Have you ever wondered if the tourist boats that take us along the beautiful Mahakam River are truly safe? Behind the charm of traditional wooden boats, there are safety issues that need to be addressed. An innovative idea to solve this problem came from the Dean of the Faculty of Sustainable Development (FPB) at ITK and a lecturer in Naval Architecture, Ir. Alamsyah, S.T., M.T. He proposed a solution: catamaran hull technology.

The Charm of Mahakam vs. The Hidden Threat

The Mahakam River, with all its elegance, is a magnet for domestic and international tourists. However, this attraction depends on water buses that are often made of wood, and unfortunately, these boats have been found to not meet adequate safety and seaworthiness standards. The Samarinda City Tourism Office has a mission to improve tourist destinations, so updating the boats to be safe and up to standard is a necessity.

When Overloading Becomes a Serious Problem

One crucial issue is the lack of information on the maximum number of passengers that can be carried, which often leads to overloading. When a boat is overloaded, the minimum freeboard and the vessel's buoyancy reserve are drastically reduced. This makes it easier for water to come onto the deck, which in turn reduces the ship's stability and can potentially cause it to capsize.

Although international regulations such as SOLAS and ILLC have set strict standards, changing the habits of local communities who want to carry many people is certainly not easy. Therefore, the solution is to design new tourist boats that can accommodate this behavior but are still based on regulations and safety. This is the time to adopt new technology that can minimize accidents.

Why is a Catamaran the Answer?

A catamaran is a revolutionary solution. With two hulls, a catamaran has much better stability than a single-hulled boat. This structure can naturally break waves and currents, which reduces the rolling of the ship. Its width also makes the boat super stable, allowing it to carry heavy loads from various sides. In addition, the catamaran hull is designed with a very sleek waterline, so the resistance while sailing is lower.

A Safer Future for Mahakam Tourism

Realizing the danger of ship safety is the first step, and now is the time for us to act. The research team hopes that with the implementation of this catamaran-technology water bus concept, tourists' worries about the risk of a boat capsizing will be drastically reduced, making them feel safer. This is a big step towards creating safer and more sustainable tourism on the Mahakam River while also promoting the importance of sustainable technology.