Goliath Leader Lowering Ramp
NYK (Nippon Yusen Kaisha) Line’s car carrier Goliath Leader tied up to Pier 32, Honolulu Harbor. She is in the process of lowering her stern quarter ramp. 24 June 2017. (Special thanks to Captain Paul Pollock.)
Car carriers are not graceful ships with fine lines. They are boxy workhorses designed to transport thousands of vehicles of all types around the world. These ships are essentially large, floating garages with decks instead of floors. The vehicles being shipped are parked close together on their assigned deck, to which each is carefully lashed.
One prominent external feature of a typical car carrier is the stern quarter ramp. Once the ramp is lowered to the dock and secured by the ship’s crew, local stevedores drive vehicles on and/or off the ship via the ramp.
