The prestigious international award was presented to the recent graduate in naval architecture at the University of Genoa for her thesis on the correct assessment of rudder performance when manoeuvring ships Maurizio d’Amico elected as President of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects (RINA) for the 2020-2022 two-year period

The RINA-d’Amico “Student Naval Architect Award” was awarded today by the Royal Institution of Naval Architects – a professional British association of naval architects founded in 1860 in London – in partnership with the d’Amico Group to Federica Fregosi, engineer, who recently graduated in naval architecture from the University of Genoa.
The award ceremony this year was carried out remotely due to the Covid-19 emergency, with online participation by Trevor Blakeley, the Chief Executive of RINA, Mr Maurizio d’Amico, President of RINA, Mr Francesco Rotundo, d’Amico Group HR Director, Professor Enrico Rizzuto, coordinator of the bachelor’s and master’s degree courses in Naval Architecture at the University of Genoa and Professor Carlo Podenzana along with all the students.

Federica Fregosi, who obtained a degree in Naval Architecture from the University of Genoa, was given the award for her thesis called “Rudder-Propeller Interaction Analysis by CFD Methods”. The thesis analysed the correct assessment of rudder performance when handling a ship by using CFD OpenFOAM software; this topic has raised increasing levels of interest in the sector in recent years.

The “Student Naval Architect Award” is granted by the Royal Institution of Naval Architects in more than 30 universities all over the world, including the historic University of Genoa, chosen due to its great tradition and cooperation with the naval world.

The historic ties between the d’Amico Group and the maritime academic world is aimed at shaping the future of shipping along with young people who have received excellent training and international institutions. In order to promote and encourage the exchange of technical and scientific information for the design and building of ships, the Royal Institution of Naval Architects, the professional British association of naval architects founded in London in 1860, built up a relationship with the Naval Architecture Department of the University of Genoa over the years.

Mr Francesco Rotundo, Group HR Director of d’Amico Società di Navigazione said “We are delighted to award the prize to a young graduate in naval architecture from the University of Genoa whose thesis adds further interesting stimulus to research in the analysis of ship performance. The d’Amico Group has always been committed to supporting training projects aimed at students who wish to undertake a career in shipping. We also wish to use this prize to capitalise on the skills of young talents and help to support them in their
studies, encouraging research in areas of innovation that make a difference in the industrial sector with reference to both increasing the efficiency of ships and the sustainability of the business”.

With the entry into effect of the IMO 2020 regulation, which provide for limits on sulphur content in ship fuel, once again the d’Amico Group has confirmed its leadership position in the sector thanks to a technologically advanced fleet that can guarantee reliability and high standards of security and environmental protection.

We also announce that Maurizio d’Amico was elected President of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects (RINA) for the 2020-2022 two-year period.

Maurizio d’Amico, President of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects (RINA) said “It is an honour for me to act as President of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects, the professional international association of naval architects founded in London in 1860. At a time marked by great transformations that are having significant effects on developments in the maritime sector, the role of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects is essential in promoting the exchange of technical and scientific information in the design and construction of ships, contributing towards the creation of value for the entire sector. The prestigious international “Student Naval Architect Award” promoted in over 30 universities all over the world is a concrete example as it has rewarded the talents of upcoming generations of naval architects for the past 14 years in order to build the future of shipping”.