A wharf ( pl. wharves or wharfs ), quay ( / k iː / kee , also / k eɪ , k w eɪ / k(w)ay ), staith , or staithe is a structure on the shore of a harbour or on the bank of a river or canal where ships may dock to load and unload cargo or passengers. Such a structure includes one or more berths ( mooring locations), and may also include piers , warehouses , or other facilities necessary for handling the ships. Wharves are often considered to be a series of docks at which boats are stationed. A marginal wharf is connected to the shore along its full length.
23-639: Boat Quay is a historical quay in Singapore which is situated upstream from the mouth of the Singapore River on its southern bank . It spans from the shophouses near UOB Plaza , stretching along one bank of the Singapore River, all the way till Elgin Bridge . It was the busiest part of the old Port of Singapore , handling three-quarters of all shipping business during the 1860s. Because
46-428: A fixed platform, often on pilings . Commercial ports may have warehouses that serve as interim storage: where it is sufficient a single wharf with a single berth constructed along the land adjacent to the water is normally used; where there is a need for more capacity multiple wharves, or perhaps a single large wharf with multiple berths, will instead be constructed, sometimes projecting over the water. A pier, raised over
69-472: A pedestrian mall. During the 1800s, Boat Quay was used to transfer various goods onto cargo ships, such as porcelain, rubber and spices. Trading in Boat Quay reached a peak in the mid-1800s. The Singapore government cleaned-up the river in 1983 and moved the remaining shipping industry's lighters to a new quay near Pasir Panjang. Therefore, the Boat Quay was deserted and unused from 1983 to 1989. In 1986,
92-590: Is a flattish boat that relies on floats to remain buoyant. These pontoons (also called tubes ) contain much reserve buoyancy and allow designers to create large deck plans fitted with a variety of accommodations including expansive lounge areas, stand-up bars, and sun pads. More horsepower is now able to be applied to the stern due to design improvements. Pontoon boat drafts may be as shallow as eight inches (20 centimetres), which reduces risk of running aground and underwater damage; this allows it to come close to shore to pick up and drop off loads. The 1952 invention of
115-585: The Urban Redevelopment Authority announced plans to preserve Boat Quay as part of a master plan for conserving the whole of the Singapore River and its environs. On 7 July 1989, an area encompassing South Bridge Road , Circular Road, Lorong Telok and North Canal Road was gazetted. The two- and three-storey shophouses in that area, with their characteristic five-foot way beneath projecting upper floors, were preserved and transformed into new businesses. The shophouses and godowns along
138-597: The staith spelling as a distinction from simple wharves: for example, Dunston Staiths in Gateshead and Brancaster Staithe in Norfolk . However, the term staith may also be used to refer only to loading chutes or ramps used for bulk commodities like coal in loading ships and barges. Quay , on the other hand, has its origin in the Proto-Celtic language . Before it changed to its current form under influence of
161-612: The Opera Cafe at No. 40 Boat Quay was modified to create an ambiance similar to an opera stage-set. The ground floor of the Lim Family Shophouse at No. 58 Boat Quay was converted into a Japanese restaurant. The upper floor is used as a weekend flat for the Lim family, who lived in the building since 1908. The architect Mok Wei Wei created more open space by demolishing some of the original partition walls, but kept and restored
184-755: The Republic of Ireland, and may also refer to neighbourhoods and roadways running along the wayside (for example, Queen's Quay in Toronto and Belfast ). The term wharf is more common in the United States. In some contexts wharf and quay may be used to mean pier , berth , or jetty . In old ports such as London (which once had around 1700 wharves ) many old wharves have been converted to residential or office use. Certain early railways in England referred to goods loading points as "wharves". The term
207-404: The city has shifted away from that of trade and maritime commerce, and now leans towards more of a role accommodated for tourism and aesthetics for the commercial zone of which encloses the Singapore River. It is the soft front to the cosmopolitan banking and financial sectors lying immediately behind it. Boat Quay is also the name of the road along the quay, which has since been converted into
230-401: The development charges, car parking requirements and car park deficiency charges. The historic shophouses could now easily be re-used for modern businesses, such as restaurants, cafes, bars and small shops. The interior of the buildings could be modified with the new use in mind, in some cases using new non-traditional interior ornamentation, materials, and colours. For instance, the interior of
253-477: The early 2000s, with boats now featuring larger tubes, increased engine horsepower, and cuddy cabins . Pontoon boats are used for pleasure on lakes and rivers, and in some cases on oceans close to shore. Pontoon watersport activities include tubing, waterskiing, and wakeboarding. Common pontoon accessories include inflatable slides, diving boards, sun shades, and Bimini tops . They are also used as small vessel ferries to cross rivers and lakes in many parts of
SECTION 10
#1732780268269276-690: The modern French quai , its Middle English spelling was key , keye or caye . This in turn also came from the Old Norman cai ( Old French / French chai "wine cellar"), meaning originally "earth bank near a river", then "bank built at a port to allow ship docking". The French term quai comes, through Picard or Norman-French, from Gaulish caio , ultimately tracing back to the Proto-Celtic *kagio- "to encompass, enclose". Modern cognates include Welsh cae "fence, hedge" and Cornish ke "hedge", Pontoon (boat) A pontoon boat
299-793: The northeast and east of England the term staith or staithe (from the Norse for landing stage) is also used. The two terms have historically had a geographical distinction: those to the north in the Kingdom of Northumbria used the Old English spelling staith , southern sites of the Danelaw took the Danish spelling staithe . Both originally referred to jetties or wharves. In time, the northern coalfields of Northumbria developed coal staiths specifically for loading coal onto ships and these would adopt
322-448: The original teak floors, paint colour on the window frames, wooden balcony doors, and tile roofs. The historic blackwood furniture and art pieces were also restored and re-used. Multiple startup companies also rent offices around the Boat Quay and nearby Circular Road area. 1°17′12.65″N 103°50′58.24″E / 1.2868472°N 103.8495111°E / 1.2868472; 103.8495111 Quay A wharf commonly comprises
345-483: The pontoon motorboat in the United States is credited to a farmer who lived on the Horseshoe Chain of Lakes, near Richmond, Minnesota . Ambrose Weeres put a wooden platform on two columns of steel barrels welded together end-to-end, creating a sturdy deck that would be more stable on a lake than a conventional boat. Living in the "Land of 10,000 Lakes", Weeres thought this idea might be marketed. The first boat
368-1053: The pontoon. Pontoons may support a platform, creating a raft . A raft supporting a house-like structure is a houseboat . A pontoon boat keeping a sauna cabin is called a sauna boat or sauntoon. Small inflatable pontoon boats are one or two-person, catamaran-type boats, designed for leisure and fishing. Their pontoons are made out of abrasion-resistant PVC and nylon with aluminum, steel, and plastic frames for support. In today’s setting, more and more people prefer to use frameless pontoon boats. They are powered with paddles , oars and often with electric trolling motors using deep cycle lead batteries . Commonly they are equipped with motor mount, battery storage area, fishing rod holders, canopy, fishfinder mount, small anchor , and other required fishing gear. Such boats are suitable for ponds, lakes, rivers, and seas during calm weather. However, due to their light weight, they are susceptible to waves and windy conditions. Nonetheless, such boats are often used even for big game fishing . The pontoon effect
391-409: The river bank were restored in the 1990s and are now bustling shops, restaurants and bars. When the area became a conservation area in 1989, redevelopment began and by 1993 all historic shophouses were under reconstruction. The Singapore Urban Redevelopment Authority issued stringent guidelines for the restoration but did not provide cash grants or tax relief for conservation projects but waived some of
414-403: The south of the river here resembles the belly of a carp , which according to Chinese belief is where wealth and prosperity lay, many shophouses were built, crowded into the area. Though serving aquatic trade is no longer Boat Quay's primary role, the shophouses on it have been carefully conserved and now house various bars, pubs and restaurants. Therefore, Boat Quay's social-economic role in
437-486: The water rather than within it, is commonly used for cases where the weight or volume of cargos will be low. Smaller and more modern wharves are sometimes built on flotation devices ( pontoons ) to keep them at the same level as the ship, even during changing tides. In everyday parlance the term quay (pronounced 'key') is common in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and many other Commonwealth countries, and
460-580: The world, especially in Africa . Pontoon ferries may be motorized, such as the Kazungula Ferry across the Zambezi River , or powered by another boat, or pulled by cables. A type of ferry known as the cable ferry (also called punts in medieval times and in modern Australia and New Zealand ) pull themselves across a river using a motor or human power applied to the cable, which also guides
483-510: Was "The Empress". He built a few boats and sold them with the help of dealers. He started Weeres Industries to meet unexpected demand. Weeres, later called "Mr. Pontoon", was elected to the Minnesota Marina Hall of Fame . Common pontoon boat designs are a catamaran with two hulls , or a trimaran with three hulls. Boats with three hulls are sometimes called tri-toons. Pontoon boat designs have changed significantly since
SECTION 20
#1732780268269506-719: Was carried over from marine usage. The person who was resident in charge of the wharf was referred to as a "wharfinger". The word wharf comes from the Old English hwearf , cognate to the Old Dutch word werf , which both evolved to mean "yard", an outdoor place where work is done, like a shipyard ( Dutch : scheepswerf ) or a lumberyard (Dutch: houtwerf ). Originally, werf or werva in Old Dutch ( werf , wer in Old Frisian ) simply referred to inhabited ground that
529-461: Was not yet built on (similar to " yard " in modern English), or alternatively to a terp . This could explain the name Ministry Wharf located at Saunderton, just outside High Wycombe, which is nowhere near any body of water. In support of this explanation is the fact that many places in England with "wharf" in their names are in areas with a high Dutch influence, for example the Norfolk broads. In
#268731