Methods and apparatus for deploying an unmanned marine vehicle into water are disclosed. The unmanned marine vehicle includes a float and a glider connected by a tether. The float is selectively retained in a buoyant frame by a float clamp assembly. A glider retainer assembly is coupled to the buoyant frame and selectively retains the glider. The glider retainer assembly and the float clamp assembly execute a deployment sequence for deploying the unmanned marine vehicle from the apparatus. In some embodiments, the apparatus is self-propelled to permit remote operation and deployment of the unmanned marine vehicle.

Methods and apparatus for retrieving an unmanned marine vehicle from water are disclosed. The unmanned marine vehicle includes a float and a glider connected by a tether. The apparatus includes a buoyant frame having spaced frame arms defining a receiving bay sized to receive the float, and the buoyant frame includes a front end defining an opening of the receiving bay. A glider recovery assembly is coupled to the buoyant frame and includes a first tether guide coupled to the buoyant frame, and a second tether guide coupled to the buoyant frame, wherein the first tether guide and the second tether guide are cooperatively shaped to define a tether capture gap having a tether inlet adjacent the front end of the buoyant frame and a tether stop positioned rearward of the tether inlet.

Methods and apparatus for deploying an unmanned marine vehicle into water are disclosed. The unmanned marine vehicle includes a float and a glider connected by a tether. The float is selectively retained in a buoyant frame by a float clamp assembly. A glider retainer assembly is coupled to the buoyant frame and selectively retains the glider. The glider retainer assembly and the float clamp assembly execute a deployment sequence for deploying the unmanned marine vehicle from the apparatus. In some embodiments, the apparatus is self-propelled to permit remote operation and deployment of the unmanned marine vehicle.

Methods and apparatus for retrieving an unmanned marine vehicle from water are disclosed. The unmanned marine vehicle includes a float and a glider connected by a tether. The apparatus includes a buoyant frame having spaced frame arms defining a receiving bay sized to receive the float, and the buoyant frame includes a front end defining an opening of the receiving bay. A glider recovery assembly is coupled to the buoyant frame and includes a first tether guide coupled to the buoyant frame, and a second tether guide coupled to the buoyant frame, wherein the first tether guide and the second tether guide are cooperatively shaped to define a tether capture gap having a tether inlet adjacent the front end of the buoyant frame and a tether stop positioned rearward of the tether inlet.

A sluiceway device for a hopper barge has an elongate main body defining a discharge channel. The elongate main body has a plurality of openings. The elongate main body may be configured to be disposed atop a hull of the hopper barge and configured to receive dredging material placed in the hopper barge. The sluiceway device may also have a discharge pump. The discharge pump may be in communication with the discharge channel. The discharge pump may be further configured to pump the dredging material from the discharge channel to a disposal area outside of the hopper barge.

A sluiceway device for a hopper barge has an elongate main body defining a discharge channel. The elongate main body has a plurality of openings. The elongate main body may be configured to be disposed atop a hull of the hopper barge and configured to receive dredging material placed in the hopper barge. The sluiceway device may also have a discharge pump. The discharge pump may be in communication with the discharge channel. The discharge pump may be further configured to pump the dredging material from the discharge channel to a disposal area outside of the hopper barge.

A sluiceway device for a hopper barge has an elongate main body defining a discharge channel. The elongate main body has a plurality of openings. The elongate main body may be configured to be disposed atop a hull of the hopper barge and configured to receive dredging material placed in the hopper barge. The sluiceway device may also have a discharge pump. The discharge pump may be in communication with the discharge channel. The discharge pump may be further configured to pump the dredging material from the discharge channel to a disposal area outside of the hopper barge.

A sluiceway device for a hopper barge has an elongate main body defining a discharge channel. The elongate main body has a plurality of openings. The elongate main body may be configured to be disposed atop a hull of the hopper barge and configured to receive dredging material placed in the hopper barge. The sluiceway device may also have a discharge pump. The discharge pump may be in communication with the discharge channel. The discharge pump may be further configured to pump the dredging material from the discharge channel to a disposal area outside of the hopper barge.

A method and apparatus for the water-based transfer of heavy loads. The invention is a lightweight apparatus is reconfigurable, and it includes a gantry arrangement mounted on beams or a platform and the apparatus is used to transfer heavy load items. The apparatus reconfigurable and may be used in a water-based loading environments in performing a variety of loading functions in situations involving one or more watercrafts and/or a pier or the like.