Roberta Weisbord

1. Pushing Maritime Innovation:
To solve problems in the
developing (& developed) worlds
Roberta Weisbrod
Sustainable Ports
Midyear TRB Meeting August 14, 2012

2. Background: Ferry Safety in the
Developing World
• Developing world – ferry fatalities
• Interferry – Ferry Safety project with IMO
• With Bangladesh Identified issues & made
demonstration projects
• Information sharing forum
• Major outstanding issues remain

3. Design for the 90% of Us
• Criteria and goals
– Affordable (build, operate, repair)
– Safe
– Appropriate to situation
• Arenas
– Housing and urban planning
– Drinking water transport, pumping, purification
– Land transport
– Health care delivery
– NOT Maritime

4. Reverse Innovation
• Commercialization
– Deliberate design
– Scale up
– Impact on local economy considered
• Huge market
– Developing world
– US

5. Ferry sector: Innovation needs
• Weather notification
• Training
• Overloading
• Rescue devices
• Vessels

6. Why build for developing nations?
Arguments against:
• They lack financial resources
• Social problems are complex – can’t just solve
one problem
• Maritime systems are complex – conservatism
rules
• If good idea, someone would have done it
already

7. What advances could be applied?
• Commitment to Jobs-like simplicity
• Can use iOs Platform
• New Materials
• New Forms
• Advanced Methods of Construction

8. Implementation strategy
• Information sharing for ferry safety nations
• Design competition
• Allies: Media, academia, & trade associations
• International Finance Corporation
• Private sector/public sector

9. Design competition
• Ferry must suit local conditions (Waterways &
Demographics)
• Safe
• Affordable to build, own, and operate
• Is sustainable environmentally
• And can improve local economy*

10. About Design Competition
• Site specific vessels – not generic
• Nations prepare RFPs for teams to address
• Multinational multidisciplinary teams

11. IFC role
• The International Finance Corporation invests
in private sector projects in developing world
• But not ferries, until now
• Confidence based on Interferry findings
• Their funding gives credibility to private sector
lenders and investors

12. Allies
• Media partner: conference in February 2013
on ferry safety & business opportunities (TBA)
• Academic institutions
• Trade Associations

13. Anticipated outcomes
• Safer ferries in developing world
• Safer ferry operations in developing world
• Improved economy in developing world
• Technological advances in US and elsewhere
• Improved ability for US maritime transport