Abstract:
An arrangement, a system and a method relating to a well boat- and service vessel (1) for transporting or storing fish or other aquatic organisms. There are provided, inter alia, a well boat- and service vessel (1) that includes a self-floating, exchangeable well unit (2), a propulsion unit (3), wherein the propulsion unit includes propulsion elements (4), steering and positioning elements, a dock (5) for the well unit, positioning and attachment elements for positioning and securing the well unit (2) in the dock (5).
Abstract:
A method for outfitting a vessel such as a water ship for a particular mission includes maneuvering the vessel toward a mission module, capturing the mission module with the vessel, and coupling the mission module to the vessel. Such method allows one to interchange mission modules, and thus outfit a vessel for different missions, quickly and easily.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for transporting or storing compressed natural gas in a marine environment includes the providing of a heavy lift vessel that has a weather deck area that is bounded by forward and aft, port and starboard sides or walls that extend above the weather deck. A buoyant module is provided that contains a pipeline, the pipeline including multiple alternating straight sections and bend sections and multiple layers. The pipeline is supported at differing elevations within the module interior so that the various sections of the pipeline are preferably spaced apart to enable visual and/or remote exterior inspection (e.g. video, radar, x-ray, acoustic, or other exterior, non-destructive test) of the outer surface of the pipeline. The pipeline has a continuous bore that is piggable for internal inspections. The module can be transferred to a heavy lift vessel or can be used as flotation. The combination of heavy lift vessel and module can travel to a selected location for loading and unloading compressed natural gas. The module can be placed in a marine environment to serve as a storage facility for compressed natural gas.
Abstract:
A method of loading floatable containers onto, and discharging floatable containers from, a seaworthy vessel to facilitate the transport of cargo. The vessel includes twin hulls which lie beneath the water's surface, a device for controlling the draft and the horizontal position of the vessel, a plurality of submersible platforms each of which lies on a longitudinally and transversely subdivided controllable air cell, device for controlling the draft and the horizontal position of the submersible platforms, and transverse trusses having engagement devices to support said platforms. The levels and the horizontal position of both the hulls and the aforementioned platforms are manipulated by air provided by on-board turbo air compressors running open-loop within their speed-delivery characteristics and/or by air vented from the hulls and the aforementioned platforms, regulated by valves controlled by a central processor with software for the continuous automatic correcting of calculated valve setting programs and for using the valve setting programs corrected during the preceding load cycle for the subsequent discharge cycle, to permit for efficient changes between loading draft and voyage draft.
Abstract:
A ship has a plurality of open-top recesses in the deck thereof in which substantially fluid-tight, relatively light-weight, buoyant containers are held solely by the force of gravity and by frictional forces. Those containers substantially fill those recesses. If the ship were to sink, the containers would automatically eject, responding to the weight of the water which they displaced to rise up out of those recesses and float upright in open water. Thereafter, those buoyant containers would confine the contents thereof until those containers could have the contents thereof transferred into other ships at sea or could be towed to shore to be emptied, thereby preventing accidental spills of oil or other liquid cargo.
Abstract:
A transport ship for transporting floatable cargo comprises a hull having a ballast system with a plurality of ballast tanks and with at least one cargo space which is capable of being flooded. The cargo space is closed by at least one sea door. The ballast system is capable of flooding the cargo space and adjusting the ballast of the hull in order to bring the water level of the cargo space level with the surrounding sea so that the sea doors may be opened and the floatable cargo may be floated directly into the cargo space. With the method of the invention, after the vessel is ballasted and the cargo space flooded in order to adjust the level of the cargo space water to the surrounding water level the sea doors are opened and the cargo floated into the space and aligned in stowage position. The water level is then adjusted in order to either lower the cargo to position it in a secured position in which further elements are anchored to the individual cargo elements or containers; or the level in the cargo space is raised even higher in order to position the cargo into an upper tier stowage position. In the upper tier stowage position hanging devices are provided for securing the cargo and/or holding it in the upper tier position. A plurality of tiers may be loaded in this manner by successively loading the vessel from the uppermost tier downwardly. Intermediate tiers are supported preferably by holding elements which are moved outwardly from the sides of the cargo space. These may comprise extendable brackets which are carried in the bulkhead walls running along the sides of the cargo space. After each whole tier length of cargo is pushed into the cargo space the sea water is adjusted to locate the cargo in a stowage position and then the cargo is secured in that position. Thereafter the level of the water in the cargo space is again adjusted and if more than one tier is to be loaded it is adjusted downwardly to float the next level or cargo in below the upper tier level. Each tier level of a cargo space is floated in along the complete length or selected parts of that cargo space at a time, and the individual cargo elements are secured in position before the adjustment of the ballasting in the cargo space is effected.
Abstract:
A vessel comprises a skeleton part carrying propulsion and steering means and comprising a bow section and a stern section connected by a spine and a plurality of container portions engageable with the skeleton part intermediate the bow and stern sections and laterally of the spine, the container portions when engaged with the skeleton part defining therewith the exterior shape of the vessel hull.
Abstract:
A marine cargo vessel has two parallel hulls which are connected by a bridging structure. At least some of the interior decks in the hulls can be flooded and sluice gates in the hulls connect the interior decks with the exterior of the hulls at a level above the water line. An outwardly open receptacle capable of containing water and containing at least one floatable container at a time, can be moved vertically from the water line to the level of the sluice gates through which it can be placed in communication with the interior of the floodable decks. Thus, containers can be floated into and out of the decks for loading and unloading.
Abstract:
A vessel for transporting a plurality of barges is disclosed. A hull having a well deck adapted to support a plurality of barges has a plurality of ballast tanks adapted to be filled with sea water. When the ballast tanks are flooded, the hull is in a loading configuration, wherein the well deck is submerged so that barges can be floated over the well deck and positioned thereon. The ballast tanks, when empty, place the hull in a transporting configuration, wherein, the well deck is above water to transport the barges thereon. A wing wall is located on the edge of the well deck and is adapted to enclose the starboard side, the port side, and the bow thereof. The wing wall is adapted to be submerged when the hull is in the loading configuration and above water when the hull is in the transporting configuration.