Patent ID: 7905191
Filing Date: 2011-03-15
Classification: B63B

Abstract:
1. A marine vessel having a plurality of separate liquid cargo tanks located below a deck plate, the tanks having a generally highest point above the baseline of the vessel, at least a portion of the deck plate being located above each tank and each tank having a highest point available above the baseline of the vessel, the improvement which comprises a plurality of apertures in the form of elongated slots in said deck plate communicating with the respective tank therebelow and configured to minimize loss of deck strength, said plurality of elongated slots being positioned proximate the highest point of the tank above the baseline of the vessel, and at least one separate and individual expansion trunk positioned on said deck plate and over said elongated slots, said trunk having an interior volume of at least 2% of the total capacity of the tank, and being between about 10 to 40 meters in length, about 5 to 15 meters wide, and about 2 to 3 meters high, said trunk being located directly above the respective tank therebelow and as far forward as possible with respect to said tank, said trunk further being secured in a fluid-tight relation with said deck plate and surrounding said plurality of apertures in said deck plate above each said respective tank to prevent leakage therebetween, to form an exclusive expansion space to serve the liquid cargo in the respective tank therebelow, said expansion trunk being in fluid communication with the venting system used for the venting of the tank.