A container terminal includes a shore working area, loading-unloading passages, a yard area and collection-evacuation passages. The shore working area is arranged on the shore, and a ship is docked at the shore. The yard area comprises a plurality of yard units. Spacing areas are formed between adjacent yard units. Each yard unit comprises at least one yard. Each yard unit is arranged with a collection-evacuation passage surrounding the yard. Loading-unloading passages are arranged in the spacing areas between adjacent yard units. The loading-unloading passages connect the yard area and the shore working area. The collection-evacuation passages are arranged in the yard units. The loading-unloading passages and the collection-evacuation passages are in a same horizontal plane but do not intersect with each other.

The present disclosure is directed to a helical conveyor for underwater seismic exploration. The system can include a case having a cylindrical portion. A cap is positioned adjacent to a first end of the case. A conveyor having a helix structure is provided within the case. The conveyor can receive an ocean bottom seismometer (OBS) unit at a first end of the conveyer and transport the OBS unit via the helix structure to a second end of the conveyor to provide the OBS unit on the seabed to acquire the seismic data.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for transferring an object from or to a marine transport vessel to or from a construction or vessel. The apparatus comprises a motive force generator; a motive force applicator operably linked to the motive force generator; and, in use of the apparatus, adapted to be operably linked to an object to which the motive force applicator applies a motive force; a fastening device for operably linking the motive force applicator to the object; a control mechanism; said control mechanism being formed and arranged so as to control the motive force generator and is operable to switch the operation of the motive force generator into an ascent or descent mode wherein the motive force generator acts upon the motive force applicator; and a measuring device operably linked to the control mechanism, said measuring device comprising one or more sensors and adapted to determine a distance between said measuring device and at least one point of a surface of a marine transport vessel from or to which said object is to be transferred wherein said apparatus further comprises one or more safety protocols and a parameter sensing means, said control mechanism being in communication with said parameter sensing means and responsive to feedback from said parameter sensing means, and adapted to initiate said one or more safety protocols.

A stone dumping vessel having symmetrical stone compartments includes a hull, a stone conveying unit, and an oblique fallpipe unit. The hull has a control cabin. A cannula compensating device of the oblique fallpipe unit is disposed on a side of the hull and connected with a fallpipe. Two sides of the control cabin are symmetrically provided with the stone compartments and dynamic positioning (DP) system cabins, respectively. The stone compartments are operated independently for automatically unloading stones to the stone conveying unit disposed at a lower center thereof. The stones are conveyed by independent conveyor systems disposed at the left and right of the control cabin to the fallpipe. The dynamic positioning (DP) system cabins and the cannula compensating device are adapted to position the hull and the fallpipe respectively so that the stone dumping vessel having symmetrical stone compartments can achieve high accuracy of stone dumping.

A method for manufacturing at least one transportation tube having a plurality of transportation tube sections for a high-speed transportation system. The method includes manufacturing the tube sections in-situ adjacent to an approximate path of the transportation system where the tube sections are to be positioned.

In preferred embodiments, the present disclosure relates to methods for transportation of hazardous waste and/or waste classified under TSCA, and may comprise the acts of: translocating at least one intermodal trailer chassis from a primary terrestrial site to a first stationary barge, wherein said trailer chassis is carrying an intermodal shipping container containing the waste material, and wherein the first stationary barge is adapted to rise and fall with changes to the water level; moving the intermodal trailer chassis carrying the intermodal shipping container from the first stationary barge to a mobile barge adapted to traverse the body of water; traversing the body of water with the mobile barge; and offloading the at least one intermodal trailer chassis carrying the intermodal shipping container to a secondary terrestrial site via a second stationary barge.

A system for the transfer, storage and distribution of intermodal containers of a plurality of lengths. The system comprises a first storage area comprising a first plurality of shafts arranged in a grid pattern along a first and second axis, a plurality of gantry cranes slidably disposed along the first axis and extending beyond the storage area, a roof structure disposed at a distance above the plurality of shafts, and a plurality of overhead cranes slidably associated with the plurality of tracks. The shafts disposed in rows along the first axis are configured to store intermodal containers of a plurality of lengths. The shafts disposed in a given row along the second axis are configured to store intermodal containers of a corresponding length. The plurality of gantry cranes are each configured to attach to and transport an intermodal container from a first location to one of a plurality of platforms slidably disposed along the first axis. The platforms delivering the intermodal container to one of the rows of the shafts along the first axis are based on the length of the intermodal container. The roof structure comprises a plurality of tracks corresponding to the rows of the shafts along the second axis. The overhead cranes are each configured to attach to and transport the intermodal container from the platforms to either one of the shafts or to a second location.

A system for managing shipping containers and twist lock connectors is described. The system includes multiple stations. Each station includes a container platform and a pallet station. The container platform is able to accommodate various container sizes and/or multiple containers at one time. The container platform includes connector changers, handlers, and gantries that are able to automatically engage connectors with a container and disengage connectors from a container. The station includes a shuttle able to transfer connectors between the platform handlers and pallet station handlers and gantries. The pallet station includes a pallet with multiple receptacles for storing connectors. The pallet station and/or the container platform may include one or more magazines and/or one or more conveyors.

A stone dumping vessel having symmetrical stone compartments includes a hull, a stone conveying unit, and an oblique fallpipe unit. The hull has a control cabin. A cannula compensating device of the oblique fallpipe unit is disposed on a side of the hull and connected with a fallpipe. Two sides of the control cabin are symmetrically provided with the stone compartments and dynamic positioning (DP) system cabins, respectively. The stone compartments are operated independently for automatically unloading stones to the stone conveying unit disposed at a lower center thereof. The stones are conveyed by independent conveyor systems disposed at the left and right of the control cabin to the fallpipe. The dynamic positioning (DP) system cabins and the cannula compensating device are adapted to position the hull and the fallpipe respectively so that the stone dumping vessel having symmetrical stone compartments can achieve high accuracy of stone dumping.

An automated method of unloading a shipping vessel includes: receiving a shipping container from the vessel, the container including multiple connectors; retrieving a pallet able to store the connectors, where the pallet includes multiple receptacles, each receptacle able to accommodate one connector; detaching the connectors from the container; transferring the connectors to the pallet; releasing the container; and transferring a subset of the connectors from the pallet to at least one bin that is able to accommodate multiple connectors. An automated method of loading a shipping vessel includes: receiving a shipping container; retrieving a pallet having multiple connectors, where the pallet includes multiple receptacles, each receptacle able to accommodate one connector; retrieving the connectors from the pallet; attaching the connectors to the container; providing the container to the vessel; and transferring a subset of the connectors from the pallet to a bin that is able to accommodate multiple connectors.