Page 12: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (October 2003)

Vessels

Sibu: Ferries for Asia

The town of Sibu developed its vibrant fast ferry building tradition in the decades after World War II. But it is only more recently that the vessels' fame and their designs have grown to the point that the little town on Sarawak's Rejan

River is supplying fast ferries for much of southeast Asia.

Most of the ferries that ply the rivers of the area are single engined. Many of those that have been supplied to China.

Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand and

Indonesia are larger twin engine ver- sions of the same trim "banana" boat style. Notable for their exaggerated rake and strong bow flare, the narrow craft are equally adept at handling the narrow confines of river travel and the long swells of the South China sea.

A highly respected leader in the design of these ferries is Paul Wong's naval architect firm Wong Shipbuilding

Contractor and Designer. Largely self- taught, Paul rowed a river craft to school for many years and so learned the dynamics of propulsion on the end of a pair of oars. Today, still in his mid- fifties, Paul is working with his son who has completed a degree in naval archi- tecture in Taiwan. The firm continues to design larger fast ferries built to class for the export market. One of their latest ^PETROCOM

Making remote possibilities

Experience the power of PetroG www.petrocom.com

For over 18 years, PetroCom has been helping the energy industry communicate across the globe, from large cities to the most remote locations.

Working closely with each individual client, we're developing the tools and solutions to help people, networks and companies realize their full potential.

PetroCom offers a broad spectrum of products and services designed to meet the distinctive communication needs of the energy industry:

Offshore Cellular Service

Phones and Accessories

Payphones & Prepaid Solutions

Satellite Voice and Data Networks

LAN/WAN Connectivity

Engineering and Project Management

New Orleans 5901 Earhart Expressway

Harahan LA 70123

Houston 5300 West Sam Houston Parkway N.

Houston TX 77041

Lafayette

Suite 101 850 Kaliste Saloom Road • Suite 115

Lafayette LA 70508 12

Circle 224 on Reader Service Card

Maritime Reporter & Engineering News