Roll on/roll off ferry and multiramp pier

Abstract

Various aspects provide for a ferry having a lower deck (310). An entrance (130) in the hull provides access to the lower deck via an entrance ramp (312). The entrance may be located sufficiently high above the waterline that a sea-tight door to the entrance is not required. One or more upper decks may be accessed via upperdeck access ramps, which may connect an upper deck to an upperdeck entrance. A pier (602) may comprise a plurality of loading platforms, typically at different heights, configured to match up with a corresponding plurality of entrances on a ferry.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention generally relates to ro-ro ferries. Background technique [0002] Ferries constructed to carry wheeled vehicles may support "roll-on-roll-off" operations. Vehicles (eg, cars, trucks, buses, trailers) etc. can be driven onto and disembarked from a ferry via one or more entrances; such ferries are known as ro-ro ferries. [0003] Large ro-ro ferries often have beams greater than 15 meters and drafts greater than 4 meters. The freeboard (the vertical distance from the waterline to the lowest point of the hull molding line where water can enter the hull) may be greater than 3 meters. Typically, large ferries have multiple decks so vehicles can be loaded on each deck. [0004] The combination of multiple decks presents a conundrum. To improve stability, cargo (and the deck on which it sits) are usually arranged as low as possible, subject to minimum reserve buoyancy requirements. However, the lower deck arranged at a position lowe...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Such devices can be expensive and heavy and difficult to maneuver, especially on large ferries

Damaged moving ramps may not work and thus may prevent unloading (e.g. after an accident)

Moving such a device can be dangerous, especially if there are a large number of people in the vehicle

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