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117-533: The Mersey Ferry is a ferry service operating on the River Mersey in northwest England , between Liverpool to the east and Birkenhead and Wallasey on the Wirral Peninsula to the west. Ferries have been used on this route since at least the 12th century and continue to be popular for both local people and visitors. The current fleet consists of two vessels. A third ferry, Royal Daffodil

234-413: A Liverpool-Birkehead-Seacombe-Liverpool circuit, but since then only runs every 20 minutes from Liverpool-Seacombe Ferry and back. The evening peak service runs Liverpool-Seacombe every 20 minutes. The Explorer cruises follow a Liverpool-Seacombe-Birkenhead-Liverpool pattern and sail slightly further upstream with a commentary of what can be seen. These operations run with a bias towards Seacombe Ferry as

351-757: A bow and 14 arrows valued at 3s 4d (current value - over £95) and a barge valued at £10 (current value - over £5,700). The thieves were fined. A licence was issued in 1357 to the Poole family by Edward, the Black Prince , for a ferry from Eastham . The licence then passed to the Abbey of St Werburgh , in Chester , and became known as Job's Ferry. Early ferries also existed across the Mersey further upstream, at Ince and at Runcorn . The monks of Birkenhead Priory operated

468-433: A car ferry still departs from each harbor every 15 minutes during daytime. The route is around 2.2 nautical miles (4.1 km; 2.5 mi) and the crossing takes 22 minutes. Today, all ferries on this route are constructed so that they do not need to turn around in the harbors. This also means that the ferries lack stems and sterns, since the vessels sail in both directions. Starboard and port-side are dynamic, depending on

585-655: A draft of 9 feet (2.7 meters). It was capable of travelling up to 6 knots with the side wheel turned by its 450-horsepower, single-cylinder, two-cycle steam engine. Launched in 1872, Suhulet's unique features consisted of a symmetrical entry and exit for horse carriages, along with a dual system of hatchways. The ferry operated on the Üsküdar-Kabataş route, which is still serviced by modern ferries today. In Hong Kong , Star Ferry carries passengers across Victoria Harbour . Other carriers ferry travelers between Hong Kong Island and outlying islands like Cheung Chau , Lantau Island and Lamma Island . The Malaysian state of Penang

702-407: A facility for braking the engines for rapid reversal, the telegraphs were part of a brand known as "Synchrostep" and were all originally unpainted brushed aluminium with shiny brass rimming. Overchurch had the same telegraph 'heads' however they were fitted into the wings and main control position in specially built units which also had instruments fitted to them. They entered service in 1960 and were

819-770: A ferry service until the Dissolution of the Monasteries and the priory's destruction by Henry VIII's troops in 1536. Ownership reverted to the Crown, and in 1544 the ferry rights as well as the Priory properties were bought by Ralph Worsley of Lancashire for £586. 11s. 6d (current value - almost £205,000). The rights later passed to the Molyneux family. By 1541 William Bromley had the licence for ferries at Seacombe , and in 1586, Queen Elizabeth granted John Poole of Sutton

936-706: A floating headquarters for the Island Cruising Club in Salcombe , Devon, not far from her original birthplace. In 2016, the vessel underwent extensive repairs to her hull in Sharpness , Gloucestershire, before being again laid up. As of April 2019, the vessel is no longer in use by the ICC and has been offered for sale. The current Mersey Ferries fleet comprises two vessels, based on a similar design by naval architects Graham and Woolnough of Liverpool. Until 2012

1053-520: A funnel livery of white and black and Birkenhead red and black. Birkenhead changed to orange and black after the second world war. When the railway tunnels were constructed and opened, the ferry service did suffer somewhat but it always remained popular. It was really the advent of the road tunnels that caused trouble. When the Queensway road tunnel opened in 1934, the ferry service from Seacombe lost two million passengers because people started to use

1170-441: A gradual reduction in patronage, Birkenhead Corporation gradually closed its southern terminals; New Ferry (officially) on 22 September 1927, Eastham in 1929 and Rock Ferry on 30 June 1939. The closure of Eastham marked the last use of ferry paddle steamers on the river. Wallasey were always trying to close Egremont, but faced stiff opposition from locals who got petitions to keep the ferry open. The chance came to close Egremont during

1287-408: A hit with ferry passengers. They were light, modern and boasted the latest in marine navigation equipment. They were given an orange and black funnel livery, with a red band just above the rubbing strake. In their early years of service both the ferries carried rope fenders to protect the strakes. On the bridge was also a brass talk tube that linked down to the engine room. A prank amongst bridge crews

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1404-453: A hole near her bow , she was beached near Seacombe. Repaired at Cammell Laird , she subsequently returned to service. During the 1970s the fleet was rationalised, with surplus vessels being put up for sale. Leasowe was sold into Greek ownership in 1974 and renamed Naias II . By 1980 she had been sold on and was renamed Cavo Doro . She remained in service until the early 2000s and is reported to have since been scrapped. Royal Daffodil II

1521-910: A network of smaller ferries, or water taxis , that shuttle commuters along the Hudson River from locations in New Jersey and Northern Manhattan down to the midtown, downtown and Wall Street business centers. Several ferry companies also offer service linking midtown and lower Manhattan with locations in the boroughs of Queens and Brooklyn , crossing the city's East River . New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced in February 2015 that city would begin an expanded Citywide Ferry Service, and launched as NYC Ferry in 2017, linking heretofore relatively isolated communities such as Manhattan 's Lower East Side , Soundview in The Bronx , Astoria and

1638-591: A number which may be higher due to the prevalence of unregistered vessels. In 2014, the launch Pinak 6 sank in the Padma River with more than 200 passengers aboard near Munshiganj's Louhajang Upazila . Due to the geographical features of Russia, it has a large number of both sea and river ferry crossings. Car ferries operate from the continental part of Russia to Sakhalin, Kamchatka and Japan. The Ust-Luga – Kaliningrad ferry also runs, until February 2022 ferries also ran from St. Petersburg to different cities of

1755-603: 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 bridges or tunnels . Ship connections of much larger distances (such as over long distances in water bodies like the Mediterranean Sea ) may also be called ferry services, and many carry vehicles. The profession of the ferryman is embodied in Greek mythology in Charon ,

1872-459: A speed of around 12 knots , which is about the same as today's trio of ferries. On early paddlers, the wheelhouse and side cabs were open largely due to the transition from sail to steam, and most ships at the time had open navigation bridges with the ferries being no different. Birkenhead did not use flying bridges, instead having a central wheelhouse and two outer navigation boxes which were raised up higher above deck level. Wallasey ferries employed

1989-466: A third ferry, Royal Daffodil , was also in service. Originally named Mountwood , Woodchurch and Overchurch after overspill post-war housing developments of Birkenhead, they were commissioned into service by Birkenhead Corporation. Mountwood and Woodchurch were built at Dartmouth by Philip and Son. The Mountwood was launched on the 31 July 1959 and the Woodchurch on the 28 October of

2106-486: A traditional design by naval architects Graham and Woolnough, who are based in Liverpool, but boasted modern equipment including Crossley multi-speed engines for versatile control. They only had one single boarding gangway and their forward saloons extended to the whole width of the ship. This proved somewhat problematic especially at busy periods, so an additional gangway space was added on the promenade deck for use with

2223-426: A wheelhouse and navigation boxes like Mountwood and Woodchurch . The addition of a totally enclosed bridge meant that there only needed to be one binnacle upon it, whereas on the two sisters there were three, one inside the main wheelhouse and two in the docking/navigation boxes. The Overchurch also had much of its instrumentation fitted into specially built units, meaning the ferry had a spacious bridge, rather than

2340-433: Is SeaBus . 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 , as well as Bay , NFL , CTMA , Coastal Transport , and STQ . Canadian waters in

2457-631: Is a part of the larger Sagar Mala project . Water transport in Mumbai consists of ferries, hovercraft, and catamarans, operated by various government agencies as well as private entities. The Kerala State Water Transport Department (SWTD), operating under the Ministry of Transport, Government of Kerala , India regulates the inland navigation systems in the Indian state of Kerala and provides inland water transport facilities. It stands for catering to

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2574-1058: Is also operated from Woods Hole to Oak Bluffs during the summer and fall. 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 ferry heavy freight and supplies, such as construction materials and fuel, competing with tug and barge companies. 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 , (New Bedford Fast Ferry) Falmouth , (Island Queen ferry and Falmouth Ferry) and Harwich (Freedom Cruise Line). Ferries also bring riders and vehicles across Long Island Sound to such Connecticut cities as Bridgeport and New London , and to Block Island in Rhode Island from points on Long Island . Transbay commuting in

2691-665: Is essential in the region. The state operates twelve routes, eight of which are under the oversight of the North Carolina Department of Transportation Ferry Division , three of which are under the direct oversight of the North Carolina Department of Transportation , and one of which is under the oversight of the North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation . Three of the Ferry Division routes are tolled, and all ferry routes operated by

2808-729: Is hand powered. Due to the numbers of large freshwater lakes and length of shoreline in Canada, various provinces and territories have ferry services. BC Ferries operates the third largest ferry service in the world which 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 Haida Gwaii . In 2015, BC Ferries carried more than 8 million vehicles and 20 million passengers. In Vancouver there

2925-837: Is home to the oldest ferry service in the country. This service, now called Rapid Ferry , connects the Raja Tun Uda Ferry Terminal at Weld Quay in George Town on Penang Island with the Sultan Abdul Halim Ferry Terminal in Butterworth on Peninsular Malaysia . It has also become a tourist attraction among foreigners. In the Philippines , the Philippine Nautical Highway System forms

3042-480: Is made possible by two ferry lines Shepler's Ferry and Mackinac Island Ferry Company (formerly Star Line) . A ferry service runs between Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Muskegon, Michigan operated by Lake Express . Another ferry SS Badger operates between Manitowoc, Wisconsin and Ludington, Michigan . Both cross Lake Michigan . Numerous additional inland ferry routes exist in the United States, such as

3159-512: Is no alternative crossing of the river. The busiest seaway in the world, the English Channel , connects Great Britain and mainland Europe, with ships sailing from the UK ports of Dover , Newhaven , Poole, Portsmouth and Plymouth to French ports, such as Calais , Dunkirk , Dieppe , Roscoff , Cherbourg-Octeville , Caen , St Malo and Le Havre . The busiest ferry route to France is

3276-466: Is the kosha, a small, highly manoeuvrable boat that is easy to operate. These various traditional wooden boats play a vital role in providing transportation during the rainy season when other modes become impractical due to flooding. The ferries are often overloaded and continue to operate in poor weather; many people die each year in ferry and launch accidents. From 2005 to 2015, nearly 1,800 casualties have been reported due to river transport incidents,

3393-596: Is the Algiers Ferry, which has been in continuous operation since 1827 and is one of the oldest operating ferries in North America. In New England, vehicle-carrying ferry services between mainland Cape Cod and the islands of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket are operated by 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

3510-541: Is the San Francisco ferry system, which will receive $ 11.5 million to improve the connection between Treasure Island and Mission Bay. In Maine, the ferry system will be upgraded in Lincolnville and Islesboro. Additionally, Alaska will receive a significant $ 106.4 million grant to replace a 60-year-old vessel operating in the southwest. This vessel is a crucial connector for the region. These grants are part of

3627-504: The Baltic Sea between Finland , Åland , Sweden , Estonia , Latvia and Saint Petersburg , Russia . In many ways, these ferries are like cruise ships , but they can also carry hundreds of cars on car decks. Besides providing passenger and car transport across the sea, Baltic Sea cruise-ferries are a popular tourist destination unto themselves, with multiple restaurants, nightclubs, bars, shops and entertainment on board. Helsinki

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3744-473: 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 in islands already suffering from the impact of mass tourism. Stage coach Too Many Requests If you report this error to

3861-768: The Cave-In-Rock Ferry across the Ohio River, and the Benton-Houston Ferry across the Tennessee River. The FTA announced in September 2024 that it would award $ 300 million in grants to modernize ferry systems in the United States. These grants will support 18 projects across 14 states, emphasizing upgrading environmentally friendly propulsion systems. Eight of the 18 projects will receive funding for this purpose. One notable project

3978-796: The Great Lakes once hosted numerous ferry services, but these have been reduced to those offered by Owen Sound Transportation and several smaller operations. There are also several commuter passenger ferry services operated in major cities, such as Metro Transit in Halifax , and Toronto Island ferries in Toronto. There is also the Société des traversiers du Québec . Due to the North Carolina coast's geography, consisting of numerous sounds, inlets, tidal arms, and islands, ferry transportation

4095-534: The Gulf of Alaska . AMHS provides affordable access to many small communities with no road connection or airport. The Staten Island Ferry in New York City , sailing between the boroughs of Manhattan and Staten Island , is the nation's single busiest ferry route by passenger volume. Unlike riders on many other ferry services, Staten Island Ferry passengers do not pay any fare to ride it. New York City also has

4212-741: The National Park Service . Until the completion of the Mackinac Bridge in the 1950s, ferries were used for vehicle transportation between the Lower and the Upper Peninsulas of Michigan , across the Straits of Mackinac in the United States. Ferry service for bicycles and passengers continues across the straits for transport to Mackinac Island , where motorized vehicles are almost completely prohibited. This crossing

4329-535: The North Island with Picton in the South Island , linking New Zealand's two main islands. The route is 92 kilometres (57 mi), and is run by two companies – government-owned Interislander , and independent Bluebridge , who say the trip takes three and half hours. Ferry designs depend on the length of the route, the passenger or vehicle capacity required, speed requirements and the water conditions

4446-623: The P&;O Pioneer , which entered service in June 2023 replacing Pride of Kent. Hydrofoils 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

4563-560: The San Francisco Bay Area was primarily ferry-based until the advent of automobiles in the 1940s, and most bridges in the area were built to supplant ferry services. By the 1970s, ferries were primarily used by tourists with Golden Gate Ferry , an organization under the ownership of the same governing body as the Golden Gate Bridge , left as the sole commute operator. The 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake prompted

4680-628: The Second World War for economic reasons, after the pier was damaged in a collision. This was in similar circumstances to the demise of New Ferry twenty years earlier. As a result, the Egremont service never reopened. In 1941, mines which had drifted into the River Mersey stopped ferry crossings. The Oxton and Bebington vessels were fitted with cranes to enable them to unload United States aircraft from mid-river and deliver them to

4797-490: The Seikan Tunnel and Honshū–Shikoku Bridge Project ) have been constructed, the ferry transportation has recently become for short-distance sightseeing passengers with or without car, and for long-distance truck drivers hauling goods. The country's extensive river network makes ferries a practical and affordable mode of transport. Passenger ferries, locally referred to as "launches," are widely used to travel to

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4914-407: The pilot boat Edmund Gardner at Merseyside Maritime Museum . The Leasowe and Egremont were popular ferries with their crews as they had much improved crew accommodation compared to the earlier steamers, where much of the lower deck space was taken up with boilers and machinery. When the ferries entered service they all had Wallasey white and black funnel liveries. A second Royal Daffodil II

5031-468: The " Mersey Ferries " brand. In about 1150, the Benedictine Priory at Birkenhead was established. The monks used to charge a small fare to row passengers across the river. At this time, the Mersey was considerably wider with sand dunes and marshes to the north leading up to Ainsdale beach and sandstone cliffs and shorelines to the south near Otterspool. The only suitable landing point for

5148-405: The 1906 pair, Royal Iris and Royal Daffodil . The Wallasey twin screw vessels all had flying bridges with port and starboard docking cabs. As built, the two ferries still had the wheel at promenade deck level, however this was subsequently moved up onto the bridge, so navigation was all on one level. They were all fitted with ahead and astern reciprocating engines and most vessels could achieve

5265-730: The 1920s or 1930s, remaining until the merger of the two fleets under the Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive in 1969. When the ferries were taken over by the MPTE, the liveries of Birkenhead and Wallasey were replaced initially with a primrose yellow and powder blue colour scheme. This was followed by a black and green livery, then in 1984 by the colours of the Union Flag for the International Garden Festival celebrations. By

5382-661: The 1960s and 1970s. Sailing ships from the Tall Ships' Race visited the river in August 1984, which helped bring patronage to 250,000 over four days, a level unseen for forty years. On 26 October 1986 as a result of the Transport Act 1985 , bus services were deregulated and restrictions which prevented regular bus services through the Mersey Tunnels were abolished. As a result, many buses which formerly stopped at

5499-453: The 1990s the vessels carried a red and black colour scheme, similar to that previously used by Birkenhead Corporation. Ferry A ferry is a boat that transports passengers, and occasionally vehicles and cargo, across a body of water. A small passenger ferry with multiple stops, like those in Venice , Italy , is sometimes referred to as a water taxi or water bus . Ferries form

5616-522: The Baltic Sea has several routes mainly for heavy traffic and cars. The ferry routes of Rødby - Puttgarden , Trelleborg - Rostock , Trelleborg - Travemünde , Trelleborg - Świnoujście , Gedser - Rostock , Gdynia - Karlskrona , and Ystad - Świnoujście are all typical transports ferries. On the longer of these routes, simple cabins are available. Some of these routes previously also carried trains, but since 2020 these trains are instead routed around

5733-632: The Baltic Sea. Before the construction of the Kerch Bridge, there was a ferry across the Kerch Strait, whose service was resumed after the Kerch bridge explosion . There are also more than 100 ferry crossings on different rivers in Russia. These are usually symmetrical through ferries with two ramps for quick entry and exit of cars. For some categories of car owners, these ferries may be free if there

5850-686: The Baltic via the Great Belt fixed link and Jutland . In Istanbul , ferries connect the European and Asian shores of Bosphorus , as well as Princes' Islands and nearby coastal towns. In 2014, İDO transported 47 million passengers, the largest ferry system in the world. The largest ferry system in Italy is in Venice , the city best known for its extensive canals. Called Water Taxis ( Italian : Veniza Taxi ), they provide service all around

5967-466: The Birkenhead Ferry began operating from a new site just to the south; this closed in 1870. The Woodside, North Birkenhead and Liverpool Steam Ferry Company was formed in 1835, and the slipway at Woodside was widened and constructed as a stone pier. In 1838, the Monks Ferry Company began operating rival ferries from a new stone slip and hotel about 400 metres south of Woodside, but this service closed in 1878. From about 1830, steam ferries also operated from

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6084-459: The Birkenhead Woodside bus/ferry terminal were extended into Liverpool. This was another blow to the Mersey Ferries and the ferry service had to be re-focussed away from commuter traffic, which had declined, to tourist needs. From 1990 a commuter shuttle has operated Monday-Friday peak period with an hourly River Explorer Cruise. At weekends River Explorer cruises operate from 10:00 to 18:00. The morning peak service until 2010 ran every 30 minutes on

6201-411: The Dover to Calais crossing with approximately 9,168,000 passengers using the service in 2018. Ferries from Great Britain also sail to Belgium, 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. In Britain, car-carrying ferries are sometimes referred to as RORO (roll-on, roll-off) for

6318-560: The FTA's efforts to improve ferry transportation in the United States and promote sustainable transportation options. Mexico has ferry services run by Baja Ferries that connect La Paz located on the Baja California Peninsula with Mazatlán and Topolobampo . Passenger ferries also run from Playa del Carmen to the island of Cozumel . There are several ferries in South America. Chacao Channel has ferry lines. In Australia, two Spirit of Tasmania ferries carry passengers and vehicles 450 kilometres (280 mi) across Bass Strait ,

6435-426: The Liverpool landing stage. The Upton vessel was taken by the army and used as a ferry and supply vessel for the anti-aircraft forts in Liverpool Bay . In 1950, the ferries carried almost 30 million passengers a year, including 11 million on the Woodside ferries and 15 million on Seacombe ferries, but by 1970 the total number fell to 7 million. Night boats across the river were withdrawn and replaced by buses through

6552-399: The North Carolina Department of Transportation carry both vehicles and pedestrians, although certain vessels only carry pedestrians and cyclists. The National Park Service additionally works with private companies to offer ferry service to locations such as Cape Lookout and Portsmouth . Washington State Ferries operates the most extensive ferry system in the continental United States and

6669-427: The Rock, Woodside and Seacombe. The service from New Ferry to Liverpool was first mentioned in 1774. The first steamship to operate on the Mersey was the Elizabeth , a wooden paddle steamer, which was introduced in 1815 to operate between Liverpool and Runcorn. There was considerable debate as to the best way of boarding a ferry vessel. For the steam ferry Etna , which entered service at Tranmere on 17 April 1817,

6786-479: The Rockaways in Queens and such Brooklyn neighborhoods as Bay Ridge , Sunset Park , and Red Hook with existing ferry landings in Lower Manhattan and Midtown Manhattan . A second expansion phase connected Staten Island to the West Side of Manhattan, and added a stop in Throgs Neck, in the Bronx. NYC Ferry is now the largest passenger fleet in the United States. The New Orleans area also has many ferries that carry both vehicles and pedestrians. Most notable

6903-402: The Wallasey Local Board took over the ferry services at Seacombe, Egremont and New Brighton. At Woodside, land between the Woodside Hotel and the end of the old pier was reclaimed, and in 1861 the floating landing stage was opened. The pontoons were towed into position, moored by chains originally made for the SS Great Eastern , and linked to the mainland by two double bridges. The Cheshire ,

7020-592: The backbone of the nationwide transport system by integrating ports with highway systems; the system has three main routes. Another known ferry service is the Pasig River Ferry Service , which is the only water-based transportation in Metro Manila . This system cruises the Pasig River . India's ro-ro ferry service between Ghogha and Dahej was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 22 October 2017. It aims to connect South Gujarat and Saurashtra currently separated by 360 kilometres (220 mi) of roadway to 31 kilometres (19 mi) of ferry service. It

7137-435: The boatman who transported souls across the River Styx to the Underworld . Speculation that a pair of oxen propelled a ship having a water wheel can be found in 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 Experiment (horse powered boat) . In 1850

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7254-558: The body of water that separates Tasmania from the Australian mainland, often under turbulent sea conditions. These run overnight but also include day crossings in peak time. Both ferries are based in the northern Tasmanian port city of Devonport and sail to Geelong . Before Geelong this ferry used to sail to Melbourne . The double-ended Freshwater-class ferry cuts an iconic shape as it makes its way up and down Sydney Harbour New South Wales , Australia between Manly and Circular Quay . In New Zealand, ferries connect Wellington in

7371-413: The city's canals . They can comfortably carry up to 10 people, and can take individuals from the airport to their hotel. There are several companies that offer this service, including Vaporetto and Alilaguna. They operate on a series of lines that stop at different locations around Venice. The world's shortest ferry line is the Ferry Lina in Töreboda , Sweden . It takes around 20–25 seconds and

7488-499: The country, especially during the rainy season. These boats transport over 1.2 million tonnes of freight annually. Among these are the dingi , which is the oldest form of Bengal boat. Larger cargo boats includes vessels such as the balam , bajra and sampan . Under the category of bainkata (flat-bottomed) boats are the ghasi , gachari , dorakha , kathami , mallar , patam and panshi , among others. Ubiquitous throughout Bangladesh, especially in monsoon flood-prone regions,

7605-538: The craft must deal with. 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 BC Ferries , the Staten Island Ferry , Washington State Ferries , Star Ferry , several ferries on the North Carolina Ferry System , and the Lake Champlain Transportation Company . Most Norwegian fjord and coastal ferries are double-ended vessels. All ferries from southern Prince Edward Island to

7722-411: The direction the ferry sails. Despite the short crossing, the ferries are equipped with restaurants (on three out of four ferries), cafeterias, and kiosks. Passengers without cars often make a double or triple return journey in the restaurants; for this, a single journey ticket is sufficient. Passenger and bicycle passenger tickets are inexpensive compared with longer routes. Large cruiseferries sail in

7839-488: The docking of these vessels, and oversees 380 launch terminals. There are 53 roll-on/roll-off ferries running on seven routes across the country: Paturia–Daulatdia, Aricha–Kazirhat, Shimulia–Banglabazar, Bhola–Lakshmipur, Lajarhat–Veduria, Char Kalipur–Kalipur Bazar and Harinaghat Chandpur–Shariatpur. More than 800,000 small and medium wooden sailboats and rowboats , often retrofitted to be motorised, are an important means of transportation for people and goods across

7956-405: The ease by which vehicles can board and leave. The busiest single ferry route in terms of the number of departures is across the northern part of Øresund , between Helsingborg , Scania , Sweden and Elsinore , Denmark . Before the Øresund bridge was opened in July 2000, car and "car and train" ferries departed up to seven times every hour (every 8.5 minutes). This has since been reduced, but

8073-433: The ferries and can be seen as the beginning of their rise from the slump of the 1970s. For the duration of the International Garden Festival , a special ferry service was provided to Otterspool Promenade . This service was usually operated by the Overchurch . The ferries also began to operate summer Manchester Ship Canal cruises, a service which had been popular for many years since the canal opened but declined somewhat in

8190-409: The ferries are noted to look in poor condition during this period. In 1989, Mountwood and Woodchurch were withdrawn and extensively refurbished internally which resulted in complete rewiring and main engine repairs. They were given new modern interiors and their separate bridge wings and wheel houses were plated over to form one large bridge, although none of the original equipment was removed from

8307-419: The ferries was limited considerably, with the Woodchurch being laid up as a salvage for parts for Mountwood and Overchurch . At this time, the large brass helm from Overchurch was damaged and was replaced by that from Woodchurch . After the damaged helm was repaired, it was placed on Woodchurch . This has remained the case, even after both vessels were extensively rebuilt. 1984 was a momentous year for

8424-523: The ferry service at New Ferry. In 1914 King George V and Queen Mary travelled on the ferry Daffodil from Wallasey to Liverpool. During the First World War the steamers Iris and Daffodil were taken out of service from Wallasey to be used as troop ships in the naval raid on Zeebrugge in Belgium. The ferries had a shallow draft, allowing them to skim over the mines floating beneath

8541-408: The ferry services. The Woodside ferry service began using twin-screw passenger steamers in 1890, which replaced paddle steamers . In 1894 trains were carrying 25,000 passengers per day and the ferries 44,000 per day. The ferry service at Tranmere, which had operated since mediaeval times, closed in 1897. The pier and landing stage at Rock Ferry was built in 1899, and Birkenhead Corporation also operated

8658-488: The ferry was in the Pool, near the site of the present Merseyside Police headquarters. Weather often stopped crossings and passengers were delayed for days, taking shelter at the priory. In 1317, a royal licence was issued, granting permission to the Priory to build lodging houses for men crossing the river at Woodside . King Edward II visited Liverpool in 1323, and the royal accounts show that he used local ferrymen to sail up

8775-620: The first passenger ferry steamer to have a saloon, operated from Woodside in 1864. The iron pier at Eastham was built in 1874. On 26 November 1878, the ferry Gem , a paddle steamer operated from Seacombe by the Wallasey Local Board, collided with the Bowfell , a wooden sailing ship at anchor on the River Mersey; five people died as a result. In 1886 the Mersey Railway Tunnel was opened, providing competition for

8892-597: The high level terminal gangways. The forward saloons also had facility for a bar area and dance floor, which meant the vessels could be used for cruising. The two vessels were primarily used on the Seacombe – Liverpool service, augmenting the New Brighton run during the summer seasons. Egremont differed externally to Leasowe in that she had a canvas awning fitted around her funnel. Early photographs of Leasowe and Egremont show them to have deckhead compasses above

9009-446: The idea of extension stages was mooted. These were long piers that were mounted on wheels and, by using a steam engine, could be wheeled in and out depending on the level of the tide. At Woodside, a small slipway was built on the beach to allow the boats to berth, and in 1822 the paddle steamer Royal Mail began commercial operation between Liverpool and Woodside. The town of Birkenhead was just starting to develop at this point. In 1820,

9126-637: The mainland of Canada were double-ended. This service was discontinued upon completion of the Confederation Bridge . Some ferries in Sydney, Australia and British Columbia are also double-ended. In 2008, BC Ferries launched the first of the Coastal-class ferries , which at the time were the world's largest double enders. These were surpassed as the world's largest double-enders when P&O Ferries launched their first double-ender, called

9243-510: The more compact and cluttered bridges of the Mountwood and Woodchurch . Overchurch had a high funnel immediately behind the bridge and also a small bridge deck, giving the appearance of a somewhat forward top-heavy look, as a result. The Overchurch was fitted with the same navigation equipment as her near sisters. She differed slightly by being a few tonnes heavier and a few inches longer. The Overchurch also had only one access stairway to

9360-412: The new resort developed by James Atherton at New Brighton , and from nearby Egremont . Steam ferries also began operating from Eastham. By the 1840s, Birkenhead was developing into a busy new town. The railway to Chester had opened, the town was growing quickly, and the docks were under construction. There were also competing ferry services and disputes over the rights granted to the monks, and there

9477-589: The new bridge. They entered service by July 1990 in time for the QE2's first visit to the Mersey and also operated the new "heritage cruises". They also were given a new black and red livery replacing the red white and blue given for the Garden Festival season of 1984. The Overchurch also underwent some refurbishments at Bootle . She was then moved to the ferries' regular berth on the East Float , where she

9594-489: The opening of the Kingsway road tunnel on 28 June 1971 and a further decline in passenger numbers (only 4,000-5,000 a day), the future of the service was uncertain. It was sentimental, rather than economical grounds which resulted in the retention of the ferries, after much public protest to keep them. However, service frequency was reduced, with ferry fares being linked to bus and rail fares. During this period, maintenance on

9711-683: The original duo's withdrawal, there have been other Royals. The Royal Daffodil II of 1934 was hit by a bomb during the May Blitz and sunk at her berth at Seacombe on 8 May 1941. She was later raised and returned to service by 1943, with little of her pre-war splendour. Perhaps the most famous Royal is the Royal Iris of 1951. She was the first diesel-powered vessel of the Wallasey fleet, with four diesel generators connected to two Metrovick marine propulsion units. The vessel differed to all

9828-434: The other ferries as she had super smooth lines and a dummy funnel in place. She was the best loved of all the Mersey ferries and played host to hundreds of party cruises, with bands such as Gerry & The Pacemakers , The Searchers , The Beatles and Elvis Costello performing on her. The Royal Iris received a major refit in the 1970s and her popular fish and chip cafe - which earned her the name "the fish and chip boat" -

9945-573: The passenger and cargo traffic needs of the inhabitants of the waterlogged areas of the Districts of Alappuzha , Kottayam , Kollam , Ernakulam , Kannur and Kasargode . SWTD ferry service is also one of the most affordable modes to enjoy the beauty of the scenic Kerala backwaters . Japan used to rely heavily on ferries for passenger and goods transportation among the four main islands of Hokkaido , Honshu , Shikoku and Kyushu . However, as highway and railway bridges and undersea tunnels (such as

10062-571: The promenade deck unlike the Dartmouth twins which had two. In her first year of service, the Overchurch conveyed Princess Alexandra to open the new Cammell Laird dry dock . The trio of ferries all remained in near constant operation up until 1981, when cost-cutting measures saw Woodchurch withdrawn for almost three years. It was rumoured that she was cannibalised to help keep her sisters running. Whilst in lay up at Clarence dry docks , she

10179-456: The restoration of service to the East Bay . The modern ferry network is primarily under the authority of San Francisco Bay Ferry , connecting with cities as far as Vallejo . Tourist excursions are also offered by Blue & Gold Fleet and Red & White Fleet . A ferry serves Angel Island (which also accepts private craft). Alcatraz is served exclusively by ferry service administered by

10296-418: The rights at Tranmere . During this period, the private owners began to use fully rigged sailing ships. The use of sailing ships meant that bigger vessels could be employed, but in reality, these boats were even more at the bidding of the weather. The Mersey is famed for its thick fogs, and during these times during winter there was little wind and ferries could not operate. The frequency depended on demand and

10413-473: The river and had to anchor. Her passengers were rescued by Woodchurch . She also collided with Bidston whilst berthing, due to an error in engine movements. In 1962, Mountwood and Woodchurch were joined by a new ferry, the Overchurch . Built at the Birkenhead shipyard of Cammell Laird and Co., Overchurch was of all welded construction and also had a bridge that was completely enclosed rather than

10530-463: The river to Ince . In 1330, his son Edward III granted a charter to the Priory and its successors forever: "the right of ferry there… for men, horses and goods, with leave to charge reasonable tolls" . At the time, there was only a small hamlet at Birkenhead, and a slightly larger village at Liverpool. The Chester Indictments record criminal activities on the Mersey ferries in the 14th and early 15th centuries. In 1355, Richard, son of Simon de Becheton,

10647-636: The roll-on roll-off (ro-ro) ferry, Leviathan designed to carry freight wagons efficiently across the Firth of Forth in Scotland started to operate between Granton, near Edinburgh, and Burntisland in Fife. The vessel design was highly innovative and the ability to move freight in great quantities and with minimal labour signalled the way ahead for sea-borne transport, converting the ro-ro ferry from an experimental and marginal ship type into one of central importance in

10764-518: The same year. They were loosely based on designs of the Leasowe and Egremont of the Wallasey fleet, although they both weighed considerably more at 464 tonnes, compared with 311 tonnes for the earlier vessels. They are also larger than the older Wallasey pair, being approximately 19 feet (5.8 m) longer, 6 ft (1.8 m) broader and over 1 ft (0.30 m) taller. Both vessels were externally identical in almost every way up until 1991 when

10881-578: The second largest in the world by vehicles carried, with ten routes on Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca serving terminals in Washington and Vancouver Island. In 2016, Washington State Ferries carried 10.5 million vehicles and 24.2 million riders in total. The Alaska Marine Highway System provides service between Bellingham, Washington, and various towns and villages throughout Southeast and Southwest Alaska, including crossings of

10998-543: The shroud protecting the aft funnel vent on the Mountwood was changed from square to rounded. Compared to the earlier Wallasey twins, the Mountwood and Woodchurch were highly advanced. They benefited from an injection of cash from both Birkenhead Corporation and the Joint Tunnel Committee. They were given special Crossley eight-cylinder engines which were fitted with gears and automatic air brakes. New style telegraphs by Chadburns were designed which had

11115-534: The southern and south-western regions of Bangladesh from the capital. The most popular destinations include Barisal , Bhola , Patuakhali , and Khulna . Additionally, there are water-transport routes connecting Dhaka with Kolkata in India. Approximately 200 launches operate across 107 water routes throughout the country as of 2022 . To support the launch services, the BIWTA has developed 292 wharfs ( ghats ) for

11232-437: The stage and pier subsequently demolished. In spite of the close proximity of Wallasey and Birkenhead and their respective ferry landing stages, each corporation had used different gangway spacing on their vessels. This meant that a Wallasey ferry could not utilise both gangways at Birkenhead's terminal at Woodside, and that a Birkenhead boat would be similarly disadvantaged at Seacombe and New Brighton. The Pier Head at Liverpool

11349-435: The success of the operation... The damage caused by enemy gun fire has been repaired" . Because of their work King George V allowed the vessels to use the word "Royal" in their name. They needed extensive refitting before they could resume peacetime activities. In the boats themselves, there was quick development. The early incarnations of today's modern vessels can be seen in some of the early propeller driven ships, mainly

11466-607: The surface, and were robust enough to approach the heavily defended mole curling into the North Sea . They both saw action, which was described on 24 April 1918 by Vice–Admiral Sir Roger Keyes of the Royal Navy in a message to the ferries' manager: "I am sure it will interest you to know that your two stout vessels carried Bluejackets and Marines to Zeebrugge, and remained alongside the Mole for an hour, greatly contributing to

11583-684: The transport of goods and passengers. In 1871, the world's first car ferry crossed the Bosphorus in Istanbul. The iron steamship, named Suhulet (meaning 'ease' or 'convenience') was designed by the general manager of Şirket-i Hayriye (Bosporus Steam Navigation Company), Giritli Hüseyin Haki Bey and built by the Greenwich shipyard of Maudslay, Sons and Field . It weighed 157 tons, was 155 feet (47 meters) long, 27 feet (8.2 meters) wide and had

11700-499: The tunnel in 1956. As a result of the Transport Act 1968 , the transport functions of both Wallasey and Birkenhead Corporations came under the control of the Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive (MPTE) on 1 December 1969. By this time, New Brighton had declined as a tourist destination and coupled with silting problems near the landing stage, the ferry service was withdrawn in 1971, with

11817-487: The tunnel rather than the ferry. The opening of the road tunnel also had an effect on the luggage boats which were introduced in 1879. Both ferry companies earned a substantial amount from luggage boats, which carried vehicles and goods across the river. When the road tunnel opened, traffic dropped by 80%. By the 1940s, luggage boat services from both Woodside and Seacombe to Liverpool had ceased. From Woodside in 1941 and from Seacombe 1947. Due to financial losses incurred from

11934-530: The vicinity of Seacombe lacks the rail and bus connections of Birkenhead. In the summer there are also cruises up the Manchester Ship Canal. The "Royal" prefix was granted to the ferries Iris and Daffodil for their service during the First World War where they were instrumental at the Mole in Zeebrugge . Both ferries were badly damaged but returned home to a triumphant greeting. Since

12051-512: The weather. By the 18th century, the commercial expansion of Liverpool and the increase in stage coach traffic from Chester spurred the growth of the transportation of passengers and goods across the river. Ferry services from Rock House on the Wirral – that is, Rock Ferry – were first recorded in 1709. By 1753 the Cheshire side of the Mersey had at least five ferry houses at Ince, Eastham,

12168-500: The wheelhouse and side boxes, which appear to have been removed in the late 1950s. Upon the bridge there were numerous modern devices. Chadburn synchrostep telegraphs and rudder angle indicators, hydraulic steering telemotor and an automatic whistle control could be found in both the wheelhouse and the navigation boxes. There was also an internal communication system and a ship to shore radio system. Similar types of navigation equipment and deck fittings used on these vessels are extant on

12285-564: Was 500 feet long. It was rebuilt and extended in 1874. Until the establishment of the Mersey Railway in 1886, the ferries were the only means of crossing the river, and so all of the routes were heavily used. All of the ferry routes were owned by private interests before coming under municipal ownership in the mid 19th century. The Woodside ferry was taken over by the Birkenhead Commissioners in 1858 and, in 1861,

12402-491: Was 609. A gross error was the size of her engines, developing 1,360 bhp (1,010 kW) a piece she was underpowered and often struggled in strong tides. Aside from the engine order telegraphs, she also had helms in the side boxes meaning that the ship could be steered from them if required. The vessel ran aground on a sandbank in thick fog in September 1967 and was involved in a collision in January 1968. Taking on water from

12519-484: Was a need to improve the facilities at Woodside. In the early 1840s, the old slipway was replaced with a new stone pier with a small lighthouse at the end. However, this soon became inadequate. In 1847, the first floating landing stage, which rose and fell with the tide so that boats could dock at any time, was opened at Liverpool. The first portion, known as the Georges' landing stage, was designed by William Cubitt and

12636-463: Was also sold to Greek owners in 1977 and renamed several times. She sank in heavy seas on 7 November 2007, whilst carrying the name Dolphin I , with the loss of her captain and mate. The Egremont was laid up in Morpeth Dock whilst on sale offer in 1975 and sprang a leak. Her engine room was flooded, ruining her engines and rendering her inoperable. She was stripped of her machinery and used as

12753-404: Was constructed by James Lamont & Co at Greenock and entered service in 1958. She was larger than the Dartmouth pair as she had three decks and was designed for the dual role of ferry and cruise service. The Roman 'II' was added to her name because of a Thames estuary cruise ship also called Royal Daffodil which existed from 1939 until 1967. The gross register tonnage of Royal Daffodil II

12870-472: Was in service until 2012. The current ferries originally came into service in the 1960s and were named Mountwood and Woodchurch . Both ferries have been extensively refurbished and renamed Royal Iris of the Mersey and Snowdrop . The ferries share the workload of cross-river ferrying, charter cruises and the Manchester Ship Canal cruise. The service is operated by Merseytravel , under

12987-433: Was murdered on the ferry; the murderers escaped and took refuge at Shotwick . In 1365, it was recorded that there were four ferryboats operating without a licence, from Bromborough and Eastham. In 1414, William de Stanley, the servant of John Talbot, later Earl of Shrewsbury , was on the ferry between Birkenhead and Liverpool when about 200 men assaulted him and stole his bay horse valued at £5 (current value - over £2,800),

13104-552: Was obliged to have gangways to suit both sets of ships. When the combined ferry fleet was rationalised, Seacombe Ferry landing stage required the construction of an additional gangway to cater for the Birkenhead vessels. The 1970s economic situation in Britain saw costs escalating, with funding limited by the MPTE, which was embarking on an expensive operation to construct the Merseyrail "Liverpool Loop" extension. Compounded with

13221-560: Was offered for sale, with one prospective buyer hoping to use her to operate cruises around the Isle of Man . She was not sold and after main engine repairs and a full repaint Woodchurch returned to service in 1983, freeing up Overchurch to become the primary ferry to be used on a new Otterspool service, set up for the 1984 International Garden Festival. The ferries all operated on a normal 20 minute route throughout this. The late 1970s and early 1980s saw very limited budgets for maintenance and

13338-716: Was removed and replaced with a steak bar. The Royal Iris remained in service for nearly 40 years before being sold in 1993 - two years after withdrawal - for use as a floating nightclub. She was then berthed in a deteriorating condition at Woolwich , London. Attempts to bring her back to Merseyside have come to nothing due to the prohibitive cost of making her fit for a 1,000 mile journey coastwise. The Leasowe and Egremont were built by Philip and Son in Dartmouth, Devon and entered service in late 1951 and early 1952 respectively. Named after suburbs of Wallasey, both vessels were commissioned by Wallasey Corporation. They were of

13455-580: Was the busiest international passenger ferry port in the world in 2017 with over 11.8 million passengers whilst the second business international ferry port, Dover, had 11.7 million passengers. The Helsinki- Tallinn route alone accounted for nine million passengers. In 2022 the port of Helsinki had almost 8 million passengers, of which 6.3 million travelled between Helsinki and Tallinn. Additionally many smaller ferries operate on domestic routes in Finland, Sweden and Estonia. The south-west and southern parts of

13572-447: Was to call an engineer on the talk tube then pour water down it, thus soaking the engineer at the other end. The Mountwood was used in the film " Ferry Cross The Mersey " , a musical and subsequent Gerry & The Pacemakers song, crossing to Liverpool from Birkenhead. Her near sister Overchurch also appeared in the background of several shots. In her early years Mountwood was an unreliable ship. She had broken down whilst crossing

13689-440: Was used as a stand by vessel and during the busy summer season. In 1996 the Overchurch was given a small refit which involved the enclosing of the promenade deck shelter. The ferry companies were identifiable by their different colour liveries displayed on each vessel's funnel. Wallasey ferries carried a black and white colour scheme. Early Birkenhead steamers carried red and black, however this appears to have changed to orange in

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