Ferry 50771 222915815 2008-07-01T18:52:43Z Peter Horn 897817 /* See also */ Alphabetical listing {{main|Merchant ship}} [[Image:ferry dongan hills 1945.jpg|thumb|right|The ferryboat ''Dongan Hills'', filled with commuters, about to dock at a [[New York City]] pier, circa 1945.]] {{otheruses}} A '''ferry''' is a form of transport, usually a [[boat]] or [[ship]], but also other forms, carrying (or ''ferrying'') passengers and often their [[Automobile|cars]]. Ferries are also used to transport [[freight]] (in [[truck|lorries]] and sometimes unpowered freight [[Containerization|containers]]) and even [[railroad cars]]. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services. A foot-passenger ferry with many stops, such as in [[Venice]], is sometimes called a [[water bus]] or [[water taxi]]. Ferries form a part of the [[public transport]] systems of many waterside cities and islands, allowing direct transit between points at a [[capital cost]] much lower than [[bridge]]s or [[tunnel]]s. However, ship connections of much larger distances (such as over long distances in water bodies like the [[Mediterranean Sea]]) may also be called ferry services, especially if they carry vehicles. ==History== {{Expand-section|date=June 2008}} ===In ancient times=== The profession of the ferryman is embodied in [[Greek mythology]] in [[Charon (mythology)|Charon]], the boatman who transported souls across the [[River Styx]] to the [[Greek underworld|Underworld]]. Speculation that a pair of oxen propelled a ship having a water wheel can be found in [[4th century AD|4th century]] Roman literature “''Anonymus De Rebus Bellicis''”. Though impractical, there is no reason why it could not work and such a ferry, modified by using horses, was used in Lake Champlain in 19th century America. See “''When Horses Walked on Water: Horse-Powered Ferries in Nineteenth-Century America''" (Smithsonian Institution Press; Kevin Crisman, co-authored with Arthur Cohn, Executive Director of the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum). ==Notable services== [[Image:hkstarferry.JPG|thumb|left|The [[Star Ferry]] in [[Hong Kong]].]] The busiest seaway in the world, the [[English Channel]], connects [[Great Britain]] and mainland [[Europe]] sailing mainly to French ports, such as [[Calais]], [[Boulogne-sur-Mer|Boulogne]], [[Cherbourg-Octeville]], [[Caen]], [[St Malo]] and [[Le Havre]]. Ferries from [[Great Britain]] also sail to [[Belgium]], [[Denmark]], [[The Netherlands]], [[Norway]], [[Spain]] and [[Ireland]]. Some ferries carry mainly tourist traffic, but most also carry freight, and some are exclusively for the use of freight lorries. Large [[cruiseferry|cruiseferries]] sail in the [[Baltic Sea]] between [[Finland]], [[Sweden]], [[Germany]] and [[Estonia]], and from [[Italy]] to [[Albania]] and [[Greece]]. In many ways, these ferries are like [[cruise ship]]s, but they can also carry hundreds of cars on car decks. In Britain, car-carrying ferries are sometimes referred to as [[RORO]] (roll-on, roll-off) for the ease by which vehicles can board and leave. In [[Australia]], two [[Spirit of Tasmania]] ferries carry passengers and vehicles 300 kilometres across [[Bass Strait]], which separates [[Tasmania]] from the Australian [[mainland]]. These run overnight but also include day crossings in peak time. Both ferries are based in the northern Tasmanian port city of [[Devonport, Tasmania|Devonport]] and sail to [[Melbourne]], [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]]. In [[New Zealand]], ferry services known as the [[Interislander]] and Bluebridge connect [[Wellington]] in the [[North Island]] with Picton in the [[South Island]], across Cook Strait. [[Hong Kong]] has the [[Star Ferry]] carry passengers across [[Victoria Harbour]] and the [[First Ferry]] carries travellers between [[Hong Kong]] Island to outlying islands like Cheung Chau, Lantau Island and Lemma Island. [[Image:Gateway of India.jpg|thumb|right|Ferries docking at the [[Gateway of India]], [[Mumbai]]]] Due to the numbers of large freshwater lakes and length of shoreline in [[Canada]], many provinces and territories have ferry services. [[BC Ferries]] carries travellers between [[Vancouver Island]] and the [[British Columbia]] mainland on the country's west coast. This ferry service operates to other islands including the [[Gulf Islands]] and the [[Queen Charlotte Islands]]. Canada's east coast has been home to numerous inter and intra provincial ferry and coastal services, including a large network operated by the federal government under [[CN Marine]] and later [[Marine Atlantic]]. Private and publicly owned ferry operations in eastern Canada include Marine Atlantic, serving the island of [[Newfoundland (island)|Newfoundland]], as well as [[Bay Ferries|Bay]], [[Northumberland Ferries Limited|NFL]], [[Coopérative de transport maritime et aérien|CTMA]], [[Coastal Transport Limited|Coastal Transport]], and [[Société des traversiers du Québec|STQ]] to name but a few. Canadian waters in the [[Great Lakes]] once hosted numerous ferry services, however these have been reduced to those offered by [[Owen Sound Transportation Company Limited|Owen Sound Transportation]] and several smaller operations. There are also several commuter passenger ferry services operated in major cities, such as [[Metro Transit (Halifax)|Metro Transit]] in [[Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia|Halifax]], [[Toronto Island ferry services|Toronto Island Ferry]] in [[Toronto]] and [[SeaBus]] in [[Vancouver]]. [[Washington State Ferries]] operates the most extensive ferry system in the [[United States]], with ten routes on [[Puget Sound]] and the [[Strait of Juan de Fuca]] serving terminals in Washington and Vancouver Island. In fiscal year 1999, Washington State Ferries carried 11 million vehicles and 26 million passengers. The [[Staten Island Ferry]] in [[Transportation in New York City|New York City]], sailing between the boroughs of [[Manhattan]] and [[Staten Island]], is the nation's single busiest ferry route by passenger volume. Vehicle-carrying ferry services between mainland [[Cape Cod]] and the islands of [[Martha's Vineyard]] and [[Nantucket]] are operated by the [[The Woods Hole, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority]], which sails year-round between [[Woods Hole]] and [[Vineyard Haven]] as well as [[Hyannis]] and [[Nantucket]]. Seasonal service is also operated from Woods Hole to [[Oak Bluffs]] from Memorial Day to Labor Day. As there are no bridges or tunnels connecting the islands to the mainland, The Steamship Authority ferries in addition to being the only method for transporting private cars to or from the islands, also serves as the only link by which heavy freight and supplies such as food and gasoline can be trucked to the islands. Additionally, [[Hy-Line Cruises]] operates high speed catamaran service from Hyannis to both islands, and several smaller operations run seasonal passenger only service primarily geared towards tourist [[day-trippers] from other mainland ports, including [[New Bedford, MA|New Bedford]], [[Falmouth, MA|Falmouth]], and [[Harwich, MA|Harwich]]. The [[San Francisco Bay Area]] has several ferry services, connecting with cities as far as [[Vallejo, California|Vallejo]]. The majority of ferry passengers are daily commuters and tourists. The only way to get to [[Alcatraz]] is by ferry. Until the completion of the [[Mackinac Bridge]] in the 1950s, ferries were used for vehicle transportation between the [[Lower Peninsula of Michigan]] and the [[Upper Peninsula of Michigan]], across the [[Straits of Mackinac]] in the [[United States]]. Ferry service for [[bicycles]] continues across the straits for transport to [[Mackinac Island]], where motorized vehicles are almost completely prohibited. ==Types== Ferry designs depend on the length of the route, the passenger or vehicle capacity required, speed requirements and the water conditions the craft must deal with. ===Double-ended=== [[Image:Faehre Altrip 02.JPG|thumb|right|A small double-ended ferry with integral ramps]]<!--was [[Image:wolfe-island.jpg|thumb|right|Double-ended ferry, Wolfe Island, Ontario.]]--> Double-ended ferries have interchangeable bows and sterns, allowing them to shuttle back and forth between two terminals without having to turn around. Well-known double-ended ferry systems include the [[Staten Island Ferry]] , [[Washington State Ferries]] , several boats on the [[North Carolina Ferry System]] , and the [[Lake Champlain Transportation Company]]. Most Norwegian fjord and coastal ferries are double-ended vessels. Some ferries in [[Sydney, Australia]] and [[British Columbia]] are also double-ended. In 2008, [[BC Ferries]] launched three of the largest double-ended ferries in the world. ===Hydrofoil=== [[Hydrofoil]]s have the advantage of higher cruising speeds, succeeding [[hovercraft]] on some English Channel routes where the ferries now compete against the Eurotunnel and [[Eurostar]] trains that use the [[Channel Tunnel]]. Passenger-only hydrofoils also proved a practical, fast and relatively economical solution in the [[Canary Islands]] but were recently replaced by faster [[catamaran]] "high speed" ferries that can carry cars. Their replacement by the larger craft is seen by critics as a retrograde step given that the new vessels use much more fuel and foster the inappropriate use of cars <ref>[http://www.atan.org/en/costas/fast/milenium.htm ATAN official web page: Fast Ferries - pointless gas-guzzlers<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> in islands already suffering from the impact of mass tourism. ===Hovercraft=== [[Image:SRN4 Hovercraft Mountbatten Class.jpg|left|thumb|Mark 3 [[Mountbatten class hovercraft|SR-N4 Hovercraft]], [[Dover]] ]] [[Hovercraft]] were developed in the 1960s and 1970s to carry cars. The largest was the massive SRN4 which carried cars in its centre section with ramps at the bow and stern between England and France. The hovercraft was superseded by catamarans which are nearly as fast and are less affected by sea and weather conditions. Only one service now remains, between [[Portsmouth]] and the [[Isle of Wight]]. ===Catamaran=== [[Image:Stenavoyager.JPG|right|thumb|Stena Voyager ([[High-speed Sea Service|HSS]]) en route to Belfast from Stranraer]] [[Catamaran]]s are normally associated with high-speed ferry services. [[Stena Line]] operates the largest catamarans in the world, the [[High-speed Sea Service|Stena HSS]] class, between the United Kingdom and mainland Europe or Ireland. These [[water jet (propulsion)|waterjet]]-powered vessels, displacing 19,638 tonnes, are larger than most catamarans and can accommodate 375 passenger cars and 1,500 passengers. Other examples of these super-sizer catamarans are found in the Brittany Ferries [http://www.brittanyferries.co.uk fleet] with the Normandie Express and the Normandie Vitesse. ===Ro-ro=== [[Image:Pont-Aven Car Deck.JPG|thumb|left|Lorries preparing to unload from the Pont-Aven. The [[Brittany Ferries]] Flagship.]] [[Roll-on/roll-off]] ferries (RORO) are large, conventional ferries named for the ease by which vehicles can board and leave. ===Cruiseferry=== [[Image:PrideofRotterdam.png|right|thumb|right|The ''[[Pride of Rotterdam]]'', One of P&O Ferries' Flagships operating the Hull-Rotterdam Route]] A [[cruiseferry]] is a ship that combines the features of a [[cruise ship]] with a RoRo ferry. ===Fast RoPax Ferry=== Fast [[Roll-on/roll-off#RoPax|RoPax ferries]] are conventional ferries with a large garage intake and a relatively large passenger capacity, with conventional diesel propulsion and propellers that sail over {{convert|25|kn|km/h|0}}. Pioneering this class of ferries was [[Attica Group]], when it introduced Superfast I between Greece and Italy in 1995 through its subsidiary company [[Superfast Ferries]]. ===Pontoon ferry===<!--NOTE: Pontoon ferry in several articles links here--> [[Pontoon (boat)|Pontoon]] ferries carry vehicles across rivers and lakes and are widely used in less-developed countries with large rivers where the cost of bridge construction is prohibitive. One or more vehicles are carried on a pontoon with [[Drawbridge|ramps]] at either end for vehicles to drive on and off. Cable ferries (next section) are usually pontoon ferries, but pontoon ferries on larger rivers are motorised and able to be steered independently like a boat. ===Cable ferry=== [[Image:Small Mannum Ferry.jpg|thumb|left|One of several self-propelled cable ferries that cross the lower reaches of the [[Murray River]]]] Very short distances may be crossed by a [[cable ferry|cable or chain ferry]], which is usually a pontoon ferry (see above), where the ferry is propelled along and steered by cables connected to each shore. Sometimes the cable ferry is human powered by someone on the boat. [[Reaction ferry|Reaction ferries]] are cable ferries that use the perpendicular force of the current as a source of power. Examples of a current propelled ferry are the four Rhine ferries in [[Basel]], Switzerland (see http://www.faehri.ch/). Cable ferries may be used in fast-flowing rivers across short distances. Cable ferries are referred to in Australia and New Zealand as "punts". [[Image:ferry.dartmouth.750pix.jpg|thumb|The Lower Kingswear to Dartmouth ferry, Devon, England. The pontoon carries eight cars and is towed across the River Dart by a small tug. Only two ropes connect the tug to the pontoon]] Free ferries operate in some parts of the world, such as at [[Woolwich]] in [[London]], [[England]] (across the [[River Thames]]); in [[Amsterdam]], [[Netherlands]] (across the [[IJ (bay)|IJ]] waterway); in [[New York Harbor]], connecting [[Manhattan]] to [[Staten Island]]; along the [[Murray River]] in [[South Australia]], and across many lakes in [[British Columbia]]. A [[Reaction ferry|cable ferry]] that charges a toll operates on the [[List of crossings of the Rivière des Prairies|Rivière des Prairies]] between [[Sainte-Dorothée, Quebec|Sainte-Dorothée]] and [[Île Bizard]] in [[Quebec]], [[Canada]]. ===Victorian inventions=== Along the shore of [[Brighton]] there was a "ferry" on rails: the [[Brighton and Rottingdean Seashore Electric Railway]] had carriages mounted {{convert|100|ft|m|-1|abbr=on}} above rails that were under water at high tide. It ran between Brighton and the nearby coastal village of Rottingdean. ===Air ferries=== In the 1950s and 1960s, travel on an "[[air ferry]]" was possible—aeroplanes, often ex-military, specially equipped to take a small number of cars in addition to "foot" passengers. These operated various routes including between the United Kingdom and [[Continental Europe]]. Companies operating such services included [[Corsairfly|Corsair]]. The term is also applied to any "ferrying" by air, and is commonly used when referring to airborne military operations. ==Docking== Ferry boats often dock at specialized facilities designed to position the boat for loading and unloading, called a [[ferry slip]]. If the ferry transports road vehicles or railway carriages there will usually be an adjustable [[Drawbridge|ramp]] called an [[Linkspan|apron]] that is part of the slip. In other cases, the [[Drawbridge|apron ramp]] will be a part of the ferry itself, acting as a wave guard when elevated and lowered to meet a [[Slipway|fixed ramp]] at the terminus &mdash; a road segment that extends partially underwater. ==First, shortest, largest== [[Image:HRM Ferry 1.jpg|thumb|left|[[Metro Transit (Halifax)|Halifax (HRM)]] ferry departing Dartmouth for Halifax, NS]] On [[11 October]] [[1811]] inventor [[John Stevens (inventor)|John Stevens]]' ship the ''Juliana'', began operation as the first [[steam]]-powered ferry (service was between [[New York City]], and [[Hoboken, New Jersey]]). The world's shortest regular ferry route runs a scant few feet across the harbor of [[Edgartown]], [[Massachusetts]] to the island of Chappaquiddick off [[Martha's Vineyard]] Island. Although it operates with no set schedule, it runs every day, hence its name ''On-Time''. The oldest ferry service in continuous operation is the [[Rocky Hill - Glastonbury Ferry]], running between the towns of [[Rocky Hill, Connecticut|Rocky Hill]] and [[Glastonbury, Connecticut|Glastonbury]], [[Connecticut]]. Established in 1655, the ferry has run continuously since, only ceasing operation every winter when the river freezes over. The oldest continuously running salt water ferry service may be the Halifax/Dartmouth ferry, running between the cities of [[City of Halifax|Halifax]] and [[Dartmouth, Nova Scotia|Dartmouth]], [[Nova Scotia]], which has run year-round since 1752, and is currently run by the region's transit authority, [[Metro Transit (Halifax)|Metro Transit]].<ref>[http://www.halifax.ca/metrotransit/ferries.html Halifax Regional Municipality (Metro Transit) page - "Harbour Ferries"</ref> [[Image:HRM Ferry 4.jpg|thumb|[[Metro Transit (Halifax)|Halifax (HRM)]] ferry, close-up, departing Dartmouth for Halifax, NS]] Another contender for oldest ferry is the [[Mersey]] Ferries service from [[Liverpool]] to [[Birkenhead]], [[England]]. There is evidence that there has been a ferry service over the river for over 800 years. Liverpool's city charter in 1207 specifies rights of passage across the river payable by a toll. Two of the world's largest ferry systems are located in the [[Strait of Georgia]], in the Canadian province of [[British Columbia]], and [[Puget Sound]], in the U.S. state of [[Washington]]. [[BC Ferries]] in British Columbia operates 36 vessels, visiting 47 ports of call, while [[Washington State Ferries]] owns 28 vessels, travelling to 20 ports of call around Puget Sound. The [[Sydney Ferries|Sydney Ferries Corporation]] in [[Sydney, Australia]] operates 31 passenger ferries in [[Port Jackson]] (Sydney Harbour), carrying 18 million passengers annually. It operates catamarans and other types of ferries on these routes, with the most famous likely being the Circular Quay-Manly route. Between 1938 and 1974 this route operated the South Steyne, billed at the time as the largest and fastest ferry of its type. Sydney Ferries became an independent corporation owned by the government in 2004. Some of world's busiest ferry routes include the [[Star Ferry]] in [[Hong Kong]] and the [[Staten Island Ferry]] in [[Transportation in New York City|New York City]]. Metrolink Queensland operates 21 passenger ferries on behalf of [[Brisbane]] City Council, 12 being single-hulled ferries and 9 [[Citycat|CityCats]] (catamarans), along the Brisbane River from the [[University of Queensland]] through the city to Brett's Wharf. == Sustainability == With the [[price of oil]] at such high levels, and with increasing pressure from consumers for measures to tackle [[global warming]], a number of innovations for energy and the environment were put forward at the Interferry conference in [[Stockholm]]. According to the company [[Solar Sailor]], hybrid marine power and solar wing technology are suitable for use with ferries, private [[yacht]]s and even tankers. <ref>[http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/-interferry-hears-green-alternatives-/2007/10/05/2993389.htm Interferry hears about green alternatives<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> ==See also== {{nautical portal}} *[[Cable ferry]] *[[Largest ferries of Europe]] *[[List of ferry operators]] *[[Reaction ferry]] *[[Roll-on/roll-off|RORO]], '''R'''oll-'''O'''n, '''R'''oll-'''O'''ff vehicular ferry *[[Train ferry]] *[[Water taxi]] {{commons|Ferry}} {{Public transport}} {{ModernMerchantShipTypes}} ==References== {{reflist}} == External links == * [http://www.interferry.com Interferry]. * [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMQN4vzeSpc Example of double-ended ferry] of the [[Jamestown Ferry]] system. * [http://www.brittany-ferries.co.uk/fleet Examples of a range of ferry models]. 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