New Hull-Rotterdam Ferry in the Autumn
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iT was confirmed last week that North Sea Ferries Ltd.—a British-Dutch-German I consortium of six shipping companies--will start its new roll-on/roll-off ferry service between Hull and Rotterdam this autumn, probably in the first week. of November. Using a brand new British ti1-4 m. motor vessel of 3,950 tons with two drive-through decks, stabilizers and air-conditioned passenger accommodation, the service will leave Hull at 6 p.m. on Mondays. Wednesdays and Fridays and arrive at Rotterdam at 8 a.m.. while the same sailing times will apply for departures from Rotterdam on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
Early in 1966 the ferry will be joined by a Dutch sister ship and sailings will become daily. Rates will be '' really competitive ". there will be a handling charge for containers, and vehicle-accompanying drivers will have free accommodation. Each ship (which will also take car tourist traffic, and will thus have very full catering and entertainment facilities) can carry up to 65 commercial vehicles and/or trailers and the decks permit tandem bogie loadings up to 20 tons.
Decks will be totally enclosed and all handling will he in special sheds, with facilities such as 25-ton-capacity Douglas straddle loaders capable of transhipping 40-ft.-long containers: this is with an eye to US-Europe-UK traffic in large demountable containers of the Flekivan pattern. Also, North Sea Ferries has bought 30 Roden tandem-axle semi-trailers for shipboard carriage of containers (there will be no conventional crane handling) and Lancashire flats.
The Hull roll-on berth will he at No. 5 quay. while NSF is building its own new berth at Rotterdam's Europort. where Customs, handling, office and canteen accommodation will be completed by September this year.
NSF has already surveyed all likely ports for an expansion of roll-on, and may well announce yet another new ferry next year. The possibility of a direct service to East Germany cannot be ruled out.
UK operating manager of NSF is Mr. J. L. A. Bowles, whose office is at 48 High Street, Hull. Yorks: tel: 01-1U2 36650.