car ferry
A car ferry is a mostly motor-driven water vehicle for the transport of cars and trucks as well as their occupants (see also ferry ) . The size and design of a car ferry depend on the volume of traffic, the duration of the crossing and the body of water.
Sea-going car ferries
For longer distances (e.g. Great Britain – Denmark or Germany – Norway), large car ferries are used, many of which can hold several hundred vehicles. On longer routes, the crossings often take place overnight, if possible, and usually last around 12 to 18 hours, on long-haul routes (e.g. Ancona – Patras) even longer - sometimes up to 3 days. Therefore, these ferries are set up accordingly for the catering and accommodation of the vehicle occupants with restaurants and cabins. In this way, these ferries serve as a moving hotel and the passengers can continue their journey relaxed at the destination port. The largest car ferries include the Color Magic (dimensions), the Tanit (largest passenger capacity) and the Ulysses (largest vehicle capacity ).
Most sea-going car ferries have flaps with ramps at the bow and stern so that vehicles can leave the ship in the direction of travel. If the functionality of these stern or bow flaps is not guaranteed or if they are not designed for the sailing area, they can pose a safety risk, as the sinking of the Estonia showed. Nevertheless, at least in Europe and North America, this type of transport can be considered very safe. The so-called Atlantic protection is used to secure the bow and stern flaps .
A further development of these RoRo ferries is the so-called double - ended ferry , which not only has flaps at both ends, but can also travel forwards and backwards at the same speed, so that the ferry does not have to turn around in the port, which saves time.
Fast ferries
On longer routes (e.g. Ancona - Patras , Belfast - Cairnryan , Nynäshamn / Oskarshamn - Gotland ), particularly fast car ferries are sometimes used to shorten the journey time. These reach top speeds of 27 to 30, sometimes even up to 40 knots.
Car ferries not moving freely
In addition to free-moving car ferries, rivers also have systems moving on chains or ropes, some of which are only driven by the current.
literature
- New constructions and new routes in ferry shipping planned, HANSA International Maritime Journal 5/2008, Schiffahrts-Verlag "Hansa" C. Schroedter & Co., Hamburg 2008
