MV ''Sorrento'' is a double-ended

roll-on/roll-off Roll-on/roll-off (RORO or ro-ro) ships are cargo ships designed to carry wheeled cargo, such as cars, motorcycles, trucks, semi-trailer trucks, buses, Trailer (vehicle), trailers, and railroad cars, that are driven on and off the ship on their ...

vehicle

ferry A ferry is a boat or ship that transports passengers, and occasionally vehicles and cargo, across a body of water. A small passenger ferry with multiple stops, like those in Venice, Italy, is sometimes referred to as a water taxi or water bus ...

owned by Peninsula Searoad Transport of

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Queen Victoria (1819–1901), Queen of the United Kingdom and Empress of India * Victoria (state), a state of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, a provincial capital * Victoria, Seychelles, the capi ...

, Australia. It has operated between the heads of

Port Phillip Bay Port Phillip ( Kulin: ''Narm-Narm'') or Port Phillip Bay is a horsehead-shaped enclosed bay on the central coast of southern Victoria, Australia. The bay opens into the Bass Strait via a short, narrow channel known as The Rip, and is comple ...

between the towns of Queenscliff and

Sorrento Sorrento ( , ; ; ) is a City status in Italy, city and overlooking the Gulf of Naples, Bay of Naples in Southern Italy. A popular tourist destination, Sorrento is located on the Sorrentine Peninsula at the southern terminus of a main branch o ...

since 2000. It is the sister ship of , and on entering service enabled a doubling in the service frequency across the bay. The ferry can carry approximately 80 vehicles and 700 passengers. This ship is commonly referred to as "HMAS Mornpen"

Loading and uploading

''Sorrento'' is fitted with ramps at the bow and stern of the ship to allow vehicles to roll on at the start of the voyage and roll off at the end of the voyage. This results in a fast turnaround time, with all vehicles and passengers embarking and disembarking in approximately 15 to 20 minutes. The ferry was designed to use the existing loading facilities used by the sister ship ''Queenscliff''. At Queenscliff, the ship docks bow into the terminal. The bow of the ship consists of two sections; one section raises while the other lowers, forming a ramp that allows vehicles to drive off. Once all vehicles and foot passengers have disembarked, vehicles travelling to Sorrento then board and face the stern of the ship for the voyage. At Sorrento, the ship docks stern into the terminal. A ramp at the stern of the ship lowers allowing vehicles to drive off. Once all vehicles and foot passengers have disembarked, vehicles travelling to Queenscliff then board and face the bow of the ship for the voyage. Pedestrian passengers embark and disembark the ship, via the same ramps that vehicles do, under the direction of the ship's crew in between the embarkation and disembarkation of vehicles.

References

External links

Peninsula Searoad Ferry
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sorrento Ferries of Victoria (state) Transport in Geelong Port Phillip Sorrento, Victoria 2001 ships