Abdulkhaled Zareei, an international doctoral student from the College of Shipbuilding Engineering, has been awarded the prestigious Peter Contraros Student Award for his paper, “Bulk Carriers Grounding Impact on Safety and Structural Integrity: An Investigation into Casualties and Incidents.” This award, presented by the Royal Institution of Naval Architects (RINA), recognizes the best student-authored paper in the field of Ship and Offshore Structural Strength, Safety, and Reliability for 2025. Zareei's research was supervised by Professor ZHOU Xueqian.

The RINA Awards are among the most respected honors in the naval architecture community. The Peter Contraros Student Award, established in 2022, commemorates the significant contributions of structural expert Peter Contraros to the institution. Annually, this award is presented to a single recipient worldwide for the most impactful student research in the areas of ship and offshore structural strength, safety, and reliability. Eligible research topics for the award include, but are not limited to, the application of structural design standards, the evolution of these standards, innovative material use, and studies on corrosion and fatigue.

 The award was presented by the President of RINA

Zareei's paper focuses on the severe structural damage and safety risks posed by grounding accidents involving bulk carriers, which can result in vessel capsizing or total loss, leading to significant economic and human costs. The research investigates the effects of grounding on the safety and structural integrity of bulk carriers, aiming to reduce such risks by suggesting revisions to design standards and enhancing predictive strategies. Additionally, the study proposes the development of innovative system identification technologies to improve the structural safety of large-tonnage bulk carriers.