GB1589819A - Loading and unloading sea-faring ships - Google Patents

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO LOADING AND UNLOADING SEA-FARING SHIPS (71) We, MASCHINENFABRIK BACKAU R. WOLF AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, a German company, of Grevenbroich, Lindenstrasse 43, Germany, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: - This invention relates to a method of loading or unloading ships.

It is intended by means of such a method to make more economic loading and unloading of ships, more especially of seagoing ships such as large ocean-going cargo ships having their own cargo handling gear.

Most of the existing harbour installations are no longer adequate to deal with the ships, which are becoming increasingly large and which have a cargo also increasing in size (whether it be bulk, pallet or container traffic). For most of the large ships, the depths of water in these docks are insufficient and the quay installations are too small to accommodate the large amount of freight required to be loaded or unloaded. Furthermore, on account of bad sea or weather conditions, large ships are often obliged to anchor at some distance from the coast. Even ships which, in calm weather, would still be able to enter a harbour, are obliged to anchor outside the harbour when the weather is bad. Furthermore, other circumstances, such as a strike or other industrial dispute of dock labourers, can make it necessary for the ships to anchor in the free sea-room or offing.

A transfer to quay installations for oversea ships can of course only occur in those cases where such installations are operative and where the solution of the loading problem by means of suitable technical auxiliary means, such as crane and storage installations, is available, and in addition a fully adequate road and rail system is available for transporting the goods to the receivers.

However, these possibilities are only available to a limited extent in relation to necessary requirements and, on the coasts, are often too far removed from the point of receipt. High financial expense has to be included in the calculations for transport and intermediate storage and these considerably increase the cost for the freight rates.

So that sea-going ships may be employed economically in ocean-going traffic, it is known to anchor these ships at some distance from the coast and to load or unload these ships by means of lighters. The transferred freight is transported by the lighters to the harbour installations, where they are transferred to barges, railway trucks or lorries. For loading the sea-going ship, the lighters are loaded in the harbour and they transport the goods to the sea-going ship.

Should there be several ships simultaneously at anchor in waters close to the coast, then it is impossible to exclude waiting times for these ships; this is because the capacities of most harbour installations are insufficient for dealing simultaneously with a large number of lighters. The transfer to lighters is usually carried out in those cases where cargoes of ships have to be dealt with in those places where there are no suitable harbour installations available.

However, it is just in these circumstances that not always sufficient lighters are available.

The transfer of goods by means of lighters is time-consuming, because intermediate storage and the double transfer from the water craft to land vehicles which is thereby involved is unavoidable.

In order to avoid these disadvantages, it is known to anchor floating islands at some distance from the coast, large ships and lighters simultaneously coming alongside likewise provided with transfer means, are intended to facilitate the transfer from the ship to the lighter, or vice versa, and also to make this possible in a heavy swell.

The disadvantage of these anchored floating islands is to be seen in the fact that the sea-going ships are restricted to the positions of the islands and when the relatively small islands are occupied, it is not possible to avoid relatively long waiting times for the large vessels.

Other owners of sea-going ships would like to avoid these waiting times by unloading their freight into their own lighters and loading the lighters in the cargo space of the large ships and taking them with the ships on a long voyage. In the coastal region near a harbour installation, the lighters are lowered into the water and they transport the goods to the harbour-transfer installations. However, also the lighters belonging to the ships are limited to the capacities of the available harbour installations.

So as to be independent of harbours or river estuaries, it is known from German Offenlegungsschrift No. 21 26 711 to provide a freighter with a loading gear, with which the ship is also able to stand in at landing stages outside harbour installations.

The ship moves so close to the landing stage that it is able to run out its landing gear and unload on land. It is now possible for lorries to be introduced by the loading gear into the hold of the freighter and to load or unload the ship. Sea-going ships, because of their draught, are unable to come alongside landing stations where the coastal water is shallow or because of a relatively heavy swell. Furthermore, the coastal stations must be able to allow lorries to approach and move away from the loading gear. Consequently, ships having such a loading gear can only approach coastal stations which have a sufficient depth of water and comprise suitable facilities for the lorries to approach and depart therefrom. A loading and unloading operation by means of a loading gear is not usually possible with a slight swell.

For weeks and months on end, ships of all sizes having a valuable cargo on board " roll " on the roadstead or in the free seaway without any prospect of being unloaded within the appointed time. Overloaded harbours and installations only provide a predicted amount of work. However, what cannot be visualised are the costs involved by day of demurrage and failures in supply. These problems cannot be substantially improved by large efforts in organisation carried out by the harbour authorities. It cannot be seen when a change in these conditions can be achieved.

Enlargements of harbour installations, new constructions of quay and transfer installations involve enormous sums of money. Even when finance is available, it is necessary to accept times for construction running into years. Methods of transport by rail or road and the rolling stock necessary for this purpose, involve additional expense.

The invention has for its object to obviate the disadvantages discussed above in connection with the loading and unloading of ships, more especially of ocean-going vessels, and to provide a method with which such ships can be loaded or unloaded at any arbitrary position on the coast.

According to the present invention, there is provided a method of loading or unloading, cargo is loaded, in coastal waters, from the ship, at any desired point off the coast, on to an amphibious lighter vehicle or craft which is able to travel on land or in the water, and the cargo is transported by said craft on the sea and then by overland travel to a final destination, or vice versa for unloading, the amphibious lighter or craft being loaded and unloaded on land using its own lifting gear with which it is provided.

The invention will now be discussed, by way of example, where, by using such a method, the cargo (general cargo, containers or the like) can bt transported without any further transfer from the sea-going ship in a water-to-land journey directly to the location of final consumer or customer and from the customer directly to the seagoing ship.

By using water-craft which can travel on land, the transfer of the goods from sea-going vessels to any desired land location can be effected without the already known installations and transfer facilities.

The lighter-type vehicles for use with the present method are vehicles suitable for use on land and on water and are seaworthy in the coastal region and are also loadcarrying vehicles which can move on land.

They are provided with driving means required for travelling both on land and water.

Fixed installations, such as quays, hardours, berths and the like, are unnecessary for the present method. Loading and unloading equipment on land close to the water can be dispensed with. Double or multiple transfer and intermediate storage is unnecessary.

The ambphibious vehicles or craft can have a climbing capacity which enables them to be able to ascend steep beach tracks, so that it is posisble for them to be used at any point along the coast which is closest to the final destination. Long circuitous routes by land or rail from the harbour to the point of destination are avoided. As road vehicles, they should have the properties of standard commercial vehicles.

On board, the cargo is transferred from the ship to the amphibious vehicles, which are water-borne to any arbitrary and suitable position along the coast, driven from this position on to land and then by the road system to the customer, where the amphibious vehicle is unloaded (or loaded).

The particular advantage of the present method is to be seen in the fact that the sea-going vessels can lie outside a 3-mile limit in the free seaway and as a consequence it is possible to save the enormously high harbour and demurrage expenses.

Not every customer has his own lifting gear. So that the amphibious vehicles can also be loaded and unloaded on land at any desired position, they are equipped with their own lifting gear, for example, hydraulic cranes. Outside stationary or mobile loading cranes on land are dispensed with.

In relation to the ocean-going ships, the amphibious vehicles are considered as relatively small ship units. So as to avoid relatively long waiting times of the oceangoing ships, the amphibious vehicles should also be capable of being used in a relatively heavy swell. The seaworthiness and thus the safety of the loading operation and the actual loading of such lighter craft is improved by two or more ambphibious vehicles being coupled together for movement on the water and these vehicles are uncoupled for movement on land. The single uncoupled vehicle is then suitable for travelling on land. A plurality of amphibious vehicles coupled side-by-side or following one another when swell increases or high waves are formed can also be used for landing extremely heavy and bulky items of cargo.

The sea-going vessels are not always equipped with the suitable deck cranes for loading and nnloading. By means of a floating body or hull, which may comprise its own lifting gear, this disadvantage is obviated. The floating body can be moved to any desired position in coastal waters, so that the loading and unloading operaion is not restricted to a specific position.

The floating body can comprise two separate ships' hulls, for example, pontoons, which are arranged in spaced relation and extend parallel to one another and which are interconnected by means of a bridge. With this arrangement, an intermediate space is provided, which offers a berth with adequate safety for the loading and unloading operation to the relatively small amphibious vehicles or craft, even with a heavy swell. The intermediate space is capable of being closed off on both sides from the open sea. For this purpose, rubber mats or the like, arranged on the bow and stern of the floating bodies, can be capable of being unrolled in the manner of a lock gate and may possibly be secured for guiding movement in rails. Consequently, they form protected loading and unloading areas in a rough sea. The floating body may serve as a control centre.The unloading or loading operation is directed from the floating body. All technical communication equipment necessary for this purpose can be on board.

The floating bodies can provide the accommodation for personnel and the supply station for food or fuel. They can serve as quarters for the operating crew, a medical supply station and the like.

Additional quick-operating loading systems on the floating bodies also considerably shorten the times required for loading.

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic view showing an ocean-going vessel having two coupled amphibious craft lying alongside, Figure 2 is a schematic view showing amphibious craft when running on to land, and Figure 3 shows the loading and unloading operation by means of a tandem pontoon.

Referring to the drawings, an oceangoing freighter 1 is anchored at any desired position in coastal waters possibly outside a 3-mile limit. The surface of the water is denoted by reference numeral 6.

Amphibious vehicles or craft 3 and 4 travel overland to the coast and then move on the surface 6 towards the freighter 1, where they receive the cargo 5 by means of derricks 2 on board the freighter 1. The loaded amphibious craft 3 and 4 then return to the coast, run on to the land (as shown in Figure 2) and bring the cargo 5 to the consignee by an overland journey.

On reaching the consignee, the cargo or freight 5 is unloaded and/or loaded by means of derricks or lifting gear 7 which are arranged on the amphibious craft 3 and 4.

The amphibious craft 3 and 4 can also be loaded and unloaded using a floating body or hull. Figure 3 shows such a floating body which is constructed as a tandem pontoon and which lies alongside the freighter 1. In the example, this floating body consists of two pontoons 8 and 9, each of which can be independently driven by its own propulsion means. The pontoons 8 and 9 are coupled to one another to form a tandem pontoon by means of one or more bridges 10. As a consequence, an intermediate space 14 is established, which can be used as a berth 14 protected against swell, for the lighters 3 and 4. The space 14 may be sealed off from the open sea, at least on one side.The or each bridge 10 can be hingedly connected to one of the two hulls 8 and 9, so that the two floating hulls can be driven independently to the loading or unloading station and at this station can be coupled to one another by the outwardly swung bridge 10. Both pontoons 8 and 9 are provided with their own lifting gear 11 and 12, this gear advantageously consisting of quick-traversing loading cranes. By using these cranes, it is then also possible for relatively old freighters, without their own lifting gear or with old, slowly-slewing cranes, to be handled quickly and in economic manner.

A second freighter 13 may also at the same time move up to the tandem pontoon and likewise be loaded or unloaded. The hulls 8 and 9 may constitute any desired, mobile ship unit.

Each amphibious craft 3, 4 is provided with side walls which can be moved to a downwardly hinged position or to an upwardly hinged position where they are connected in water-tight manner to the craft.

These side walls are so arranged as to form, with two or more of the amphibious craft coupled together, a continuous loading surface for all the coupled craft, when the walls are in their downwardly hinged positions. With a plurality of craft 3, 4 coupled together, the outermost walls of the outermost vehicles or craft are hinged upwardly while travelling on water.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: - 1. A method of loading or unloading a ship by means of lighters, wherein, when unloading, a cargo is loaded, in coastal waters, from the ship, at any desired point off the coast, on to an amphibious lighter vehicle or craft which is able to travel on land or in the water, and the cargo is transported by said craft on the sea and then by overland travel to a final destination, or vice versa for loading, the amphibious lighter or craft being loaded and unloaded on land using its own lifting gear with which it is provided.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the operation of loading and unloading the ship is carried out by means of two or more of said amphibious craft which are coupled together and which are uncoupled for travelling on land.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the amphibious craft is/are loaded or unloaded via an additional floating body or hull.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the amphibious craft are loaded or unloaded using lifting gear or cranes with which said floating body or hull is provided.

5. A method as claimed in claim 3 or 4, wherein two separate pontoons, of which said floating body is comprised, are arranged spaced from one another and so as to extend in parallel relation, said pontoons being interconnected by means of one or more bridges.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the amphibious craft are berthed in the space between the two pontoons.

7. A method as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein said floating body or hull is propelled with its own propulsion means.

8. A method as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5, 6 or 7 as appendant to claim 4, wherein cargo is transferred to and from said hull by additional devices with which the hull is fitted.

9. A method as claimed in claim 6, or claim 7 or 8 as appendant to claim 6, wherein said space is sealed off from the open sea, at least on one side.

10. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and comprising the step of moving side walls with which said amphibious craft are provided, into a downwardly hinged position or into an upwardly hinged position where they are connected in water-tight manner to the craft.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein said side walls are so arranged that said walls form, with two or more of said amphibious craft coupled together, a continuous loading surface for all the coupled craft, by moving the walls into their downwardly hinged positions.

12. A method as claimed in claim 10 or 11, wherein, with a plurality of said amphibious craft coupled together, the outer most walls of the outermost craft are hinged upwardly while travelling on water.

13. A method of loading or unloading a ship as claimed in Claim 1, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (13)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. to the loading or unloading station and at this station can be coupled to one another by the outwardly swung bridge 10. Both pontoons 8 and 9 are provided with their own lifting gear 11 and 12, this gear advantageously consisting of quick-traversing loading cranes. By using these cranes, it is then also possible for relatively old freighters, without their own lifting gear or with old, slowly-slewing cranes, to be handled quickly and in economic manner. A second freighter 13 may also at the same time move up to the tandem pontoon and likewise be loaded or unloaded. The hulls 8 and 9 may constitute any desired, mobile ship unit. Each amphibious craft 3, 4 is provided with side walls which can be moved to a downwardly hinged position or to an upwardly hinged position where they are connected in water-tight manner to the craft. These side walls are so arranged as to form, with two or more of the amphibious craft coupled together, a continuous loading surface for all the coupled craft, when the walls are in their downwardly hinged positions. With a plurality of craft 3, 4 coupled together, the outermost walls of the outermost vehicles or craft are hinged upwardly while travelling on water. WHAT WE CLAIM IS: -

1. A method of loading or unloading a ship by means of lighters, wherein, when unloading, a cargo is loaded, in coastal waters, from the ship, at any desired point off the coast, on to an amphibious lighter vehicle or craft which is able to travel on land or in the water, and the cargo is transported by said craft on the sea and then by overland travel to a final destination, or vice versa for loading, the amphibious lighter or craft being loaded and unloaded on land using its own lifting gear with which it is provided.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the operation of loading and unloading the ship is carried out by means of two or more of said amphibious craft which are coupled together and which are uncoupled for travelling on land.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the amphibious craft is/are loaded or unloaded via an additional floating body or hull.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the amphibious craft are loaded or unloaded using lifting gear or cranes with which said floating body or hull is provided.

5. A method as claimed in claim 3 or 4, wherein two separate pontoons, of which said floating body is comprised, are arranged spaced from one another and so as to extend in parallel relation, said pontoons being interconnected by means of one or more bridges.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the amphibious craft are berthed in the space between the two pontoons.

7. A method as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein said floating body or hull is propelled with its own propulsion means.

8. A method as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5, 6 or 7 as appendant to claim 4, wherein cargo is transferred to and from said hull by additional devices with which the hull is fitted.

9. A method as claimed in claim 6, or claim 7 or 8 as appendant to claim 6, wherein said space is sealed off from the open sea, at least on one side.

10. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and comprising the step of moving side walls with which said amphibious craft are provided, into a downwardly hinged position or into an upwardly hinged position where they are connected in water-tight manner to the craft.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein said side walls are so arranged that said walls form, with two or more of said amphibious craft coupled together, a continuous loading surface for all the coupled craft, by moving the walls into their downwardly hinged positions.

12. A method as claimed in claim 10 or 11, wherein, with a plurality of said amphibious craft coupled together, the outer most walls of the outermost craft are hinged upwardly while travelling on water.

13. A method of loading or unloading a ship as claimed in Claim 1, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.