[Sawyer]

As to environmental impacts, ironically they loom larger as one grows older. One approach is thinking that if I have been part of brutalising and destroying habitats as the flip side of enjoying the fruits of the conferred "growth" by these actions, what right do I have to deny this fun to the next generation.

The other approach is thinking of what I have done/do to an inheritance that we have no choice but to pass on to the next generation of our children. Will we pass it on intact or damaged is the question.

Perhaps off topic, but important enough and relevant enough to think over, by Indian claiming to be educated.

[SJM1214]

A Recent new about Ro RO Ferry. The Ro-Ro ferry service, which was suspended from January 5 for installation of linkspan, will be resumed from February 2.

The Ro-Pax vessel that will carry passenger along with cargo from South Korea is ready to be deployed on the sea route from Ghogha in Bhavnagar to Dahej in Bharuch from March first week.

The vessel will have two lower deck for cargo and the upper deck for passengers. It can carry 70 trucks and Volvo passenger buses besides 500 passengers. The passenger area will be fully air conditioned with children playing area. It will also have entertainment area and cafeteria for commuters.
Devendra Manral, managing director of Indigo Seaways, the ferry service operator, said, "The vessel has two ramps, one each at bow and stern for cargo operations. It can dock at both ends. Companies can ship their loaded trucks on the vessel to cut travel time across Gulf of Cambay."
Meanwhile, the Ro-Ro ferry service, which was suspended from January 5 for installation of linkspan, will be resumed from February 2. For that the online booking has also started.
"The ferry will begin from Ghogha at 7.30 am and will begin return journey from Dahej at 5.15 pm," Manral said.

News Source : https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...w/62699362.cms

[SJM1214]

Ship for ro-ro service bought from China for Rs 110 crore.

May 2, 2018, 11:09 IST Gujarat government has bought a Rs 110 crore ship from China for launching the ro-ro service between Ghogha in Bhavnagar and Dahej near Bharuch. Earlier, the government had rolled out the service with a hired ship just before the 2017 Gujarat assembly polls. The new ship will be used permanently to ferry around 800 to 1,000 passengers and 65 luxury bus-sized vehicles every day between Ghogha and Dahej.

A senior official privy to the development said, “With the commencement of the ro-pax service, the second phase of project will also be over. Presently, ro-pax vessel is undergoing refitting at a shipyard in China. The terminal is ready and dredging work is also over. The ship is expected to arrive by the end of this month and we are hopeful of starting the regular service from June. This ship will be in operation also during monsoon, except there is a bad weather.”

“We expect that several luxury bus operators will use this service for travel to Surat and Mumbai from Saurashtra as it would cut journey time and give a cruise ship-like experience to the passengers,” added the official.

News Source : https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...w/63992650.cms


Image Source: One of my Whatsapp group.

[jagzrk]

Has anyone on this forum ever tried this ferry route by personal car? It's been almost a year we heard this news but I cannot find any link of booking the ticket for transporting a personal family car. Nor is the cost available anywhere. The news articles says 500 per passenger, but that's about it. Wanted to know how much it costs to transport a car or pseudo-SUV like Ecosport if they have different rates per size. Will the passengers and car be charged separately? Sorry, new to this ro-ro concept.

I hope to travel toward Diu (Pune - Mumbai outer - Surat - Dahej - Ghogha - Diu - Gir) and back) sometime this year.

[SCORPION]

Originally Posted by jagzrk

Has anyone on this forum ever tried this ferry route by personal car? It's been almost a year we heard this news but I cannot find any link of booking the ticket for transporting a personal family car.

I tried the link below, but it says "No trips
availabile for this selection" for all the dates I tried. So I guess it has not gotten underway yet. It is also possible that they are waiting for the monsoon to pass.
https://www.indigoseaways.com

This area is notorious for it's extremely strong tidal currents and tidal range. I have been to Dahej on LNG vessels a few times and it is a nightmare especially during monsoons. There is a constant danger of the mooring lines parting and the ship breaking away from the jetty. The LNG terminal is right at the mouth of the Narmada River and there are more tanker and petrochemical terminals further up river. The harbour pilots (I have given a brief explanation of who a pilot is towards the end of this post) here are extremely professional, competent and skilled and it's a tough job berthing a massive ship under these circumstances.

It is possible that the above could be a factor which could hinder a ro-ro operation as the vessel may move up and down, in relation to the jetty, by almost 8 to 9 metres at times depending on the height of tide. And this happens roughly every 6 hours. Loading passengers and vehicles under these circumstances could be difficult, unless the terminal is built way up river.

Harbour pilots: Pilots, when it comes to ships, are normally experienced ex-seafarers who have a complete knowledge of that particular port. They know the topography, the tides, the current, the local language, they have direct communication with other pilots piloting other vessels and with the Vessel Traffic Information System (VTIS - which is roughly similar to an ATC), they know the peculiarities of the local weather conditions. And they also communicate and instruct the berthing tug boats (similar to aircraft tugs, although here they use tugs to pull/push both fore and aft and in the athwartship direction and also to escort vessels carrying dangerous cargo like LNG.

Any vessel (above a certain tonnage), when approaching a port, is only allowed to navigate up to the pilot boarding point, which is an area sufficiently safe and close enough to the port for a bridge team with no local knowledge to approach. Ships have to time their arrival at this point so as to pick up a prebooked pilot who will board by a small speed boat, normally called a pilot boat with special identification marks.
From then on, pilots become a part of the bridge team and navigates the vessel until she is berthed and tied up. However, the safety and responsibility of the vessel remains with the Master and other Officers on the bridge at all times and the Masterl has the authority to over ride any instruction from the pilot if he feels it is unsafe for his vessel.
Trivia: the Panama Canal is the only place in the world where the responsibility of safe manoeuvring of a vessel lies with the pilots. Because in the Panama Canal, you are absolutely at their mercy.

[SJM1214]

The 650-crore Ro-Pax ferry service project to connect Saurashtra and Dahej in Gujarat is set to start this week after a successful trial run.

The Gogha- Dahej Ro-Pax Ferry service project with a capacity to carry 500 passengers along with 100 vehicles would reduce the travel distance to just 31 km via sea route from 294 km through road between the two places. A ro-ro ferry service for passengers is already operational between Gogha in Saurashtra and Dahej.

The land route between the two places involves a 294 km or 8-hour drive, it said adding the Ro-Pax service reduces this distance to just 31 km through the sea route by crossing the Gulf in Cambay in 17 Nautical Miles.

The fully operational Ro Pax service with a carrying capacity of 100 vehicles and 500 passengers will be opened on October 27, 2018

News Source.

One of my Dahej based friends shared below pics of the trial run.

[manas27587]

Is any booking required for the above or is it just hop on?
I see the timings are very awkward on the website(if I am seeing the correct one).

[SJM1214]

Ro-Pax ferry vessel capsizes at Gujarat port, one feared dead.

Oct 25, 2018, 18:36 IST
One feared dead while six others were rescued when the Tugboat assisting the movement of the Ro-Pax ferry service vessel turned turtle at Dahej port on Thursday afternoon.

The trial run of the Ro-Pax ferry service vessel between Dahej and Gogha is going on from the last three days. On the third day, the trial run started from Dahej port in the afternoon after loading the passenger vehicles, trucks and passengers. The tugboat, while assisting the Ro-Pax vessel out of the of the jetty turned turtle due to the severing of the ropes.

News Source.

[SCORPION]

Originally Posted by SJM1214

Ro-Pax ferry vessel capsizes at Gujarat port, one feared dead.

What you mentioned in bold is wrong. The ferry did not capsize.

Parting of the rope while the tug pulls is a serious danger especially with badly maintained and old ropes. Tugs used for pulling large tankers can exert a pull in excess of 60 tons. If the rope parts while pulling, serious injuries and in most cases, fatalities occur, if the crew are not well trained and safety concious. However, it is rare and very unlikely that a tug would capsize if a rope parts.

Tugs capsize while pulling because of something called 'girting' of a tug. The load on the rope should normally be in the fore and aft direction of the tug or within a certain angle from the fore and aft direction. When the load moves towards a perpendicular direction, it has a capsizing effect on the tug. The tugs are normally fitted with rope guides to prevent this from happening. In some cases, crew on the tugs deck are trained to cut the rope in an effort to prevent capsizing. The rope will part after capsizing because of excessive load.

Girting is mostly caused by a sudden movement by the ship being tugged, faulty/damaged equipment or a wrong operation by the tug master. Proper communication between the ship and the tug is of utmost importance during such manoeuvres.

A video below to give you a better understanding:

https://youtu.be/NaHq51wv0KM

[SJM1214]

Originally Posted by SCORPION

What you mentioned in bold is wrong. The ferry did not capsize.

Well, sir, I just tried to highlight the news headline. It seems the news headline is wrong.

I am not an expert on the handling of ferry and tugboats. However, as per the photographs circulating in local Whats app groups, it looks like the tugboat actually capsized.

[SCORPION]

Originally Posted by SJM1214

Well, sir, I just tried to highlight the news headline.

Apologies. It is indeed the news headline that is wrong.

I am not an expert on the handling of ferry and tugboats. However, as per the photographs circulating in local Whats app groups, it looks like the tugboat actually capsized.

I was in no way doubting that the tug capsized. I was only trying to explain how it may have capsized as rope parting does not, normally, lead to a capsize.

[SJM1214]

Originally Posted by SCORPION

It is indeed the news headline that is wrong.

Here is the news with a proper headline.

One Dead As Tugboat Capsizes While Towing Ro-Pax Ferry Vessel In Gujarat.

A 61-year-old man drowned when a tugboat towing a 'Ro-Pax' ferry vessel capsized near Dahej jetty in Bharuch district of Gujarat, police said today.

Of the total seven sailors on board the tugboat pulling the vessel, six were rescued after they jumped into the sea immediately after the tugboat overturned near Dahej jetty, around 230 km from Ahmedabad, police said.

News Source.

[SJM1214]

Gujarat Chief Minister Inaugurates Ghogha-Dahej 'Ro-Pax' Ferry Service.

A "passengers only" ferry on the route was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in October last year ahead of the Gujarat Assembly polls.

The ferry can carry around 60 trucks, five to seven buses, 35-40 cars and an equal number of bikes in addition to 525 passengers, a senior official of the Surat-based Indigo Seaways Pvt Ltd (ISPL), the firm operating the service, had said Thursday

News Source.

Tariff for RO-RO Ferry.
Cars – 800
Bikes – 150
Executive Class – 300
Business Class – 400
Economy Class – 200

Source.

[us.dash]

Originally Posted by manas27587

Is any booking required for the above or is it just hop on?
I see the timings are very awkward on the website(if I am seeing the correct one).

Hi

The timings on the Dahej - Ghoghra route are indeed akward.

The departure from Dahej is at 3:30 AM. I checked with the shipping agency, Indigoseaways and they confirmed the departure time.

I have done a web booking and hopefully will be take the Ro-Ro ferry in early November. Will post my review asap.

Cheers
us.dash

[us.dash]

Originally Posted by us.dash

Hi

Will post my review asap.

Cheers
us.dash

Hi!

We took the RoRo ferry from Dahej to Gogha at 3:30 AM on the 7th and returned at 08:00 AM on the 11th.

Location of Jetty: Dahej, near Dahej Port. With the Fortune Hotel on your left, take the first left turn. Then there are sufficient signages to take you to the Passenger Terminal.

Ticketing: Can be done online, preferred as it is very popular. Or on site.

Ship and in-ship parking: Big, enough to accommodate around 80 cars in two decks. Space for trucks and buses too. The cars are parked by the owners. The ship personnel direct the positioning of each vehicle. Wedges are provided for cars that need it. It is a first in - first out concept, at least on paper.

Ship is new, looks new. 3 seating areas - economy, executive and VIP. Executive and VIP are on the same deck, and differ only in quality of seat. Both are good and have minimal difference in pricing. There is limited food (Popcorn, samosas and puffs) available on board. Coffee, tea, ice cream, soft drink, etc. are also available.

Departure and Arrival: Within 15 mins of mentioned time.

Final Word: No Staten Island Ferry, but no Goa Ferry either. Popular already, will increase in popularity soon.

Roads near Ghogha are good, but roads in Eastern Saurashtra are horrible. Drive to Diu was a pain even in a Hexa.

Thanks
us.dash