Standardization Framework and Policy Recommendation of the Electric Propulsion System of an Electric Passenger Ferry for Inland Waterways in the Philippines

Aligned with the 10-year Marina Industry Development Plan (MIDP) aimed to enhance the Philippine marine industry from 2019 to 2028, the agency released nine new and revised domestic shipping circulars, and policies. Additionally, they issued Philippine Ship Safety Rules and Regulations (PSSRR) for passenger ships Part B (less than 500 GT), focusing on designing and constructing the superstructure of such vessels, including those for inland waterways. Despite these efforts and the International Maritime Organization's goal to achieve net-zero GHG emissions by 2050, no available references have been used to standardize marine electric propulsion components in the Philippines. This research develops a standardization framework for the electric propulsion system of an electric passenger ferry for inland waterways that can be adopted in the Philippines. Relevant standards from the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) were reviewed to identify the gaps between existing local standards and policies. The paper presented a method for incorporating these standards in electric ferry design and evaluated three sets of commercially available electric propulsion systems for compliance with IEC standards in preparation for a local electric ferry design. The findings will aid the local maritime industry in identifying necessary standards for adopting and transitioning to fully electric passenger ferries.