In 1850, the Leviathan, the world’s first roll-on/roll-off ferry for operation in open water was placed in service across the estuary of the Firth of Forth in Scotland. Since then, ferries have developed into one of the most important and technologically-sophisticated ship types, able to carry large numbers of passengers and vehicles and to discharge and load in minutes.
This volume builds upon the author’s longstanding research about the design history of ferries and their vital contributions to our modern culture, involving leisure travel and the rapid distribution of food and commodities. Its scope spans from the earliest train ferries to latter-day cruise ferries and the newest ro-pax vessels. The examples described and contextualised operate in many diverse locations, including Europe, the Americas, Australia, Japan and China.
Chapter List:
- The Ro-Ro Pioneers
- From Packet Liner to Overnight Ferry
- Short-sea Ferry Design in the Post-War Era
- Larger Ferries for Longer Routes
- Large Block Principle Design and the Jumbo Ferry
- Motorways of the Sea and the Ro-Pax Ferry
- Addressing the Environmental Challenge
Ferries: A Design Voyage is richly illustrated and fully referenced. It aims to be the definitive work on its subject to date. Hardback. 288 pages.