# An explanation about the process of loading a ferry



## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

Below link explains the issues involved when loading a Ro-Ro ferry, rather interesting reading

http://www.brittany-ferries.co.uk/blog/post/35965/Thank-You-For-Your-Patience

Andy


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Thanks Andu for posting that, most interesting.


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## caulkhead (Jul 25, 2007)

I read this some years ago and found it interesting and reassuring. I must admit that it used to wind me up, arriving at the terminal in plenty of time only to see late arrivals being waved on ahead of me but on reading your link I realised that it's got nothing to do with when you arrive and everything to do with weight, length and height. Mind you, it still winds me up when my queue starts to move and then you find that the clown in front hasn't returned to his vehicle as requested about twenty minutes ago.:wink2::wink2::wink2:


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

I see they don't mention dangerous goods vehicles having to be on the little open deck part, or either first on or last on so it can park by the doors, also, giving French trucks priority places for a quicker get off. Then the truck lift down to the bilges, (lower truck deck which car passengers never ever see) Here, the truck goes down and needs to reverse the whole length of the ship. They generally put British trucks in the most awkward positions, up against the wall where the driver can't even open his door and needs to get out on the other side. Strange, I have never seen this happen to French trucks!


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## charlieivan (Apr 25, 2006)

Came over some years ago, should have been from Le Havre but had to transfer to Cherbourg due to a ferry fault. Got on the ferry right at the front doors so thought great we will be first off. Arrived in Portsmouth and ferry docked stern in so everyone had to reverse off. Some choice language from some of the truckers who had little or no room to manoeuvre and some caravans who had no idea how to reverse their vans. In the end we were one of the last off so we're able to just turn round and drive off.


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

charlieivan said:


> Came over some years ago, should have been from Le Havre but had to transfer to Cherbourg due to a ferry fault. Got on the ferry right at the front doors so thought great we will be first off. Arrived in Portsmouth and ferry docked stern in so everyone had to reverse off. Some choice language from some of the truckers who had little or no room to manoeuvre and some caravans who had no idea how to reverse their vans. In the end we were one of the last off so we're able to just turn round and drive off.


On the old Brittany Ferry Coutances, the front doors were welded shut and we always had to reverse up the ramp at Poole. The ramp went round a corner and when raining and dark and particularly if driving a LHD, it could be a little difficult!

C


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Grath said:


> They generally put British trucks in the most awkward positions, up against the wall where the driver can't even open his door and needs to get out on the other side. Strange, I have never seen this happen to French trucks!


Wouldn't that just be because they need to have them in straight lines, not staggered just for the sake of a door opening on different sides.


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

Kev_n_Liz said:


> Wouldn't that just be because they need to have them in straight lines, not staggered just for the sake of a door opening on different sides.


No Kev, when a truck reverses off the lift, it then has to cross over to the directed lane. There are between four and six lanes down there, and BF always gave the British Truckers the difficult or I should say more difficult manoeuvre. maybe they just know the UK Truckers were better drivers:wink2:>


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## subfiver (Oct 15, 2011)

And when it all goes tits-up ...

http://tinyurl.com/z7jnkpt


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

Reminds me of when I was serving on a Landing Ship (tank) in the Middle East.
When the LSTs changed over every 18 months their load of armoured and soft vehicles also had to be transferred from one ship to the other.
As this was invariably done in Bahrain harbour we were not allowedtomland the vehicles. There besides the two ships exchanging loads a third LST had to be involved. Then we had to take into account 'tactical loading' which meant during an actual landing the fighting tanks had to be first onto the beach.
So it went a bit like this. Armour from ship A transferred by motorised pontoon (Rhino Ferry,) to ship C. Soft tops from upper deckship A to upper deck ship B. Armoured vehicles from ship C to ship B. All transfers done by the Rhino Ferry and the day nicely rounded off with a spliced mainbrace. 
Happy Days!


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## Al42 (Aug 4, 2011)

Grath said:


> I see they don't mention dangerous goods vehicles having to be on the little open deck part, or either first on or last on so it can park by the doors, also, giving French trucks priority places for a quicker get off. Then the truck lift down to the bilges, (lower truck deck which car passengers never ever see) Here, the truck goes down and needs to reverse the whole length of the ship. They generally put British trucks in the most awkward positions, up against the wall where the driver can't even open his door and needs to get out on the other side. Strange, I have never seen this happen to French trucks!


Don't think they put hazardous on passenger ferries anymore.

Certainly on P&O from Hull, when they suspended freight only services a couple of years ago we had to start using Cobal freight from Immingham.


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

Al42 said:


> Don't think they put hazardous on passenger ferries anymore.
> 
> Certainly on P&O from Hull, when they suspended freight only services a couple of years ago we had to start using Cobal freight from Immingham.


Quite possibly, as it is quite a few years since I did the job. Usually on Freighters such as Coutances, Normandie Shipper, Perbeck, and even the Skarvoy! Some times on passenger boat on the little open deck at the back!. Sometimes we were on normal passenger boats.
Worst case, I had to sit at Cherbourg for 48 hours, watch in ferries come and go, as my cargo was not compatible with other DG cargo!
Very happy those days have gone!>


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## Carl_n_Flo (May 10, 2005)

Al42 said:


> Don't think they put hazardous on passenger ferries anymore.
> 
> ......


Yep - They still do. Either on the bow outside of the water-tight door (if the weather allows) or on the open stern. All the ferries out of Dover and Hull have open stern decks for just this purpose.


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## Al42 (Aug 4, 2011)

Carl_n_Flo said:


> Yep - They still do. Either on the bow outside of the water-tight door (if the weather allows) or on the open stern. All the ferries out of Dover and Hull have open stern decks for just this purpose.


All I know is that when P&O stopped using freighters on the Hull-Zeebrugge route we had to ship unaccompanied hazardous trailers on freighters out of Immingham.


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