jerome Manuel, naval architect and marine engineer at JM Marine Services.

The significance of this competition extends beyond the realms of creativity and design.

Nannette Villamor-Dinopol, Marina’s deputy administrator for operations, emphasized the pivotal role of the MBDC in realizing the objectives outlined in the Maritime Industry Development Plan 2028. Specifically, the modernization of the domestic shipping industry and the promotion of the shipbuilding and ship repair sector stand to benefit from the innovations spurred by this contest.

As anticipation builds toward the culmination of Marina’s 50th-anniversary celebrations on June 1, 2024, all eyes are set on the announcement of the winners in both the Student and Professional Categories. Their designs will serve as blueprints for the next generation of passenger ferries, embodying the spirit of innovation.”