BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 28. The "Zarifa Aliyeva" ferry ship has made 163 trips since its commissioning, Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company (ASCO) CJSC told Trend.
During this time the vessel transported 148 railway wagons, 1,061 passenger cars, 5,595 trucks, and 5,616 passengers.
The "Zarifa Aliyeva" ferry made its first trip to the Kazakh port of Aktau. Subsequent flights were made to other ports in Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.
The vessel has a length of 154.5 meters, a width of 17.7 meters, and a height of 7.5 meters.
To date, it surpasses other ferries in the Caspian Sea in its carrying capacity and can carry up to 100 passengers, 56 tank cars, or 50 heavy-duty road trains.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on April 28, 2022, took part in the launching ceremony of the “Zarifa Aliyeva” Ro-Pax type ferry boat built at Baku Shipyard on the order of the ASCO.
The ASCO’s fleet includes 13 ferries, two Ro-Ro, and 1 Ro-Pax-type ship. Currently, ASCO is the only ferry operator in the Caspian Sea that provides carriage of railway wagons by sea. The fleet acts as a bridge in the Caspian Sea for both wagons and trucks, and all users of cargo on the Trans-Caspian corridor are able to benefit from this opportunity.
The naming of the ferry “Zarifa Aliyeva” is an expression of Azerbaijani sailors' boundless respect for the memory of prominent scientist and doctor, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor, Honored Scientist, Academician Zarifa Aliyeva. An area on the ship reflects the scientific research, achievements and benevolent attitude of academician Zarifa Aliyeva, describing, in a nutshell, her life and activity full of self-sacrifice. Photo and video information and books about Zarifa Aliyeva, a full member of the National Academy of Sciences and the first female laureate of the M. I. Averbakh Prize, are on display in the area.