Ferry crossings provide transport links between land areas separated by a water barrier. This usually happens when it is impossible to build a bridge for various reasons, or it is impractical to do so. A ferry can work not only for transporting passengers. On it you can organize the movement of goods, road and even railway transport.
Ferry
Many passengers are poisoned by traveling in their cars. You can cross a strait or sea between islands and even continents by ferry. On the lower decks in tight rows are securely parked and fixed cars. Their owners at the same time comfortably enjoy traveling on the upper tiers.
Ferry crossings are often chosen as an alternative to traveling on the freeway. Especially if you have to cross several borders. In order not to stand in lines at checkpoints, you can swing on the waves and relax on a cozy and comfortable ferry. For transportation to be efficient, transport companies use combined ferries. The largest of them have a length of more than 200 meters. The total length of the lanes for transport on them can exceed 4 kilometers, and they can be located on 10-12 decks. Moreover, the maximum time for a full load is only 1.5 hours.
Ferry service: features
In the most simplified form, you can organize transport links between the two banks using a regular boat. It can carry passengers or oversized cargo. Several boats connected together by a common flooring can support a car. Such floating means can be set in motion by the efforts of a rower or by the energy of an engine. In this case, it is customary to talk about a self-propelled ferry. Between two points on opposite banks, you can extend a rope (cable, chain) and install a winch and a block device. A boat fixed to the free end of the rope will move along the established route, and can be controlled from land.
Ferry crossings over long distances between the shores are carried out by ships or pontoons. The most popular combined ships that can take on board cargo, road and rail transport, passengers. The design of the ferries assumes the presence of ramps on them. At loading and unloading points, moorings are arranged, access roads, platforms, overpasses and other auxiliary structures are organized for the quick and convenient movement of goods, passengers and vehicles.
Kerch ferry: features of work
This transport route existed in ancient times. The route crossed the Kerch Strait, related to the waters of the Sea of Azov, in the narrowest spot. Two coasts between the Crimean peninsula and the Krasnodar Territory are located just five kilometers from each other. This modern passenger-and-freight ferry travels in 20-30 minutes.
Transport connection is established around the clock. But it happens that the weather makes its own adjustments. In this case, ferry crossings operate according to the real forecast. Ferries do not run during heavy sea waves. In normal conditions, the ferry carries out up to 30 flights per day.
Attempts to build a bridge across the strait were unsuccessful. Strong stormy winds and ice movements impede the implementation of projects. In Soviet times, not only passengers and cars were transported through the strait. In certain periods, the passage of railway freight and passenger cars by special vessels was also established. The strait is shallow, the greatest depth is 18 meters, which does not allow the use of vessels with large draft on the route.
Ferry Crossing Crimea - Caucasus
The decision to organize it was made by the leadership of the USSR after the failure of the railway bridge over the strait. Since 1954, railway ferries were constantly plying the ferry. Passenger traffic was carried out by small boats. Since the mid 70-ies of XX century, they were replaced by cargo-passenger ships of the icebreaking type.
Currently, four ferries run on the Crimea - Caucasus line around the clock. Protoporos 4 and Pobeda are larger vessels and can take on board 1200–1500 people and 140–200 cars. The Olympiad and Crimea ferries accommodate 580–700 passengers and up to 145 vehicles, respectively.
