De Paepe-Willems Award

The De Paepe-Willems Award honors two former Presidents of PIANC. Robert De Paepe was President of PIANC for 17 years, from 1982 to 1999. And Professor Gustave Willems was President of PIANC for 26 years, from 1956 to 1982. The first Willems Award was made in 1985 during the 100th Anniversary of the association. In 2002, the award was changed to the De Paepe-Willems Award following the merge of the Foundation Robert De Paepe into the Willems Award. The award is given for the most outstanding technical paper prepared on an aspect of waterborne transport, including policy, management, design, economics, integration with other transport modes, technology, safety, public involvement, and the environment. The competition is open to anyone 40 years of age or younger.

Abstracts and technical submissions are due in the fall of each year to PIANC International. The winner receives a €4,000 check, an expense-paid trip to the PIANC International General Assembly, and an individual three-year free membership in PIANC. Second and third places are also awarded.

Interested applicants should contact PIANC International.

Full list of Winners since 1985 can be found here.

 

Recipients

2025 International Winners: Alberto Fernandez (Spain), Risk-Based Assessment of Climate Change Adaptation Strategies for the European Port System

2024 International Winners: Emma Berendsen (Netherlands), Structural Capacities of Ship’s Parallel Hull Subject to Fender-Induced Berthing Impact Loads

2023 International Winners (Tie): Marvin Kastner (Germany), Synthetically Generating Traffic Scenarios for Simulation-Based Container Terminal Planning

2023 International Winners (Tie): Jurjen De Jong (Netherlands), Quantifying the Risks of Climate Change on Inland Water Transport in the Netherlands

2022 International Winner: Ms. Libby Freeman (Australia), Dynamic Motions of Piled Floating Pontoons and their Impact on Postural Stability

2021 International Winner: Dr. Sanaz Hadadpour (Germany), Wave and wave-current attenuation by submerged flexible vegetation: numerical modelling & new prediction formulae

2020 International Winner: Benjamin Popovic (New-Zealand), Tsunami Resilience of Pile-Supported Wharves: A First Principles Approach

2019 International Winner: Mr. Saber Elsayed (Germany), New Integral Modeling and Analysis Approach for Storm Surge-Induced Barrier Breaching, Coastal Induction and Subsequent Vertical Saltwater Intrusion

2018 International Winner: Mr. K. Mizuno (Japan), System of Inspection and Diagnosis for Port Structures Using Unmanned Boat

2017 International Winner: Mr. B Decrop (Belgium), Towards a Better Prediction of Dredging Plumes: Numerical and Physical Modelling of the Near-Field Dispersion

2016 U.S. Winner: Matthew McCarty (Whitman, Requardt, & Associates, LLP),Large Diameter FRP Monopile Systems for Ferry Berths

2015 International Winner: Sebastian Soleri (Spain), Risk and Whole Life Cost-Based Verification and Optimisation of Harbour Approach Channel Depth

2014 International Winner: Michael Rustell (United Kingdom),Optimising a Breakwater Layout Using an Iterative Algorithm

2013 International Winner: Hiroshi Matsushita (Japan), Breakwater Reinforcement Method against Large Tsunamis

2012 International Winner: H.D. Jumelet (The Netherlands), A Theoretical Approach for the Notional Permeability Factor P

2011 No winner2010 International Winner: Thomas Gernay (Belgium), Optimisation and analysis of lock gates in the framework of the ‘Seine-Escaut-Est’ waterway upgrading

2009 U.S. Winner: John Henriksen (Texas A&M), Investigation of Turbulence Characteristics for Model Cutter Suction Dredging Operation

2008 U.S. Winner: Andrew Thomas (Moffatt & Nichol Engineers), Subsurface 3D Modeling: An Application to Waterfront Project Planning and Site Evaluation

2007 International Winner: Arie Alfred Roubos (the Netherlands), Dealing with Uncertainties in the Design of Bottom Protection near Quay Walls

2007 U.S. Winner: Ken Connell (USACE Coastal and Hydraulics Lab), Modeling Navigation Channel Infilling and Migration at Tidal Inlets: Sensitivity to Waves and Tidal Prism

2006 International Winner: Matthias Bleck (Germany), Wave Attenuation by Artificial Reefs

2006 U.S. Winner: Tracy Fidell (Moffatt & Nichol), Developing an Integrated Model to Quantify Port Emissions

2005 International Winner: Javier L. Lara (Spain), A Numerical Wave Flume to Study the Functionality and Stability of Coastal Structures

2005 U.S. Winner: Shana Heisey (USACE Institute for Water Resources), Determining Economic Efficiency in Harbors: HarborSym, An Application