By
Alex Smith |
The Worldwide Ferry Safety Association (WFSA) is adding new requirements for its 8th Annual International Student Design Competition for a Safe Affordable Ferry, recognising the impact of Covid-19.
This year, students have been tasked with designing a ro-pax ferry for the Amazon River between Manaus and Tefé in Brazil. In light of the severity of the outbreak of Covid-19 in Brazil, the association is now asking student teams to consider how their designs could be modified for safe operation during a pandemic.
“The infections in Brazil are indeed focused on the Amazon River from Manaus and points west,” said Roberta Weisbrod, executive director of WFSA. “The ferry is an economic and social lifeline for people living near the river. There are no roads between Manaus and Tefé and 150,000 take the multi-day trip annually. Ferry safety, the WFSA’s mandate, extends beyond navigation systems and the like; preventing the spread of Covid-19 will now be an important factor for students to consider.”
The competition awards US$10,000 to teams that the international judges deem outstanding. Successful teams are also invited to present their work at WFSA’s Ferry Safety and Technology Conference.
Student teams can register for the competition here.