A method of unloading cargo at sea from a cargo vessel to a cargo barge, comprising the steps of providing a catamaran vessel having a pair of spaced apart catamaran hulls and a pair of spaced apart arch shaped frames, each frame attached to each hull at a frame lower end portion; positioning the cargo vessel in between the hulls and under the top portion of the frames; placing one or more cargo barges next to one or both of the hulls, wherein the hull is in between the cargo vessel and the cargo barge; and unloading cargo from the cargo vessel to the cargo barge wherein the cargo travels from the cargo vessel, over the catamaran hull to the cargo barge.

The invention described refers to an equipment and corresponding method that enables side sliding load transfer between one vehicle/structure acting as loader, and another vehicle/structure acting as receptor. Both loaders and receptors can be vehicles or piers using a side sliding loading system that includes lifting and lateral displacement equipment. The great innovation of this system is the appearing of carriages consisting of 2 chassis, one inferior and one superior, both mobile and independent, that are coupled to form a single carriage. One of the equipment developed, automatically auto-load/unload standard containers to/from railway wagons and fixed platforms. This equipment can be loaded directly by the pier crane and move autonomously to the loading areas of railway wagons, trucks or buffer areas, where the containers are organized on leaving the port. When groups of these vehicles lined up parallel to the railway track, loaded on one side and empty on the other, they can load and unload the train quickly and simultaneously.

A system for determining load distribution of pieces of cargo in a cargo hold of a vehicle may include a plurality of tags, each of the plurality of tags mounted on a different piece of the pieces of cargo in the cargo hold and carrying information indicative of a weight of the different piece of cargo on which it is mounted; a plurality of sensors mounted in a spaced array along a length of the cargo hold, each of the sensors capable of reading from the tags the information indicative of the weights of the pieces of cargo; and a computer connected to receive from the plurality of sensors the information indicative of the weights and information indicative of the locations of the pieces of cargo in the cargo hold, the computer programmed to calculate therefrom a weight and/or center of gravity of the plurality of the pieces of cargo.

A method and apparatus for rapid loading stacks of items aboard vessels which can include rotating palletized items to depalletize the items, and then placing the items on a lifting robot, lifting the robot and items into the hold of a vessel, removing the items from the robot using a load push lift truck, and then using the load push lift truck to stow the items in a stowage location. The empty robot can be removed from the hold of the vessel and put in a position to receive a another depalletized stack of cartons. In one option the robot has a plurality of fork channels for receiving the blades of a load push lift truck along with receiving the blades or a rotating lift truck.

A submarine vehicle may include a storage area for storing loads. The submarine vehicle may further include a pressure hull. The submarine vehicle is configured to pick loads up from a seabed and/or set loads down on the seabed. The storage area may be positioned outside the pressure hull and, in some examples, between numerous pressure hulls. Further, the storage area may include a lower hatch disposed on an underside of the pressure hull or an upper hatch disposed on a top side of the pressure hull. Some submarine vehicles may include a load transporting system for picking the load up from the seabed, setting the load down on the seabed, and/or conveying the load within the storage area.

An overhead guide track system for automated material handling and storage facilities wherein at least one transfer unit is suspended from carriages that travel along the track system, the track system including a plurality of first and second support beams being assembled in an X-Y manner such that the first and second support beams intersect with one another in perpendicular relationship and wherein each of the first and second support beams includes a horizontal flange connected to a central vertical web, each of the vertical webs of the first and second beams having opposite ends connected to vertically oriented pedestals at a plurality of intersections of the first and second support beams and which pedestals support transfer plates over which the carriages are supported as the carriages pass over open gaps between the horizontal flanges at the intersections of the first and second support beams.

The invention provides a lifting device (1) for lifting a leg of at least one part of a sea platform comprising a support structure and a top side, wherein the lifting device comprises: a base structure (2) to be mounted on a vessel; a gripping device (3) to grip the leg, wherein the gripping device is movably supported with respect to the base structure; a support device (4) mounted on the base structure, and a lifting beam (5), wherein a first end of the lifting beam is configured to be supported at a support location of the support device and wherein a second end of the lifting beam opposite to the first end is configured to be connected to the gripping device.

The invention relates to a launch apparatus for an Unmanned Underwater Vehicle—in particular, for an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle or for a Remotely Operated Vehicle—with a launching tube having an inner wall and an outlet, and the Unmanned Underwater Vehicle contained within the launching tube, whereby the Unmanned Underwater Vehicle has a vehicle casing with a vehicle casing inhomogeneity, such that an ejection of the Unmanned Underwater Vehicle causes different contact loads between the vehicle casing and the inner wall, whereby the Unmanned Underwater Vehicle has a detachable compensating form, which is designed in such a way that the vehicle inhomogeneity is compensated, such that the result is a combination of the Unmanned Underwater Vehicle and the detachable compensating form, the combination whereof, when ejected, causes a substantially more uniform contact load to occur between the combination and the inner wall.

An improved hull penetration assembly, and various components thereof are provided. These include a hull penetration mount with braces thereon, as well as a hull penetration mount comprising a lower chamber and a removable hatch coupled thereto. These further include a kit comprising these and other improvements together with a plug insertion apparatus, an object delivery apparatus, a light delivery apparatus and a borescope apparatus.

This invention relates to a generally molded fiberglass apparatus that serves a multipurpose function for inflatable boats. The apparatus attaches to the bow of the boat and includes a forward passenger seat with a backrest and optionally servers to provide a step for embarking or disembarking the boat at the bow, and location for affixing one or more marine navigational or safety devices or accessories. The invention is affixed to the inner bow section of the passenger area to an inflatable tubular member craft by a permanent or semi-permanent means including, but not limited to clamps, adhesives, bolts, clips, snaps, ties, ratchets, or a combination thereof. The apparatus is shaped to conform to the topside bow curvature of the inflatable boat and to the adjacent concave curvature on the substantially vertical section within the passenger area at the bow of the inflatable boat, utilizing the craft's structure as the seated area.