UPNVJ Launches Three Ship Prototypes, KSM Jalasatva Ready to Compete in the 2026 KKI Finals

*UPNVJ Public Relations* – The Student Study Group (KSM) Jalasatva Faculty of Engineering, National Development University “Veteran” Jakarta (UPNVJ) officially introduced three ship prototypes prepared to face the final of the 2026 Indonesian Ship Contest (KKI). The three student works consist of FERC, Autonomous Surface Vehicle (ASV), and Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV). The launch was carried out through the Grand Launching of KKI 2026 on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, as a sign of the team's readiness for the final scheduled to take place on September 14–17, 2026 at the Bengkalis State Polytechnic.

The grand launch marked the culmination of a series of preparations undertaken by the students, from team formation and design concept development, task allocation, production, and prototype testing. The event was attended by the leadership of the Bureau of Academic, Student Affairs, and Cooperation (AKK), the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, the Vice Dean III of the Faculty of Engineering, Rectorate staff, and the KSM Jalasatva Advisors.

Jalasatva's participation in KKI 2026 provides an opportunity for UPNVJ's Naval Architecture students to apply the knowledge they learn in class to real-world engineering projects. The competition also serves to test students' abilities in designing, producing, and evaluating ship technology, considering aspects of performance, efficiency, and maritime innovation development.

Team preparations have been underway since the 2026 KKI series began in May. After registering and submitting design concepts or prototypes, participants underwent a proposal selection process in early June. Successful teams then entered a design and prototype development phase, which lasted until early August, followed by an evaluation of progress reports and videos before entering the final stage.

To ensure technical readiness, students also conducted sea trials at the Brigif Reservoir and the Physiotherapy Pool at the Faculty of Health Sciences (FIKES) at UPNVJ. The tests included maneuverability and observations of the vessel's performance in water. This stage was used to evaluate the prototype's performance and identify technical aspects that still needed improvement before the competition. Documentation in the proposal shows the production process in the workshop and the testing of the three prototypes in water.

The three prototype performance teams involved students from across the class. The FERC team was led by Kunto Wibisono Mabilaka, the ASV team by Muhammad Ikhsan Rais, and the ROV team by Weka Vivaldi. Each team consisted of students responsible for the development and readiness of their respective vehicles.

KSM Jalasatva was established as a forum for UPNVJ Naval Architecture students to develop technical and research skills through hands-on projects. This program is not only aimed at competitive achievement but also at developing competitive research teams, developing ship design and analysis methods, and conducting scientific publications. The 2026 KKI proposal targets at least three publications in indexed journals within a single research period.

In addition to KKI, Jalasatva projects team competency development to participate in other national competitions such as the Indonesian Transportation Competition (LTI), COMET, and SAMPAN, as well as international competitions like the International Roboboat Competition. This initiative is part of the UPNVJ Faculty of Engineering's efforts to broaden student experience while strengthening its academic presence in maritime technology.

Ahead of their departure to Bengkalis, the launch of these three prototypes emphasized that the competition process is not solely focused on the final result. The design, manufacturing, testing, evaluation, and teamwork stages provide a hands-on learning experience that connects academic knowledge with engineering challenges in the field. Through KKI 2026, UPNVJ encourages students to produce measurable, competitive work that has the potential to contribute to the development of Indonesian shipbuilding technology.
 

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Writer:   Disa Prihantini | Language Coordinator : F. Noor