A berthing facility for use in moving vehicles between a shore facility
and a bow/stern-loading RORO ferry, having a substantially rigid floating
pontoon comprising several modules joined one to another, a two-tier
vehicle ramp running from the shore to the pontoon, an element for
pivotally securing the pontoon in the vicinity of the ramp and an element
for resiliently restraining the pontoon to permit limited controlled
pivotal movement about a preferred orientation. The berthing facility
also including, hydraulically dampened fenders and wingwalls for
dissipating vessel impact force, an integral turning dolphin, apron
assemblies for providing continuity of vehicle pathways between the ramp
and a ferry, and an element for raising and lowering the ramp.