Method and apparatus for unloading cargo in an offshore marine environment

Abstract

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.

Claims

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

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising one or more hoses or pipes that extend between said cargo vessel and said one or more cargo barges.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the cargo is a liquid cargo.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the cargo is a slurried cargo.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein step d) the cargo is a bulk or solid cargo.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the cargo is one or more shipping containers.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising attaching said cargo vessel to one of said spaced apart catamaran hulls.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said cargo vessel is connected to one of said spaced apart catamaran hulls with a quick release connection.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein said one or more cargo barges is attached to said catamaran vessel with one or more booms.

10. A method of unloading cargo at sea from a cargo vessel to a cargo barge, comprising the steps of: a) providing a catamaran vessel having a pair of spaced apart hulls and a pair of spaced apart frames, each of said spaced apart frames attached to each of said spaced apart hulls; b) placing the cargo barge next to one of the spaced apart hulls, wherein one of said spaced apart hulls is in between the cargo vessel and the cargo barge; c) positioning the cargo vessel in between the spaced apart hulls and under the spaced apart frames; d) moving the cargo vessel and the spaced apart hulls at a selected speed; and e) unloading cargo from the cargo vessel to the cargo barge wherein the cargo travels from the cargo vessel, over one of said spaced apart hulls to the cargo barge.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising one or more hoses or pipes that extend between the cargo vessel and the cargo barge.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the cargo is a liquid cargo.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the cargo is a slurried cargo.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein step e) the cargo is a bulk or solid cargo.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein the cargo is one or more shipping containers.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein the cargo barge is connected to one of said spaced apart hulls with a quick release connection.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein the cargo barge is attached to one of said spaced apart hulls with one or more booms.

18. The method of claim 10 wherein there are two cargo barges, each said cargo barge connected to a different one of said spaced apart hulls.

19. A method of unloading cargo at sea from a cargo vessel to a cargo barge, comprising the steps of: a) providing a catamaran vessel having a pair of spaced apart catamaran hulls and a pair of spaced apart frames, each one of said pair of spaced apart frames attached to each one of said pair of spaced apart catamaran hulls at a frame lower end portion, each one of said pair of spaced apart frames having an elevated top portion; b) positioning the cargo vessel in between the pair of spaced apart catamaran hulls and under the elevated top portion of said pair of spaced apart frames; c) placing one or more cargo barges next to one or both of said pair of spaced apart catamaran hulls, wherein each one of said pair of spaced apart catamaran hulls is in between said cargo vessel and said one or more cargo barges; and d) unloading cargo from said cargo vessel to said one or more cargo barges wherein the cargo travels from the cargo vessel, beyond the catamaran vessel to said one or more cargo barges.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising one or more hoses or pipes that extend between the cargo vessel and the one or more cargo barges.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the cargo is a liquid cargo.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the cargo is a slurried cargo.

23. The method of claim 19 wherein step d) the cargo is a bulk or solid cargo.

24. The method of claim 19 wherein the cargo is one or more shipping containers.

25. The method of claim 19 further comprising attaching said one or more cargo barges to said catamaran vessel.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein said one or more cargo barges is connected to said catamaran vessel with a quick release connection.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein said one or more cargo barges is attached to said catamaran vessel with one or more booms.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) For a further understanding of the nature, objects, and advantages of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description, read in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like elements and wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a method and apparatus of the present invention;

(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a method and apparatus of the present invention;

(4) FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a method and apparatus of the present invention;

(5) FIG. 4 is an elevation view showing a method and apparatus of the present invention; and

(6) FIG. 5 is a partial plan view showing a method and apparatus of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(7) FIGS. 1-5 show a preferred embodiment of the present invention, designated generally by the numeral 10. The method and apparatus of the present invention provides catamaran vessel 11 which can be as seen in U.S. Pat. No. 7,527,006 which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

(8) Vessel 11 provides two spaced apart hulls 12, 13. Two arch shaped frames or trusses 14, 15 are spaced apart. Each frame 14, 15 attaches at frame end portions to hulls 12, 13 as shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,527,006 and the other above listed patents that are hereby incorporated herein by reference.

(9) A space 16 is thus provided under the frames 14, 15 and in between the hulls 12, 13 as seen in FIGS. 1-3. In FIGS. 1-2, the space 16 is occupied by large cargo vessel 17.

(10) Cargo barges 18, 19 are preferably attached to the hulls 12, 13. Cargo barge 18 preferably attaches to hull 12. Cargo barge 19 preferably attaches to hull 13. The drawings figures also show a hose connection (or hard piping, if desired) for unloading liquid cargo using the quad-maran configuration of the present invention. However, the quad-maran can be accessorized with clam shell buckets and hoist means (e.g., crane) to unload bulk cargo or containers (e.g., see FIGS. 3-4). A hose or pipe 20 can be used to transfer a liquid cargo from cargo vessel 17 to a selected cargo barge 18 or 19. Booms or lock down booms 21, 22 or 23, 24 are attached to a selected hull 12 or 13. Each boom 21, 22 or 23, 24 can be attached (e.g., pivotally attached) to a selected cargo barge 18 or 19. In FIG. 1, the booms 21, 22 are not connected to a cargo barge 18, 19. In FIG. 2, each boom 21, 22 has pivoted to a generally horizontal position and is connected to barge 18. Similar connections of booms 23, 24 can be made to a cargo barge 19 on the starboard side of cargo vessel 17 (see FIGS. 3-5).

(11) Connections 25, 26 are preferably provided on cargo barge 18. Connection 25 can be a universal joint connection. Connection 26 can be a pivotal or hinge connection.

(12) In FIGS. 3-5, lock down boom 21 can attach to hull 12 preferably using a pin-in-pin connection or universal joint. Boom 22 can connect to hull 12 preferably using a pivotal (wide side) connection. Boom 21 connects to cargo barge 18 preferably at a pinned or pivotal connection. Boom 22 connects to cargo barge 18 preferably with a pin-in-pin connection or universal joint. Booms 21, 22 each have a boom free end that is preferably in the form of a pin-in-pin (end portion 31 of boom 21) or hinge/pivot/wide side (end portion 32 of boom 22) connector. Each boom end portion 31, 32 preferably has a stab fitting (e.g., conical projection) that connects with an opening 29 or 30 of a structural box 27 or 28. The boxes 27, 28 can be of welded steel construction, reinforced with beams, gusset plates or plates and mounted (welded) to the deck of each cargo barge 18, 19.

(13) Booms 23, 24 preferably span between and connect, in similar fashion to hull 13 and cargo barge 19 (e.g., see FIGS. 3-5).

(14) FIGS. 3-4 show that dry cargo such as containers can be unloaded using overhead crane 33. Crane 33 can be structurally attached to a selected frame 14 or 15. The overhead crane has a powered (e.g., winch) lifting line 34 that can lift and transport laterally (e.g., see arrows 36) a container 35. The container or other cargo item or package 35 can then be lowered to a selected cargo barge 18 or 19 as shown.

(15) The following is a list of parts and materials suitable for use in the present invention:

PARTS LIST

Part Number Description

(16) 10 cargo unloading system 11 catamaran vessel 12 first hull 13 second hull 14 first frame 15 second frame 16 space 17 large cargo vessel 18 cargo barge 19 cargo barge 20 hose/pipe 21 boom 22 boom 23 boom 24 boom 25 connection 26 connection 27 structural box 28 structural box 29 stab fitting opening 30 stab fitting opening 31 boom 21 free end 32 boom 22 free end 33 overhead crane 34 lift line/powered lift line 35 container/cargo 36 arrow

(17) All measurements disclosed herein are at standard temperature and pressure, at sea level on Earth, unless indicated otherwise. All materials used or intended to be used in a human being are biocompatible, unless indicated otherwise.

(18) The foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only; the scope of the present invention is to be limited only by the following claims.