AIOI, Hyogo Prefecture--Shipbuilder IHI Corp. has unveiled an unsinkable lifeboat for people unable to reach safe high ground in the event of a tsunami and for those physically unable to flee.
AIOI, Hyogo Prefecture--Shipbuilder IHI Corp. has unveiled an unsinkable lifeboat for people unable to reach safe high ground in the event of a tsunami and for those physically unable to flee.
The vessel, which company officials proudly call a "contemporary Noah's Ark," was developed following the March 11, 2011, Great East Japan Earthquake, which saw thousands of people swept up in the tsunami that followed.
The craft will remain upright even if it hits a structure while moving at a speed of 36 kph an hour, said officials at IHI's Aioi district office in Hyogo Prefecture.
The Senshin Fukushikai Social Welfare Corp. in Mie Prefecture plans to deploy the boat at its facility on the coast of Shima, Mie Prefecture, by the end of this month.
“We would like to make the boat available so residents of the community can feel safe,” said Toshio Yamada, Senshin Fukushikai director.
The tsunami lifeboat is made of fiber-reinforced plastic and measures about 8 meters long, 3 meters wide and 3 meters high. It can carry up to 25 passengers.
IHI built a prototype of the tsunami-proof craft last year, following the safety guidelines set by the Shikoku District Transport Bureau of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. The boat met the criteria and received the ministry’s certification.
Even if it flips over, the vessel naturally rights itself like a Daruma tumbler doll. Occupants are required to be strapped into their seats. The boat is equipped with GPS technology, so it can be easily located, as well as toilet facilities. Passengers can stay adrift for around one week with the stored water and food.
Built to the specifications of Senshin Fukushikai, the boat is the second tsunami-proof vessel produced for practical use.
It was constructed by JMU Amtec Co., an IHI affiliate, with the work starting in November 2012.
The first unit has been donated to Kochi city and is now on public display.
IHI plans to produce about 400 units by the end of fiscal 2016. Each is priced at about 9 million yen ($88,500).
Hiroyuki Kisamori, deputy director of IHI’s social infrastructure sector, said, “We hope this will start momentum for the widespread use of the tsunami boat.”