GB2063182A - Offshore harbours - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns the off shore transhipment of material from sea going vessels to river vessels, lighters or the like, or vice versa. Floating transhipment equipment is employed within which at least one river vessel, lighter or the like can be moored and protected from the waves on at least three sides. At least one sea going vessel is moored on the outside of the equipment. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Method of transhipment and equipment therefor The invention relates to a method of transhipping material off shore from sea-ships to river vessels, lighters orthe like or vice versa and equipment suitable for carrying out said method.

In many countries, particularly in developing countries, the port facilities do not satisfy the ever increasing supply of goods to be transported. This results in delay of goods transport and long waiting times for the ocean-going ships and hence high costs.

The invention seeks to provide a method which permits in a single manner of transhipping material off shore, that is to say, beyond the confines of a protecting port or harbour between sea-ships and river vessels, lighters or the like.

According to the invention this can be achieved by employing a floating transhipment equipment, inside which at least one river vessel, lighter or the like is moored so that the river vessel, the lighter or the like is protected at least one three sides against the effect of wash of the waves or the like by the transhipment equipment, whilst at least one sea-ship is moored on the outer side of the transhipment equipment.

When using the method according to the invention poorly stable small vessels such as river vessels, lighters or the like can be moored off shore with reasonable protection so that with the aid of conventional charging and discharging means these small vessels can be charged and/or discharged from or into sea-ships moored on the outer side of the transhipment equipment, which ships by their location, contribute to a satisfactory protection of the small vessels.

Preferabiy the floating transhipment equipment is anchored at one point so that the equipment can always occupy an optimum position with respect to the movements of the waves or the like.

According to the invention transhipment equipment particularly suitable for carrying out the method according to the invention comprises two substantially parallel, interconnected floating bodies intended to be partly submerged on the top side of which transhipment means are arranged, whilst near one end of the equipment a screen is arranged between the floating bodies.

The small vessels, such as river vessels, lighters or the like, can be navigated in between the floating bodies and be moored to said floating bodies so that they are protected against the action of the wash waves and the like both by the floating bodies and the screen arranged near one end of the equipment between the floating bodies.

The invention will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to an embodiment shown schematically in the accompanying Figures of a transhipment equipment according to the invention.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a transhipment system in accordance with the invention, in which small vessels are moored and sea ships are moored to the outside thereof.

Figure 2 is an enlarged elevation or sectional view of Figure 1.

The discharging system shown in Figures 1 and 2 comprises two relatively parallel, elongated floating bodies 1 and 2 or rectangular section, the long sides being parallel to one another and in vertical positions. The floating bodies 1 and 2 are provided with stiffening beams 3. Near heir bottom ends the floating bodies 1 and 2 are interconnected in the embodiment shown by equally spaced framework girders 4 and near their top ends they are interconnected by a few transverse beams 5. Since the floating bodies 1 and 2 are interconnected near the lower ends as well as near the tops ends, the tie beams, the framework girders and the floating bodies 1 and 2 may be of a comparatively lightweight construction.

During the operation of the transhipment equipment it will be partly sunk, as is shown in Figures 1 and 2, for which purpose water is pumped into the floating bodies 1 and 2 into ballast tanks arranged in said floating bodies.

With the aid of pumps and control-members (not shown) it is ensured that during operation the transhipment equipment remains more or less in the position shown in Figures 1 and 2 even if locally comparatively high loads occur, for example, those resulting from the use of the transhipment means in accordance with this embodiment by grab cranes to be described more fully hereinbelow.

The top sides of the two floating bodies 1 and 2 are provided with rails 5 and 6 respectively extending in the direction of length of said floating bodies. Along these rails can travel portals 7, which extend transversely of the direction of length of the floating bodies 1 and 2. In this embodiment two portals are shown, but the number of portals may be chosen higher or lower according to the particular requirements.

A grab crane 8 can travel on each portal between the position indicated by solid lines in Figure 2 and the position indicated by broken lines in Figure 2.

Near one end of the transhipment equipment the passage between the two floating bodies 1 and 2 is closed by means of a screen 9, which may be formed by partitions or the like rigidly secured to the floating bodies 1 and 2, but it may, as an alternative, be formed by pivotable lock-gates.

In order to put the discharging system described above into use, the equipment will be navigated to a suitable anchoring place, where it will be anchored at a point 11 by means of anchor chains 10 or the like so that the equipment can turn through 360" about its anchoring point 11.

Small vessels, such as river vessels, lighters 12 or the like to be charged or discharged, which are towed or provided with their own propulsion means, can be manoeuvered into the equipment as shown in Figures 1 and 2 so that they are protected on three sides by the equipment, that is to say, on two sides by the two floating bodies 1 and 2 and at one end of said floating bodies by screens 9. Since the floating equipment will automatically turn with the screens 9 to the wind or the wash of the waves owing to its anchorage at one point, a relatively calm position for the small, poorly stable vessels is ensured. The small vessels can be moored with the aid of bollards (not shown) arranged on the floating transhipment equipment, whilst furthermore the conventional fenders 13 are provided for avoiding damage of the vessels or the equipment as much as possible.

Sea-ships 14to be loaded or unloaded can moor on both sides of the transhipment equipment on the outer sides thereof. To this end the transhipment equipment is provided also on the outer side of the with fenders 15.

Afterthe various vessels have moored in the manner described above, the cargo, for example bulk material, can be transhipped with the aid of the grab cranes 8. Since the small, poorly stable vessels are well protected, such a transhipment can be carried out without any difficulty by means of grab cranes or the like.

It will be obvious that by using the transhipment equipment depicted above an off-shore transhipment of material between sea-ships of great draught and small vessels, such as river vessels, lighters and the like can be carried out so that the small, poorly stable vessels are protected and moored so that these small vessels will not make undesirable movements with respect to the transhipment means.

Instead of using the grab cranes mentioned in this embodiment, other transhipment means may, of course, be employed in accordance with the cargo to be transhipped.

If for reasons of lack of space or the like the transhipment equipment cannot be anchored at one point, it may, if desired, be anchored at several points, in which case at both ends of the equipment a screen will be provided, at least one of which can be opened.

Claims (8)

1. A method of transhipment of material off shore from sea-ships to river vessels, lighters or the like or vice versa wherein floating transhipment equipment is employed, inside which at least one rivervessel, lighterorthe like is moored so that the river vessel, lighter or the like is protected at least on three sides against the effect of wash of the waves or the like by the transhipment equipment, whilst at least one sea-ship is moored on the outer side of the transhipment equipment.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the floating transhipment equipment is anchored at one point.

3. Transhipment equipment particularly intended for carrying out the method claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the equipment is provided with two substantially parallel, interconnected floating bodies intended to be partly submerged, on the top sides of which transhipment means are arranged, whilst near the ends of the equipment a screen is arranged between the floating bodies.

4. Transhipment equipment as claimed in claim 3 wherein at least one portal bearing by its ends on the floating bodies is adapted to travel across the floating bodies, whilst a transhipment crane or the like is adapted to travel over and across the portal transversely of the direction of length of the floating bodies.

5. Transhipment equipment as claimed in claim 3 or 4 wherein the floating bodies are interconnected adjacent both their lower sides and their top sides with the aid of strut members extending transversely between the floating bodies.

6. Transhipment equipment as claimed in anyone of claims 3 to 5 wherein the screeen between the floating is formed by pivotable doors.

7. Transhipment equipment at least substantially as described in the foregoing and as illustrated in the accompanying Figures,

8. A method of transhipment of material according to claim 1 substantially as described herein.