Editing Ferry (section)

==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===
[[File:Ferrytobermory.jpg|thumb|Ferry in Ontario (Manitoulin Island) vehicles load via the front and back of the ferry opening hull]]
Double-ended ferries have interchangeable bows and sterns, allowing them to shuttle back and forth between two [[Ferry terminal|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 [[Marine Atlantic|ferries]] from southern [[Prince Edward Island]] to the mainland of Canada were double-ended. This service was discontinued upon completion of the [[Confederation Bridge]]. Some ferries in [[Sydney Ferries|Sydney, Australia]] and [[BC Ferries|British Columbia]] are also double-ended. In 2008, BC Ferries launched the first of the [[Coastal-class ferry|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 the [[P&O Pioneer]], which entered service in June 2023 replacing Pride of Kent.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.niferry.co.uk/first-new-po-ferries-dover-ship-floated-out-in-china/|title=First new P&O Ferries Dover ship floated out in China|publisher=NI Ferry|date=2022-01-08|access-date=8 January 2022|archive-date=8 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220108002716/https://www.niferry.co.uk/first-new-po-ferries-dover-ship-floated-out-in-china/|url-status=live}}</ref>

===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>{{cite web|url=http://www.atan.org/en/costas/fast/milenium.htm|title=ATAN official web page: Fast Ferries – pointless gas-guzzlers|website=Atan.org|access-date=27 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303170528/http://www.atan.org/en/costas/fast/milenium.htm|archive-date=3 March 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> in islands already suffering from the impact of mass tourism.

===Hovercraft===
[[File:SRN4 Hovercraft Mountbatten Class.jpg|thumb|Mark 3 [[SR.N4]] hovercraft, [[Port Dover|Dover]]]]
[[Hovercraft]] were developed in the 1960s and 1970s to carry cars. The largest was the massive [[SR.N4]] 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, a foot passenger service between [[Portsmouth]] and the [[Isle of Wight]] run by [[Hovertravel]]. From 1984 to 1994 [[Scandinavian Airlines]] to operated a hovercraft service between [[Malmö]] and [[Copenhagen Airport]] as a connecting "flight" for passengers from southern Sweden. The service was replaced by a regular boat in 1994 and by the [[Öresund bridge]] in 2000.

===Catamaran===
[[File:Hsc manannan.png|thumb|[[Incat]] built [[Catamaran]] [[HSC Manannan|HSC ''Manannan'']] entering [[Douglas, Isle of Man]]]]
Since 1990 high speed [[catamaran]]s have revolutionised ferry services, replacing [[hovercraft]], [[hydrofoils]] and conventional monohull ferries. In the 1990s there were a variety of builders, but the industry has consolidated to two builders of large vehicular ferries between 60 and 120 metres. [[Incat]] of [[Hobart]], Tasmania favours a [[Wave-piercing hull]] to deliver a smooth ride, while [[Austal]] of [[Perth]], Western Australia builds ships based on [[Small-waterplane-area twin hull|SWATH]] designs. Both these companies also compete in the smaller river ferry industry with a number of other ship builders.

[[Stena Line]] once operated the largest catamarans in the world, the [[High-speed Sea Service|Stena HSS]] class, between the United Kingdom and Ireland. These [[water jet (propulsion)|waterjet]]-powered vessels, displaced 19,638 tonnes, accommodating 375 passenger cars and 1,500 passengers. Other examples of these super-size catamarans are found in the [[Condor Ferries]] fleet with the Condor Voyager and Rapide.

===Roll-on/roll-off===
[[File:Pont-Aven Car Deck.JPG|thumb|Lorries preparing to unload from the ''[[MV Pont-Aven|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 / RoPax ===
A [[cruiseferry]] is a ship that combines the features of a [[cruise ship]] with a roll-on/roll-off ferry. They are also known as [[RoPax]] for their combined Roll on/Roll Off and passenger design.

===Fast RoPax ferry===
[[File:Superfast XI.jpg|thumb|[[MS Superfast XI|MS ''Superfast XI'']]]]
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 mph|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]]. Cabins, if existent, are much smaller than those on cruise ships.{{citation needed|date=April 2012}}

===Turntable ferry===
[[File:Skye ferry scotland.jpg|thumb|right|Turntable ferry [[MV Glenachulish|MV ''Glenachulish'']]  operating between [[Glenelg, Highland|Glenelg]] on the Scottish mainland, and [[Kylerhea]] on the [[Skye|Isle of Skye]]. Built in 1969, she is the last manually operated turntable ferry in the world.]]
This type of ferry allows vehicles to load from the "side". The vehicle platform can be turned. When loading, the platform is turned sideways to allow sideways loading of vehicles. Then the platform is turned back, in line with the vessel, and the journey across water is made.

===Pontoon ferry===
<!--NOTE: Pontoon ferry in several articles links here-->
[[File:Ferry.dartmouth.750pix.jpg|thumb|The Lower [[Kingswear]] to [[Dartmouth, Devon|Dartmouth]] ferry, [[Devon]], England. The [[Pontoon (boat)|pontoon]] carries eight cars and is towed across the [[River Dart]] by a small tug. Two ropes connect the tug to the pontoon.]]
[[Pontoon (boat)|Pontoon]] ferries and [[flat-bottomed boat]]s such as [[Punt (boat)|punt]]s carry passengers and 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 such ferries with [[Drawbridge|ramps]] at either end for vehicles or animals to board. [[#Cable ferry|Cable ferries]] are usually pontoon ferries. In the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany many such small cable ferries exist and are called [[pünte]]s.

===Train ferry===
{{main|Train ferry}}
[[File:101031 Italie sud 128.jpg|thumb|Train and car ferry between Calabria and Sicily, Italy]]
A train ferry is a ship designed to carry railway vehicles. Typically, one level of the ship is fitted with railway tracks, and the vessel has a door at either or both of the front and rear to give access to the [[Wharf|wharves]].

===Foot ferry===
Foot ferries are small craft used to ferry foot passengers, and often also cyclists, over rivers. These are either self-propelled craft or cable ferries. Such ferries are for example to be found on the lower [[Schelde|River Scheldt]] in [[Belgium]] and in particular the [[Netherlands]]. Regular foot ferry service also exists in the capital of the Czech Republic, Prague, and across the [[Yarra River]] in Melbourne, Australia at [[Newport, Victoria|Newport]]. Restored, expanded ferry service in the [[Port of New York and New Jersey]] uses boats for pedestrians only.

The UK has a variety of historic foot ferries such as the Butley Foot Ferry across [[Butley Creek]] which dates back to 1383.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-03-09 |title=The people keeping our historic foot ferries afloat |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-68428422 |access-date=2024-03-10 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Four Foot Ferries of The Suffolk Coast |url=https://www.thesuffolkcoast.co.uk/four-foot-ferries-of-the-suffolk-coast |access-date=2024-03-10 |website=www.thesuffolkcoast.co.uk |language=en}}</ref>
===Cable ferry===
{{Main article|Cable ferry|Reaction ferry}}
[[File:Small Mannum Ferry.jpg|thumb|One of several self-propelled cable ferries that cross the lower reaches of the [[Murray River]] in South Australia]]
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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.faehri.ch/|title=Fähri Verein Basel|website=Faehri.ch|access-date=27 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706231810/http://www.faehri.ch/|archive-date=6 July 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> Cable ferries may be used in fast-flowing rivers across short distances. With an ocean crossing of approximately 1900 metres, the cable ferry between Vancouver Island and Denman Island in British Columbia; is the longest one in the world.

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 (Amsterdam)|IJ]] waterway); along the [[Murray River]] in [[South Australia]], and across many lakes in [[British Columbia]]. Many cable ferries operate on lakes and rivers in Canada, among them a [[Reaction ferry|cable ferry]] that charges a toll operates on the [[Laval-sur-le-Lac–Île-Bizard Ferry|Rivière des Prairies]] between [[Laval-sur-le-Lac]] and [[Île Bizard]] in [[Quebec]], Canada. In Finland there were 40 road ferries (cable ferries) in 2009, on lakes, rivers and on sea between islands.