TR 
EN
I would like to tell something distinctly about the passenger ferries on Istanbul Strait today. There are certain things that have become a classic and should never be rearranged at any time. Passenger transportation ferry between the two shores of Istanbul Strait is one of them. Though some recent models do not resemble former ones, the majority seem like the successors of the former models apart from the propeller systems. First exemplars were pedal steamer ships made in the UK. The earliest known trips were among the quays on different sides of Istanbul under the supervision of The Marmara Sea Line in 1844. The Marmara Sea Line was referred with many different names at the time. The most well-known and the famous name was ‘‘Sirket-i Hayriye’’ which was used between the years of 1851 and 1945. Passenger ferries are operated under the supervision of ‘‘Sehir Hatları’’ (City Lines) Administration since 1945. It’s possible that Istanbul might be the first city where urban transportation is regularly scheduled over the sea. The constitutive character of the ferries began to become apparent thanks to advance in technical developments. Those ships became an Istanbul Strait classic in the following years.
The first ferries were made in The Fairfield Shipyard, Glasgow, UK. Shortly, Fairfield class ships, Scottish built. The first Turkish make ferry based on the original design was built at Hasköy shipyard in Istanbul in 1937. This was followed by construction of larger and numerous ferries in later years. Passenger ferries referred as steel screw steamer had average characteristics of what naval architect determined as 708 grt, 210 ft. length, 36 ft. breadth and 13 ft. draft. The tonnages increased, due to the exponential increase of passenger numbers but sometimes ugly shapes appear on the sea. As a matter of fact, it’s normal that increases in tonnage to cause a change in the shape of ships in order to meet new requirements of the city approximately every twenty years. But some recent ferries are quite different than older ones. Senior staffs and ourselves could not sight that the poetic city harmony with the classic ferries was lost.
I wonder how the naval architects imagined the city or whether they had been to Istanbul or not in that period,1840s. It may also be possible that they had seen the city from the oil on -canvas paintings or charcoal drawings only. It is very difficult to understand impressions from which they draw on the design philosophy. Because the old ferries had such a good design that they almost naturally fit themselves into the shore texture of Istanbul. Thus, the classic design of the passenger ferries has become a mystical art in the cold waters of Istanbul Strait for 175 years. Ones may think of my opinion as way too exaggerated. Any inspiration can be a coincidence. After all, many people who live in Istanbul consider those ships as a part of their lives. Sometimes people gaze into the harmony of colors, white seagulls escorting the white ferries over deep blue sea just as they wait for their trip on the dock before crossing the Istanbul Strait. Eating a ‘‘simit- Turkish sesame bagel’’ and drinking tea on the deck of ferry became a traditional habit for many people.
The white seagulls and the white steel ferries are reflected in paintings, novels, poems, media and also lives of people. Does this harmony of ferries and our lives fall into decay ? Not right now. But we should protect the traditional design of the ferries in Istanbul Strait which inspires us in many ways and get rid of the ugly designs we see now and then. White steel hull, wooden deck, white buoys echeloned on upper deck and white seagulls escorting ferries became the symbols of our maritime perspective in Istanbul Strait. I know the world is changing and first class or second class lounge for passengers will never be in the ferries. But the classic features of these ships will always be symbol of Istanbul for us.
Sources:
http://www.clydeships.co.uk/view.php?ref=6689
http://en.sehirhatlari.istanbul/en/kurumsal/history-6492.html
http://wowturkey.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=17536
https://sanatkaravani.com/istanbul-vapurdur-vapur-istanbul/
