Field of the disclosure

The present disclosure relates to a ferry with at least one loading port allowing vehicles to roll onto a ferry deck, and to a method of operating the ferry. The ferry may be configured for port landing and/or for beach landing .

Background of the disclosure

Traditionally, ferries are vessels used to transport passengers, and sometimes vehicles, and cargo. Loading and unloading should be carried out in an efficient and safe manner, e.g ., via a ramp at the bow or at the stern of the ferry, or at both the bow and the stern at double ended ferries. The ramp may be a power operated ramp which both serves the function as protection against water intrusion and serves the function as a ramp for loading and unloading passengers, vehicles, and cargo.

Description of the disclosure

It is an object of embodiments of the disclosure to provide an improved ferry with a loading port allowing vehicles to roll onto a ferry deck.

It is a further object of embodiments of the disclosure to provide a ferry where the ferry deck may be protected from water spray.

According to a first aspect, the disclosure provides a ferry with a first loading port defining a first portion and a second portion, the loading port allowing vehicles to roll onto a ferry deck, the first portion being closable by a first closure and the second portion being closable by a spray cover, wherein the first closure is movable between an open position in which is opens the first portion of the first loading port and forms an extension of the ferry deck and a closed position in which it extends in an upright direction from the ferry deck to a frontal position at which is terminates and closes the first portion of the first loading port, and wherein the spray cover is movable between an open position in which it opens the second portion of the first loading port and a closed position in which it extends from a central roof position to the frontal position and closes the second portion of the first loading port. The first closure forms an extension of the ferry deck in the open position whereby it may, in the open position, define a ramp onto the ferry deck allowing vehicles to either roll on or roll off the ferry deck, or both.

The ferry may as an example be a cargo ship for carrying wheeled cargo, such as cars, motorcycles, trucks, semi-trailer trucks, buses, trailers, and railroad cars, that are driven on and off the ship on their own wheels or using an assistance vehicle; i.e. a roll-on/roll-off ship. Alternatively, the ferry may be a vessel for carrying passengers and vehicles, and sometimes cargo. In a further alternative, the ferry may be a landing craft. To allow loading, the ferry comprises a first loading port allowing vehicles to roll onto a ferry deck, when at least the first closure is in the open position. The first loading port may additionally be used to clear the ferry.

The first loading port is closable by a first closure and a spray cover, i.e., by two separate elements which may be independently operated, where the first portion is closable by the first closure and the second portion is closable by a spray cover. When the first closure and the spray cover are in their respective closed positions, the first loading port is fully closed. When the first closure and the spray cover are closed, water may still reach the ferry deck, as the closed first closure and spray cover not necessarily provides a water-tight seal. Water may reach the deck, e.g., along an edge portion of the first closure and/or the spray cover. To provide a water-tight seal of the first loading port, a sealing element may be provided along an edge portion of the first loading port. The first closure and the spray cover may each abut onto the sealing element. In an alternative embodiment, a water-tight seal may only be provided along the first closure which may abut onto the sealing element. The sealing element may be a frame, such as a protruding element, arranged along an edge portion of the first loading port. When arranging the first closure in the closed position it may abut onto the frame to thereby provide a water-tight seal. In one embodiment, the first closure, but not the spray cover could seal water-tight against the frame around the first loading port.

The first closure is movable between an open position in which it forms an extension to the ferry deck whereby it may define a ramp onto the ferry deck and a closed position where it extends in an upright direction from the ferry deck to a frontal position at which is terminates and closes a first portion of the first loading port. It should be understood, that the upright position may be a substantially vertical position. However, the upright position may be a position being +/- 30 degrees from vertical.

The ferry deck may terminate at an edge portion, which edge portion may define the outermost part of the ferry deck in a loading direction of the ferry. To allow the first closure to move between the open position and the closed position, the first closure may be pivotally attached to the ferry deck along a pivot axis extending along the edge portion of the ferry deck. The first closure may extend from an attachment edge along the edge of the ferry deck and may terminate in a free edge opposite to the attachment edge. The attachment edge and the free edge may be substantially parallel. In the closed position, the first closure extends from the ferry deck to the frontal position, whereby the free edge may be at the frontal position where the first closure thereby terminates. Movement of the first closure between the open position and the closed position may be a pivotal movement around the pivot axis.

In the open position, the first closure forms an extension to the ferry deck, and may be arranged in a substantially horizontal position to facilitate vehicles to roll onto the ferry deck. It should, however, be understood, that the first closure may extend downwardly to touch a quay below the ferry deck and may extend upwardly to touch a quay above the ferry deck to thereby be able to cope with tide. Vehicles may additionally use the ramp to roll off the ferry deck. Thus, the first closure may form a ramp allowing vehicles to roll onto and/or off the ferry deck, when arranged in the open position.

In the open position where the first closure may define a ramp allowing vehicles to move onto the ferry deck, it may thus be arranged at an angle of +/- 5 degrees from horizontal.

The spray cover is movable between an open position where it opens a second portion of the first loading port and a closed position where it extends from a central roof position to the frontal position and closes the second portion of the first loading port. The spray cover may terminate at the frontal position in the closed position. In an alternative embodiment, the spray cover may in its closed position extend beyond the free end of the first closure which in its closed position terminates at the frontal position. The central roof position is located closer to the centre of the ferry in the loading direction than the frontal position. The central roof position may also be denoted an inner roof position.

As the first closure forms an extension to the ferry deck in the open position and closes the first portion of the loading port in the closed position, the first portion may be a lower portion of the first loading port extending from the ferry deck to the frontal position, whereas the second portion may be an upper portion of the first loading port extending from the frontal position to the central roof position, where upper and lower portions refer to positions relative to the ferry deck. By application of two separate elements, it may be achieved that only one section/portion of the first loading port must be opened when loading vehicles onto the ferry, i.e., when loading vehicles having a height being lower than the height of the first portion of the first loading port. A vertical distance from the ferry deck to the central roof position may be denoted a first height hl, whereas a vertical distance from a plane defined by the ferry deck to the frontal position may be denoted a second height h2. The height hl may be larger than the second height h2. Accordingly, the spray cover follows a non-horizontal curve from a position at height hl and downwards to the lower level h2. Thus, when loading vehicles having a height being lower than the height h2 only the first closure needs to be in the open position, whereas the spray cover may be in the closed position closing the second portion of the first loading port. It should be understood, that both the first closure and the spray cover may be arranged in their respective open position even though vehicles rolling onto the ferry deck has a height being lower than the second height h2.

It may thus be achieved, that the spray cover may only open to the extend necessary for higher vehicles to roll onto the ferry deck. In one embodiment, the spray cover may be moved stepless from the closed position towards the open position, and it may be possible to stop the movement at a plurality of intermediate positions between closed and open, such as stop the movement at any position intermediate position therebetween.

As the height hl may be larger than the second height h2, the spray cover may in the closed position extend in an at least partly inclined position from the central roof position to the frontal position. In one embodiment, the spray cover may, in the closed position, extend in an inclined direction from the central roof position to the frontal position. In an alternative embodiment, the spray cover may in the closed position extend horizontally along a first part and extend vertically along a second part. It should thus be understood, that the spray cover in the closed position may extend at least partly horizontally and/or at least partly vertically and/or at least party inclined, and that different combinations hereof may be applicable.

The first closure and the spray cover may be controlled individually. The control may be carried out manually or automatically. When controlling the first closure and/or the spray cover automatically, it may be possible to manually override the automatic control.

When moving the first closure and when moving the spray cover between an open position and a closed position, respectively, the first closure and the spray cover may each be arranged in intermediate positions, i.e., in positions where the first closure and the spray cover, respectively, are in a partly open position. It may be possible to first move the first closure, and subsequently move the spray cover, or vice versa. It may further be possible to simultaneously move the first closure and the spray cover, e.g., at the same speed or at different speeds. The first closure has a length 11 being defined as the dimension of the first closure in a loading direction, where the loading direction is the direction in which the ferry can be loaded. To facilitate closing of the first portion of the first loading port, the length 11 may be of the same size as the second height h2 or larger than the second height h2 and smaller than the first height hl.

The length 11 may correspond to the dimension of the first closure from the attachment edge along the edge of the ferry deck to the free edge at which the first closure terminates. When opening and closing the first closure, the first closure may pivot around a pivot axis extening along the attachment edge.

The spray cover may comprise at least one sliding panel, which sliding panel(s) may be configured to slide in a direction towards the central roof position and towards the frontal positions. When sliding towards the central roof position, the at least one sliding panel may in one embodiment be configured to pass the central roof position to thereby slide further away from the frontal position.

The at least one sliding panel may span from one side of the ferry deck to the opposite side of the ferry deck above the ferry deck to thereby provide a panel or a plurality of panels which can close the second portion of the first loading port up to the full width of the ferry deck, where the width of the ferry deck is defined as a distance between two oppositely arranged sidewalls of the ferry.

In one embodiment, the spray cover may comprise at least two sliding panels arranged to move into a stacked configuration in the open position of the spray cover. When arranging the panels in the stacked configuration, the panels may be arranged on top of each other whereby they may overlap each other partly or fully. It should, however, be understood that a panel may telescopically be slided into a cavity of another panel to thereby arrange the panels in a stacked configuration. When providing the at least two panels for sliding movement, the panels may be arranged with an overlap along adjacent edges in the closed configuration to decrease the risk that water flowing downward from an upper panel to a lower panel does not flow between the panels and onto the deck. An upper panel may additionally be arranged above a lower panel, when the upper and lower panels are slided relative to each other, as this may further decrease the risk that water flowing downward from an upper panel to a lower panel flows between the panels and onto the deck.

The spray cover, such as the at least one sliding panel may span between side-tracks on opposite sides of the ferry deck creating an entrance opening larger than the second height h2 to thereby allow passage of higher vehicles; i.e., vehicles with a height being larger than the second height h2. By arranging the side-tracks, as an example attached to oppositely arranged sidewalls facing each other, the at spray cover extending in an inclined direction and/or horizontally and/or vertically may be moved from the closed to the open position without any additional support between the side-tracks. Consequently, may the size of the opening of the loading port increase when moving the spray cover from the closed position.

The spray cover may as an example comprise a plurality of wheels which may be arranged in the side-track to thereby facilitate movement of the spray cover, such as the at least one sliding panel along the side-tracks.

In one embodiment, the movement of the spray cover from the closed position to the open position may be a continuous movement which may provide a continuous increase of the height of the opening of the loading port. Alternatively, the movement of the spray cover may be a stepwise movement, thereby providing a stepwise increase of the height of the opening of the loading port.

As an alternative to sliding panel(s), the spray cover may comprise a membrane which can be rolled. By rolling the membrane along an edge extending between two opposite sides of the ferry and by rolling the membrane from the frontal position towards the central roof position, the configuration of the spray cover may change from the closed position to the open position.

In a further alternative embodiment, the spray cover may comprise a panel which can be slided along the ferry deck when moving the spray cover from the closed position to the open position. The panel may be moved along the ferry deck at a distance over the deck allowing vehicles to drive below the panel, where the distance may vary during the movement between the closed and the open position. The panel may be bendable, as this may facilitate moving of the panel being arranged at an inclined angle in the closed position to an open position in which it may be substantially horizontally arranged above the ferry deck, such as substantially parallel to a ceiling over the ferry deck.

Contrary to the first closure which may be arranged for pivotal movement, movement of the spray cover between the open position and the closed position may be a movement along a path which may be a straight path or a curved path. If the spray cover comprises one or more panels, the panel(s) may be slided along the path when changing between the open position and the closed position. If the spray cover comprises a membrane, the membrane may be rolled and un-rolled along the path when changing between the open position and the closed position. In an even further alternative, the spray cover may comprise a folding hatch, whereby the spray cover may be arranged in the open position by folding. When arranging the spray cover in the closed position, the folding hatch may be unfolded.

A spray cover comprising a membrane and/or a spray cover comprising a panel and/or a spray cover comprising a folding hatch may likewise span between side-tracks on opposite sides of the ferry deck creating an entrance opening allowing passage larger than the second height. Movement of the membrane and/or movement of the panel and/or movement of the folding hatch may likewise be a continuous movement or a stepwise movement.

In the closed position, the spray cover may extend in an inclined direction from a central roof position to the frontal position and closes the second portion of the first loading port. The inclined direction may extend along straight path or a curved path, whereby the spray cover may be arranged for movement along a straight or a curved path.

To reduce the risk of water-spay onto the ferry desk, the first closure in the closed position and the spray cover in the closed position may engage each other. This may be achieved by providing matching engagement structures on the first closure and the spray cover. The matching engagements structures may be provided along an edge portion of each of the first closure and the spray cover. The respective edge portions may extend transverse to the ferry desk at an outermost portion of the first closure and the spray cover, respectively. By engagement between the first closure and the spray cover, the spray cover may additionally be structurally supported by the first closure when arranged in the closed position.

A bending stiffness of the spray cover may be lower than a bending stiffness of the first closure. Consequently, the spray cover may transfer forces to first closure, whereas transfer of forces from the first closure to the spray cover may substantially not take place. The lower bending may partly be counteracted by engagement between the spray cover and the first closure in their closed positions.

The ferry may further comprise a top opening arranged between the central roof position and a top roof position. The top opening may be opened and closed independently on opening and closing of the first closure and/or the spray cover. The top opening may as an example facilitate ventilation of the ferry deck, when opening the top opening while the first closure and the spray cover are in their respective closed positions.

In one embodiment, the top opening may be closed by moving the spray cover towards the central roof position and pass the central roof position to thereby slide further away from the frontal position to a position, where the top opening is covered by the spray cover being in the open position. Alternatively, or additionally, the top opening may comprise a separate closing member, such as a plate arrangeable over the top opening, a hatch, or the like.

In one embodiment, one or more temperature sensors and/or one or more pollution sensors may be arranged on the ferry deck, such as on a sidewall hereof. The sensor(s) may be configured to transmit a signal to a controller which may open and/or close the top opening in response to the received signal. The top opening may alternatively or additionally be manually operated.

In case the ferry is used for transportation of dangerous goods, trucks transporting the dangerous goods may as an example be arranged below the spray cover at the stern of the ferry. If the spray cover at the stern of the ferry is arranged in the open position, and if a top opening at the bow is arranged in the opening configuration, the ferry deck may be ventilated, and leakage from the dangerous goods may be ventilated out of the ferry deck.

The ferry may comprise an additional closure and an additional spray cover to provide a second loading port at the opposite end of the ferry relative to the first loading port. This may be particularly relevant for double ended ferries to allow vehicles to roll onto the ferry at both ends. It should be understood, that an additional closure and an additional spray cover arranged to provide a second loading port at the opposite end of the ferry relative to the first loading port may also be provided at a single ended ferry, as a single ended ferry in one embodiment may also be loaded and unloaded from both ends (bow and stern).

The spray cover may be arranged only as a cover, e.g., arranged to protect vehicles from water spray and to take pressure from water spray. The spray cover may be dimensioned to carry the weight of itself and additionally carry the weight of water/snow on the spray cover. As the spray cover may extend in an inclined direction, ramping of water may be facilitated.

In one embodiment, the length of the ferry along the ferry deck may be below 100 m.

According to a second aspect, the disclosure provides a method of operating a ferry according to the first aspect, wherein the spray cover is moved independent on movement of the first closure. By moving the spray cover independent on movement of the first closure, it may be possible to only open the first closure to allow vehicles to roll onto the ferry deck, if all vehicles are below the second height h2 being a vertical distance from a plane defined by the ferry deck to the frontal position, or at least only open the spray cover to allow higher vehicles to roll onto the ferry deck. When such higher vehicles are on the ferry deck, the spray cover may be closed again, while lower vehicles can still roll onto the ferry deck. In one embodiment, the ferry may be sailed with the spray cover in the open position or in an at least partly open position and the first closure in a closed position. This may be particularly relevant during weather conditions with no or at least very little water spray. The ferry may additionally be sailed with the first closure in an open position. This may be particularly relevant at short distances and/or in calm weather and/or at areas with low current.

The spray cover may be moved, while the ferry sails. As an example, the spray cover may be moved from the closed position to the open position or a partly open position, when the ferry approaches a quay. Additionally, or alternatively, the spray cover may be moved from the open position to the closed position, while the ferry sails to avoid water spray during sailing. In one embodiment, it may be preferred to sail the ferry having the spray cover in the open position. A rain sensor and/or a humidity sensor may be arranged on the ferry, where the sensor(s) may be configured for transmitting a rain/humidity signal to a controller. The controller may be configured to close the spray cover in response to the received rain/humidity signal.

The method may further comprise a step of determining a height of a vehicle, and a step of moving the spray cover in the direction of the central roof position in dependency of the determined height to thereby open or partly open the spray cover. The step of determining the height of a vehicle may as an example be carried out by measuring the height, e.g., automatically when the vehicle passes a sensor at the harbour, by reading the height from a corresponding ferry ticket, by data typed in by a driver entering the ferry area, etc. Subsequent to determining the height, the spray cover may be moved in dependency of the determined height to thereby provide a height of the opening of the loading port large enough to allow the vehicles to roll onto the ferry deck. Accordingly, the spray cover may be moved based on data generated outside the ferry.

It should be understood, that a skilled person would readily recognise that any feature described in combination with the first aspect of the disclosure could also be combined with the second aspect of the disclosure, and vice versa.

The remarks set forth above in relation to the ferry are therefore equally applicable in relation to the method of operating the ferry. Brief ion of the

Embodiments of the disclosure will now be further described with reference to the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 illustrates a prior art ferry;

Fig. 2 illustrates a longitudinal-sectional view along the ferry deck of an embodiment of the ferry;

Fig. 3 schematically illustrates moving of the first closure between the open and closed position;

Fig. 4 schematically illustrates the first closure and the spray cover in their respective closed positions;

Fig. 5 illustrates a front-view of an embodiment of the ferry, where the first and the second portion of the first loading port are closed;

Fig. 6 illustrates parts of an embodiment of the ferry, where the first and the second portion of the first loading port are closed, while the top opening is in the closed configuration; and

Fig. 7 illustrates parts of an embodiment of the ferry where the first portion is closed, and where the second portion of the first loading port is in the open position.

Detailed ion of the

It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating embodiments of the disclosure, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the scope of the disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

Fig. 1 illustrates a prior art ferry 101 having a first loading port 103 allowing vehicles to roll onto a ferry deck (not shown). The first loading port 103 is closed by a ramp 105 fully closing the loading port. When loading and unloading the ferry 101, vehicles may roll on and roll off the ferry deck via the ramp 105. An additional entrance hatch 107 is arranged on the outside of the ramp 105 to protect the ramp. The entrance hatch 107 is pivotally connected at a bearing 109 at the ferry. In order to load and unload the ferry 101, both the entrance hatch 107 and the ramp 105 have to be fully opened.

Fig. 2 illustrates a longitudinal-sectional view along of an embodiment of a ferry 1 according to the disclosure. The ferry 1 comprises a first loading port 3 allowing vehicles to roll onto a ferry deck 11. In the illustrated embodiment, the ferry 1 allows vehicles to roll onto the ferry deck 3 at both the bow and the stern. To facilitate loading and unloading at both the bow and the stern, the ferry 1 comprises a second loading port 3'.

The first loading port 3 is closable by a first closure 5 and a spray cover 13, whereas the second loading port 3' is closable by an additional closure 5' and an additional spray cover 13'. The first and second loading ports each defines a first portion and a second portion, where the first portion is closable by the first closure 5/the additional closure 5', and where the second portion is closable by the spray cover 13/the additional spray cover 13'. In the illustrated embodiment, the first closure and the additional closure are identical. Likewise, are the spray cover 13 and the additionally spray cover 13' identical.

In the illustrated embodiment, the first closure 5 and the additional closure 5' are both movable between an open position in which they each defines a ramp onto the ferry deck 11 and a closed position where they each extends in an upright direction from the ferry deck 11 to a frontal position 15, where it terminates, and closes a first portion of the first loading port 3. In Fig. 2, the first closure 5 is in the open position defining a ramp, whereas the additional closure 5' is in the closed position extending in an upright direction from the ferry deck 11 to the frontal position 15 to thereby close a first portion of the first loading port 3.

The spray cover 13 and the additional spray cover 13' are both movable between an open position where they each opens a second portion of the first loading port 3 and a closed position where they each extends in an inclined direction from a central roof position 17 to the frontal position 15 and closes the second portion of the first loading port 3. In Fig. 2, the spray cover 13 is in open position, whereas the additional spray cover 13' is in the closed position extending in an inclined direction from the central roof position 17 to the frontal position 15 to thereby close the second portion of the first loading port 3.

A vertical distance from the ferry deck 11 to the central roof position 17 is denoted a first height hl, whereas a vertical distance from a plane defined by the ferry deck 11 to the frontal position 15 is denoted a second height h2.

The height hl is larger than the second height h2. Thus, when loading vehicles having a height being lower than the height h2 only the first closure 5 needs to be in the open position, whereas the spray cover 13 may be in the closed position closing the second portion of the first loading port 3.

The spray cover 13 and the additional spray cover 13' may both be arranged in a partly open position, where they partly open the second portion of the first loading port 3. In the partly open position, they may extend in an inclined direction from the central roof position 17 to an intermediate position in between the central roof position 17 and the frontal position 15 and may close a part of the second portion of the first loading port 3.

The first closure 5 has a length 11 being defined as the dimension of the first closure in a loading direction (indicated by the arrow LD), where the loading direction LD is the direction in which the ferry 1 can be loaded. To facilitate closing of the first portion of the first loading port 3, the length 11 may be larger than the second height h2 and smaller than the first height hl.

To allow the first closure 5 to move between the open position and the closed position, the first closure 5 is pivotally attached to the ferry 1 along an edge 19 of the ferry deck 11. The first closure 5 extends from an attachment edge 21 along the edge 19 of the ferry deck 11 and terminates in a free edge 23 opposite to the attachment edge 21. The attachment edge 21 and the free edge 23 are substantially parallel. In the closed position, the free edge 23 of the first closure 5 terminates at the frontal position 15. The length 11 corresponds to the dimension of the first closure 5 from the attachment edge 21 to the free edge 23.

In the illustrated embodiment, the spray cover 13 and the additional spray cover 13' each comprises a plurality of sliding panels 25, which sliding panels 25 are configured to slide in a direction towards the central roof position 17 from the frontal position 15, when moving to the open position, and towards the frontal position 15 from the central roof position 17, when moving to the closed position.

The sliding panels 25 span from one side of the ferry deck 11 to the opposite side of the ferry deck 11 to allow closing of the second portion of the first loading port 3 up to the full width of the ferry deck, where the width of the ferry deck is defined as a distance between two oppositely arranged sidewalls or side girders (not shown) of the ferry 1 in a direction perpendicular to the loading direction LD.

The sliding panels 25 span between side-tracks 27 on opposite sides of the ferry deck 11 creating an entrance opening allowing passage for vehicles higher than the second height h2; up to the first height hl. In the illustrated embodiment, the spray cover 13 and the additional spray cover 13' each comprises three sliding panels 25 arranged to move into a stacked configuration in the open position. When arranging the panels 25 in the stacked configuration, a panel 25 is telescopically slided into a cavity of an adjacent panel 25 to thereby arrange the panels in a stacked configuration, as illustrated by the panels 25 of the spray cover 13, whereas the additional spray cover 13' is arranged in the closed position.

When sliding the panels 25 towards the central roof position 17, the panels are in the illustrated embodiment configured to pass the central roof position 17 to thereby slide further away from the frontal position 15.

In the illustrated embodiment, the ferry 1 further comprises two top openings 31 arranged between the central roof position 17 and a top roof position 33. Opening of the top opening 31 may facilitate ventilation of the ferry deck 11, while the first closure 5 and the spray cover 13 are in their respective closed positions.

In the illustrated embodiment, one of the top openings 31 are closed by the spray cover 13 being in the open position.

The illustrated embodiment of the ferry further comprises two railings 29. A closing element may extend from the top roof position 33 to the railing 29 to protect the area behind the railing and a closing element from water splashes.

Fig. 3 schematically illustrates moving of the first closure 5 between the open and closed position. In the open position, the first closure 5, illustrated by the dotted line, forms an extension to the ferry deck 11, and in the closed position, the first closure 5, illustrated by the full-line, extends upright from the ferry deck 11 to the frontal position 15 at which it terminates.

When moving the first closure 5 between the open position and the closed position, the first closure 5 is pivotally moved around the pivot axis P at an angle a. The first closure 5 is pivotally attached to the ferry deck 11 along the edge 19 (see Fig. 2),

When the first closure 5 is in the open position (dotted line), the loading port 3 (see Fig. 2) has a height h2 allowing vehicles of a height up to h2 to roll onto the ferry deck 11 without moving the spray cover 13 to its open position (see Figs. 2 and 4). The height h2 is defined as the vertical distance between a plane defined by the ferry deck 11 and the frontal position 15. Fig. 4 schematically illustrates the first closure 5 and the spray cover 13 in their respective closed positions, where the spray cover 13 extends from the central roof position 17 to the frontal position 15. When moving the spray cover 13 between the open position and the closed position, the spray cover 13 is slided along a straight path SP. The path may as an alternative by a curved path.

When the first closure 5 is in its open position (see Fig. 3), and when the spray cover 13 is in its open position, the loading port 3 (see Fig. 2) has a height hl allowing vehicles of a height up to hl to roll onto the ferry deck 11. The height hl is defined as the vertical distance between the ferry deck 11 and the central roof position 17.

Fig. 5 illustrates a front-view of an embodiment of the ferry 1, where the first and the second portion of the first loading port 3 are closed by the first closure 5 and the spray cover 13, respectively.

Fig. 6 illustrates parts of an embodiment of the ferry 1, where the first and the second portion of the first loading port 3 are closed by the first closure 5 and the spray cover 13, respectively. The top opening 31 is in the closed configuration.

Fig. 7 illustrates parts of an embodiment of the ferry 1, where the first portion of the loading port 3 is closed by the first closure 5. The second portion of the first loading port 3 is in the open position, as the spray cover 13 in the form of sliding panels 25 are slided towards the central roof position 17 and have passed this position 17 to thereby close the top opening 31 (not shown).