Patent Abstract:
A platform container transfer terminal ( 10 ) functions as an efficient hub port. Sea Point™ Transfer station modules ( 21, 22, 23 ) can be moved intact across oceans for rapid erection in remote or strategic locations to provide high speed loading and unloading of large container vessels ( 31, 32 ) to lighters or feeder vessels ( 41, 42, 43, 44, 45 ) and/or to facilities adjacent. A gantry crane ( 510 ) combined with one or more rotating boom cranes ( 11, 12, 17, 18 ) increases cargo productivity economically. There can be two luffing boom cranes attached to the gantry and two slewing boom cranes attached to the gantry. One can retrofit an existing gantry by attaching a boom crane and frame to a ship-to-shore gantry.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This is a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/735,343, filed Dec. 11, 2000, and of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/016,169, filed 30 Nov. 2001.  
         [0002]     U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/170,270, filed 11 Dec. 1999, is incorporated herein by reference.  
         [0003]     U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/735,343, filed Dec. 11, 2000, is incorporated herein by reference, as is the published version of that patent application.  
         [0004]     International Patent Application No. PCT/US00/33568, filed Dec. 11, 2000, is incorporated herein by reference, as is the published version (Int. Pub. No. WO 01/42125) of that patent application.  
         [0005]     U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/016,169, filed 30 Nov. 2001, is incorporated herein by reference, as is the published version of that patent application.  
         [0006]     International Patent Application No. PCT/US01/48090, filed 30 Nov. 2001, is incorporated herein by reference, as is the published version (Int. Pub. No. WO 02/044073) of that patent application.  
         [0007]     U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/310,593, filed 7 Aug. 2001, is incorporated herein by reference.  
         [0008]     U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/270,334, filed 21 Feb. 2001, is incorporated herein by reference.  
         [0009]     U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/250,053, filed 30 Nov. 2000, is incorporated herein by reference.  
         [0010]     U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/394,988, filed 10 Jul. 2002, is incorporated herein by reference.  
         [0011]     Priority of these patent applications is hereby claimed. 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
       [0012]     Not applicable  
       REFERENCE TO A “MICROFICHE APPENDIX” 
       [0013]     Not applicable  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0015]     The present invention relates to cargo transfer systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to systems for transferring cargo between ocean-going vessels and land destinations or ocean-going vessels and barges or between ocean-going vessels, barges, and landside terminals, and including direct transfer from barges to rail without storing the goods landside.  
         [0016]     2. General Background of the Invention  
         [0017]     At present large container vessels provide economies of scale by carrying very large numbers of intermodal containers and container derivative devices such as flat racks and open tops containers. Such large ships today carry more than 6000 twenty foot equivalent units (TEU) and still larger ocean-going vessels are foreseen. The containers carried by these large vessels are generated by several regional ports spread geographically over areas such as South East Asia, UK/North Europe or a US coastal region. This requires the large vessel to either make multiple port calls, some times once to discharge and later to double back to load, or by using a port in the region as a hub port where the large vessel proceeds to a landside terminal, from which containers are both landed for local distribution and transshipped to feeder vessels or barges and/or to trucks or rail cars, for distribution to other port destinations. The terminal operation required at landside hub ports is extensive and costly involving trucking from quay to storage in stacks and load out in a reverse operation at later dates to on carrying vessels.  
         [0018]     Typically, import containers discharged from a large carrier vessel at a landside terminal are hauled from the dock side to stacked storage on the back side of the terminal or placed on wheeled chassis and parked for later haul back to cranes for loading to feeder vessels or to rail cars at distant sidings or transferred to trucks for delivery to other ports or inland locations.  
         [0019]     Outbound containers are received at a landside terminal from rail sidings, often at remote locations or from drays and long haul trucks or feeder vessels and assembled on the backside of the terminal awaiting the arrival and readiness of the large carrier to load. Hundreds of acres of land are required for such operations in addition to the several handling operations involved.  
         [0020]     The critical matter of road and rail infrastructure required for landside terminals to accommodate large vessels can take decades to develop and billions of dollars in cost. Environmental issues may also intervene. In Vietnam, a jack-up causeway was used to unload containers from ships. The causeway was used as a dock where trucks took the containers as they were unloaded and hauled away.  
         [0021]     The Freeport Sulphur mine is a series of jack-up barges strung together.  
         [0022]     Cranes for transferring containers from ships include gantry cranes and boom cranes.  
         [0023]     The following patents documents are incorporated herein by reference:  
         [0024]     U.S. Pat. Nos. 969,164; 1,193,587; 1,237,573; 1,346,068; 1,547,536; 2,308,743; 3,149,733; 3,183,676; 3,290,007; 3,367,119; 3,586,152; 3,606,251; 3,750,210; 3,945,450; 3,958,106; 3,967,457; 4,310,277; 4,363,411; 4,417,664; 4,456,404; 4,465,012; 4,482,272; 4,505,616; 4,544,137; 4,547,857; 4,568,232; 4,589,799; 4,627,768; 4,632,622; 4,652,177; 4,666,341; 4,678,165; 4,722,640; 4,762,456; 4,813,814; 4,916,999; 5,028,194; 5,139,366; 5,224,798; 5,456,560; 5,478,181; 5,515,982; 5,580,189; 5,733,092; 5,797,703; 5,807,029; DE 455 495; DE 1 079 299; DE 25 43 156; FR 588,542; GB 17,349; and all patent documents mentioned herein.  
         [0025]     U.S. Pat. No. 4,762,456 discloses a cargo container loading and unloading operation where a floating crane is used to transfer containers between deep draft ships and shallow draft ships.  
         [0026]     U.S. Pat. No. 4,363,411 (see col. 3, lines 44-53) discloses a loading/unloading crane system that is placed between the ocean and a lagoon to handle deep draft and shallow draft ships at the same time.  
         [0027]     U.S. Pat. No. 4,465,012 discloses a floating crane transhipment device to accommodate movement of cargo between ships and barges.  
         [0028]     U.S. Pat. No. 4,568,232 discloses a floating horizontal boom bulk unloader that allows shallow draft ships to be loaded and unloaded from a deep draft ship.  
         [0029]     U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,310,277; 4,457,85; 4,544,137; 4,632,622; and 5,028,194 disclose cargo transfer systems supported on open sea platforms with one or more cranes.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0030]     The apparatus of the present invention comprises a platform container transfer terminal that functions as an efficient hub port. Sea Point™ Terminal modules can be constructed to move intact across oceans for rapid erection in remote or strategic locations to provide high speed loading and unloading of large container vessels to lighters or feeder vessels and/or to/and facilities adjacent.  
         [0031]     One embodiment of the present invention includes a container offloading facility made of jack-up barges. There can be, for example, four jack-up barges, each barge from 100 feet (30.5 m) to 700 feet (213.4 m) (e.g., 450 feet (137.2 m)) long and 25 feet (7.62 m) to 250 feet (76.2 m) (e.g., 100 feet (30.5 m)) wide, in an ocean-going hull design, with e.g. a 20 foot (6.1 m) hull depth, and placed end-to-end to provide a platform (e.g. 1800 feet (548.6 m) long). There can be multiple (for example, 4) cranes per platform. The facility could advantageously be placed at the mouth of a river (such as at the mouth of the Mississippi River) to provide a sea coast or near sea coast transfer port for large vessels.  
         [0032]     The container cranes used with the facility of the present invention can include a boom on the backside which is much longer than a conventional backside boom on a land terminal. This facilitates loading the feeder vessels or barges while at the same time offloading the ocean-going container or cargo ships (and vice versa).  
         [0033]     The present invention also comprises a method of transporting goods, comprising using a jack-up barge to transfer goods from an ocean-going vessel to a barge or other shallower-draft feeder vessel.  
         [0034]     The present invention also comprises a method of transporting goods, comprising using a pile-supported platform deck on which cranes operate to transfer goods from an ocean-going vessel to a barge or other type feeder vessels.  
         [0035]     The present invention can be constructed as a floating mobile terminal or as a fixed terminal on pile or material foundation. The Sea Point™ platform concept consists of a platform structure erected in a semi-sheltered location such as at the mouth of a river, bay, sound or inlet with sufficient water depth, natural or dredged, to accommodate ocean-going vessels on one side and feeder vessels or barges on the opposite side. The platform may be constructed on pilings in the manner of a pile-supported dock, as an artificial island built up of material, or as floating modules with spud legs which can be towed intact to remote transoceanic locations and combined for rapid jack-up assembly as one platform made from multiple modules at the chosen site. Floating modules with jack-up supporting legs that can be embedded in the solid bottom material allows almost immediate erection of the platform to its desired height ready to accommodate container transfers between large carriers on one side and feeder vessels or barges on the opposite side. Towable jack-up platform modules are particularly attractive for military rapid deployment needs and could be a valuable element of U.S. prepositioned forces or reserve fleet components.  
         [0036]     The platform ( FIG. 1 ) serves as the base for container handling cranes one version of which has been designed to have an extreme reach on the large vessel side as well as on the feeder side so that even a postpanamax vessel (over 105 feet (32 m) wide) up to 200 feet (61 m) wide can be loaded or discharged by the container crane boom on the large vessel side to or from barges or feeders docked two or more (e.g., four) wide up to +200 feet (61 m) off the feeder vessel side. These container cranes using state-of-the-art hoisting speed at lifting capacity and with high horizontal travel speeds can, in one transfer cycle, lift two or more loaded containers at a time and rapidly transfer them to or from stowed positions on the feeders. Feeder vessels or barges being shorter and less wide and deep than large container carriers can be berthed on the platform side opposite the larger vessels in multiple sets ( FIG. 2 ) so that distribution to multiple destinations can be served quickly by loading some feeders with specifically destined containers and dispersing them immediately upon completion of discharge. Simultaneously, outbound cargo would be brought to Sea Point™ by separate feeder vessels or barges and placed along side the platform feeder side to be transferred to the large vessel as soon as the loaded feeders are taken away from the dock.  
         [0037]     During loading or discharge at a Sea Point™ transfer platform, outport destined containers may be landed to transfer cars stationed under the crane legs on designated road ways that may run in opposite directions in order to distribute such containers to other cranes serving feeders for their destinations ( FIGS. 3 and 4 ). This would be accomplished by vehicles (for example, light tractors) hauling these containers (e.g., on cars or chassis) to those cranes loading the desired feeders, reducing the necessity for stacking or grounding containers on the platform during cargo operations. The container crane can also be designed to have two separate cabs with traveling trolleys that move outward from a center raised platform located between the legs of the crane; this provides rapid transfer from each side that will speed up the loading and discharge cycles substantially ( FIGS. 3 and 4 ).  
         [0038]     A pile-supported platform or a platform on a built-up material (spoil or otherwise) island can be used as the foundation for the transfer platform of the present invention, which in cases where mobility is of no value, would be a cheaper mode of construction.  
         [0039]     Other configurations of transfer cranes have certain advantages where alternative container cells on the large vessels and/or the feeder vessels are served by special crane arrangements as shown, for example, in  FIGS. 5-8 .  
         [0040]     The delivery to various Port terminals by feeder barges or feeder vessels permits each port terminal to be designed to discharge the less costly unmanned vessel units, direct to rail car and truck lanes located along the dockside within the reach of port cranes&#39; terminal side. Extended landside booms on port cranes can accomplish this efficiently and provide added opportunity by placing containers directly on stacks in the terminal yard saving costly terminal handlings and reducing significantly the acreage required for each container terminal. The Sea Point™ platform can also be placed so as to provide offloading from large vessels to feeders and to adjacent terminal docks by locating the platform in water at a distance of about 100 feet (30.5 m) from the land terminal thus allowing one or more (e.g., two) feeder vessels to be berthed between the Sea Point™ platform and land terminal. The long (e.g., 200 foot (61 m)) reach of the crane&#39;s booms on each side of the platform would allow transfers between the land terminal, feeder vessels and the large vessel as desired.  
         [0041]     The critical matter of road and rail infrastructure required for landside terminals to accommodate large vessels can take decades to develop and billions of dollars in cost. Environmental issues may also intervene. In contrast a Sea Point™ transfer platform can be fabricated for erection in appropriate water depth locations in less than two years time and its size is unlimited. Ideally, Sea Point™ platforms can also be phased in to provide an initial length and width to handle, for instance, the next half decade of expected use and then expanded to any greater length or width when required.  
         [0042]     The present invention comprises a method of transporting goods, comprising:  
         [0043]     providing a jack-up barge;  
         [0044]     providing a crane on the jack-up barge;  
         [0045]     transferring goods from an ocean-going vessel to a barge or other shallower-draft feeder vessel using the crane on the jack-up barge. Preferably, the jack-up barge is positioned at the mouth of a river.  
         [0046]     The present invention also comprises a system for transshipping containerized cargo, comprising:  
         [0047]     a jack-up barge;  
         [0048]     a crane on the jack-up barge for transferring goods from an ocean-going vessel to a barge or other shallower-draft feeder vessel using the crane on the jack-up barge.  
         [0049]     The present invention further comprises a system for transshipping containerized cargo, comprising:  
         [0050]     a plurality of jack-up barges connected together end-to-end to form a transshipping platform;  
         [0051]     cranes on the jack-up barges for transferring goods from ocean-going vessels to barges or other shallower-draft feeder vessels using the cranes on the jack-up barges. Preferably, the jack-up barges are each about 450 feet (137.2 m) long and about 100 feet (30.5 m) wide, with about a 20 foot (6.1 m) hull depth and an ocean-going hull design. Preferably, there are at least four cranes. Preferably, there is also an upper transfer platform above the transshipping platform. Preferably, there are also cargo transfer roadways on the transshipping platform.  
         [0052]     The platform is preferably at least 100-200 feet (30.5-61 m) long, more preferably at least 300 feet (91.4 m) long, even more preferably at least 400 feet (121.9 m) long, and most preferably at least 500 feet (152.4 m) long; the platform is preferably 20-1000 feet (6.1 m-305 m) wide, more preferably 40-500 feet (12.2 m-152.4 m) wide, and most preferably 60-200 feet (18.3-61 m) wide.  
         [0053]     The present invention also comprises a gantry having one or more boom cranes.  
         [0054]     The ability for a port to enhance all of its cargo vessel operations and particularly feeder and rail-on-dock operations by fitting existing or new ship-to-shore gantries with a boom crane is the primary benefit of the invention. The attached cranes can be considered a movable accessory thereby allowing the terminal operator to change the configuration of the gantry to optimize his cranes for different cargo operations, including containers, bulk, palletized and break bulk cargo.  
         [0055]     The gantries of the present invention with boom cranes attached thereto have utility, for example, in terminals operating as transfer hubs for water-borne vessels, working from the transfer rack and the barges or small feeder ships on the back side of the platform or pier and larger ships on the ship side of the platform or pier.  
         [0056]     A preferred embodiment of the present invention is apparatus including a gantry, a gantry crane attached to the gantry, and at least one rotating boom crane attached to the gantry. There can be at least two rotating boom cranes attached to the gantry. There is preferably at least one boom crane attached to the ship side of the gantry. There can be at least one boom crane attached to the back side of the gantry.  
         [0057]     In one embodiment of the invention, there are three rotating boom cranes attached to the gantry. In one embodiment of the invention, there are four rotating boom cranes attached to the gantry. At least one of the boom cranes can be a rotating horizontal slewing boom crane  
         [0058]     The gantry can be a ship-to-shore gantry. A boom crane and frame can be attached to the ship-to-shore gantry.  
         [0059]     The apparatus of the present invention can include a boom crane, a frame for supporting the boom crane, and means for attaching the frame to a ship-to-shore gantry.  
         [0060]     The boom crane in any embodiment could be a slewing boom crane attached to the gantry, or a luffing boom crane attached to the gantry.  
         [0061]     In some embodiments, there can be at least one luffing boom crane attached to the gantry and at least one slewing boom crane attached to the gantry. In other embodiments, there can be two luffing boom cranes attached to the gantry and two slewing boom cranes attached to the gantry.  
         [0062]     The apparatus of the present invention includes a platform container transfer terminal that functions as an efficient hub port.  
         [0063]     More information about the invention can be found in the papers attached to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/394,988, filed 10 Jul. 2002. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0064]     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:  
         [0065]     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:  
         [0066]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a first embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;  
         [0067]      FIG. 2  is a top view of the first embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;  
         [0068]      FIG. 3  is a side view of a second embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;  
         [0069]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the second embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;  
         [0070]      FIG. 5  is a side view of a third embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;  
         [0071]      FIG. 6  is a top view of the third embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;  
         [0072]      FIG. 7  is a side view of a fourth embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;  
         [0073]      FIG. 8  is a top view of the fourth embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention.  
         [0074]      FIG. 9  is a plan view showing two gantries of the present invention;  
         [0075]      FIG. 10  is a side elevational view showing a gantry of  FIG. 9 ;  
         [0076]      FIG. 11  is a plan view showing a gantry of the present invention with two attached boom cranes;  
         [0077]      FIG. 12  is a side elevational view showing another embodiment of the present invention, a boom crane and frame attached to a new or existing ship-to-shore gantry;  
         [0078]      FIG. 13  is a plan view showing the gantry and boom cranes of  FIG. 12 ;  
         [0079]      FIG. 14  is a front elevational view showing the gantry and boom cranes of  FIG. 12 ;  
         [0080]      FIG. 15  is a view similar to  FIG. 14 , but showing an embodiment of the invention including a rope luffing jib crane;  
         [0081]      FIG. 16  is a plan view showing the gantry and boom cranes of  FIG. 12  adjacent barges; and  
         [0082]      FIG. 17  is a plan view showing the gantry of  FIG. 12  adjacent barges, but with a single attached boom crane;  
         [0083]      FIG. 18  is a plan view of another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0084]      FIG. 19  is an elevation of the embodiment of the present invention shown in  FIG. 18 ; 
     
    
       [0085]     drawings of some embodiments of the present invention are shown in the papers (incorporated herein by reference) attached to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/394,988, filed 10 Jul. 2002.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0086]     The Sea Point™ platform apparatus  10  ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ) of the first embodiment of the present invention comprises a platform structure  20  erected in a semi-sheltered location such as at the mouth of a river, bay, sound or inlet with sufficient water depth, natural or dredged, to accommodate ocean going vessels  31 ,  32  on one side and feeder vessels or barges  41 ,  42 ,  43 ,  44 ,  45  on the opposite side. For example, the platform apparatus of the present invention can be installed in the Mississippi River near Venice, La., US, adjacent the West bank at mile 12.2 above head of passes.  
         [0087]     Platform apparatus  10  ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ) is similar to platform apparatus  100  ( FIGS. 3 and 4 ) but lacks upper transfer platform  65  and the double trolley system of platform apparatus  100 . Both platform apparatus  10  and platform apparatus  100  include a helicopter pad (heliport)  75  at one end thereof.  
         [0088]     The platform  20  may be constructed on pilings in the manner of a pile-supported dock or as modules  21 ,  22 ,  23  with spud legs  24  which can be towed, floating, intact to remote transoceanic locations for rapid jack-up assembly as one terminal made from multiple modules  21 ,  22 ,  23  at the chosen site. Floating modules  21 ,  22 ,  23  with jack-up supporting legs  24  that can be embedded in the solid bottom material allow almost immediate erection of the platform  20  to its desired height ready to accommodate container transfers between large carriers  31 ,  32  on one side and feeder vessels or barges  41 ,  42 ,  43 ,  44 ,  45  on the opposite side. Towable jack-up platform modules  21 ,  22 ,  23  are particularly attractive for military rapid deployment needs and could be a valuable element of U.S. prepositioned forces or reserve fleet components. As shown in the drawings, the platform  20  is set out an appropriate height above the water line  81  of water  80 , with spud legs  24  extending below the mud line  91  and through mud  90 .  
         [0089]     The platform  20  ( FIG. 1 ) serves as the base for container handling cranes  51 ,  52 ,  53 ,  54  that can be designed to have an extreme reach on the large vessel side as well as on the feeder side so that a panamax vessel  31  105 feet (32 m) wide, or a postpanamax vessel  32  up to 200 feet (61 m) wide can be loaded or discharged by the container boom on the large vessel side to or from feeders  41 ,  42 ,  43 ,  44 ,  45  docked two or more wide up to about 200 feet (61 m) off the feeder vessel side. These container cranes  51 ,  52 ,  53 ,  54  using state of the art lifting speed and capacity and horizontal travel speeds can, in one transfer cycle, lift two or more loaded containers  55  at a time and rapidly transfer them to or from stowed positions on the feeders. Cranes  51 , 52 ,  53 ,  54  can be similar to standard gantry container handling cranes, and similar in construction to the cranes shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,363,411; 4,568,232; and 4,762,456. Cranes  51 , 52 ,  53 ,  54  each include crane legs  56 , gantries  58  supported on legs  56 , bracing  57  which interconnects legs  56  and which connects legs  56  to gantries  58 , and trolley stops  59  to prevent the trolleys  71  from falling off of the ends of the gantries  58 .  
         [0090]     Feeder vessels or barges  41 ,  42 ,  43 ,  44 ,  45  being shorter and less wide than large container carriers  31 ,  32  can be berthed on the platform side opposite the larger vessels  31 ,  32  in sets ( FIG. 2 ) so that distribution to multiple destinations can be served quickly by loading the feeders with specifically destined containers and dispersing immediately upon completion of discharge. Simultaneously, outbound cargo would be brought to Sea Point™ by separate feeder vessels or barges  41 ,  42 ,  43 ,  44 ,  45  and placed alongside the platform to be transferred to the large vessels  31 ,  32  as soon as the empty feeder is taken away from the dock. It is also possible to use one vessel/barge as a carrier for export and import transferred containers.  
         [0091]     During loading or discharge at a Sea Point™ transfer platform, outport destined containers  55  may be landed to one or more transfer cars  61  stationed under the crane legs  56  on designated road ways  62  that may run in opposite directions so as to distribute such containers  55  to cranes serving feeders for their destinations ( FIG. 3 ). This would be accomplished by vehicles (such as light tractors  76 —see  FIG. 7 ) hauling these containers on cars or chassis  61  to cranes loading the desired feeders, reducing or eliminating any necessity for stacking or grounding containers on the platform during cargo operations. The container cranes  51 ,  52 ,  53 ,  54  can also be designed to each have two separate cabs and traveling trolleys  71  that move outward from a center raised transfer rack  65 ; this provides rapid transfer from each side that will speed up the loading and discharge cycles substantially (see  FIG. 3 ). As shown in  FIG. 3 , containers  55  can rest on transfer rack  65  while waiting to be transferred between ships  31 ,  32 , and barges  41 ,  42 ,  43 ,  44 , or  45 . Adjacent transfer rack  65  are openings  66  to allow containers  55  to move from the cranes  51 ,  52 ,  53 ,  54  to road ways  62 .  
         [0092]     The delivery to various port terminals by feeder barges or feeder vessels  41 ,  42 ,  43 ,  44 ,  45  permits each port terminal to be designed to discharge these less costly vessel units  41 ,  42 ,  43 ,  44 ,  45 , direct to rail car and truck lanes located along the dockside within the reach of port cranes&#39; terminal side. Extended landside booms on port cranes can accomplish this efficiently and provide added opportunity that save several costly terminal handlings and reduces significantly the acreage traditionally required for each container terminal. The Sea Point™ platform apparatus can also be placed so as to provide offloading from large vessels to feeders and to adjacent terminal docks by locating the platform in water at a distance of about 100 feet (30.5 m) from the land terminal thus allowing one feeder vessel to be berthed between the Sea Point™ platform and land terminal. The reach (e.g. 200 feet-61 m) of the crane on each side of the platform would allow transfers between the land terminal, feeder vessels and the large vessel as desired.  
         [0093]     The platform apparatus  110  of the third embodiment of the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . Apparatus  110  includes a platform  120  supported by piles  124  imbedded in mud  90 . Two container handling gantry cranes  151  and  152  are shown in  FIG. 6 . Crane  151  includes a gantry  153 , a boom crane  141  with lifting hoist, and pedestal type boom cranes  143  and  144  with lifting hoists. Crane  152  includes a gantry  154 , a boom crane  142  with lifting hoist, and pedestal type boom cranes  145  and  146  with lifting hoists.  
         [0094]     The circles in  FIG. 6  show the reach of the various cranes. As can be seen in  FIG. 6 , there are two storage stacks of containers  55  out of reach of the cranes (these containers  55  can be moved around by light tractors  76 —see  FIG. 7 ), and various stacks of containers  55  are shown which can be reached by more than one crane. In  FIG. 6 , the barges  41 ,  42 ,  433 , and  44  can be partially unloaded onto platform  120  before ship  32  arrives to minimize dock time of ship  32 .  
         [0095]     The platform apparatus  200  of the fourth embodiment of the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 . Apparatus  200  includes a platform  220  on which are mounted two container handling gantry cranes  251  and  252 . Crane  251  includes a gantry  253 , a boom crane  241  with lifting hoist, and telescopic boom cranes  243  and  244  with lifting hoists. Crane  252  includes a gantry  254 , a boom crane  242  with lifting hoist, and telescopic boom cranes  245  and  246  with lifting hoists.  
         [0096]     The circles in  FIG. 8  show the reach of the various cranes. As can be seen in  FIG. 8 , there are four mobile harbor cranes  231 ,  232 ,  233 , and  234 . The containers  55  out of reach of the fixed cranes can be moved around by light tractors  76 —see  FIG. 7 —or by the mobile harbor cranes  231 ,  232 ,  233 , and  234 .  FIG. 8  shows a causeway  225  from platform  220  to shore (not shown). This causeway  225  allows platform  220  to be supplied from shore as well as by barge and ship.  
         [0097]     The various cranes shown in  FIG. 8 , the light tractors  76 , and cars  61  move containers  55  among ship  32 , feeder vessels  342  and  344 , and barges  345  and  346 .  
         [0098]     In  FIG. 8 , the barges  345  and  346  can be partially unloaded onto platform  220  before ship  32  arrives to have empty slots available for the ship containers to minimize dock time of ship  32 .  
         [0099]     In  FIG. 8 , the gantry trolleys  71  unload above-hatch containers until the first hatch is cleared. Hatch covers are removed and cargo containers are unloaded to the bottom of the cell. Once a cell has been cleared, the cargo operations using trolleys to load and unload containers with each trolley move. The gantry trolleys  71  and the boom cranes  241  and  242  work the ship cargo. The gantry trolleys  71  deliver containers to the fixed container racks  65 . The trolleys  71  may also land containers  55  on the shuttle cars  61  or on the platform  220  along the ship  32 .  
         [0100]     The cranes  243 ,  244 ,  245 ,  246  attached to the barge side of the gantries  253 ,  254  load from rack  65  to barges/feeder vessels  342 ,  344  and back. These cranes may also work to and from the dock transfer areas and the shuttles  61 .  
         [0101]     The boom cranes  241 ,  242  unload containers to the shuttle cars  61  or to the dock transfer areas.  
         [0102]     The mobile harbor cranes  231 ,  232 ,  233 , and  234  are set to work the barges  345  and  346  and feeder vessels  342  and  344  and stack.  
         [0103]     All of the cranes are preferably equipped with anti-collision controls.  
         [0104]     The critical matter of road and rail infrastructure required for landside terminals to accommodate large vessels can take decades to develop and billions of dollars in cost. Environmental issues may also intervene. In contrast a Sea Point™ transfer platform can be fabricated for erection in appropriate water depth locations in no more than two years time and size is unlimited. Ideally, Sea Point™ platforms can also be phased in to provide an initial size to handle, for instance, the next half decade of expected use and then expanded to any greater size when required.  
         [0105]     Some embodiments of the present invention combine a gantry crane with one or more rotating boom cranes to increase cargo productivity economically.  
         [0106]     The addition of one or two boom cranes to the ship side of the gantry allows a substantial increase in cargo productivity with a minimal cost.  
         [0107]     Adding one or two boom cranes to the back side of a gantry will substantially increase the productivity of the gantry&#39;s ship unloading trolley. The increased reach of a boom allows terminal operators to efficiently load and unload barges, small feeder ships, trucks (terminal or road) and trains depending upon the terminal design.  
         [0108]      FIGS. 9 and 10  show a container vessel  720  along a dock  30  with two gantry cranes  410  and  510 . Gantry  510  has two ship side boom cranes  11  and  12  working to and from transfer areas  13  and  14 . Trolley  15  of gantry  510  works to and from the ship  720  and transfer rack  16 . Back boom cranes  17  and  18  of gantry  510  work between transfer rack  16  and the container storage stack  19 . Back boom cranes  17  and  18  also work between transfer areas  13  and  14  and the container storage stack  19 . Operations of gantry  410  are similar, though as shown gantry  410  has a single ship side boom crane  112 . Like gantry  510 , gantry  410  has two back boom cranes  117  and  118 . Trolley  115  and cranes  112 ,  117 , and  118  all work with a transfer rack  116 .  
         [0109]     In some terminals, one might use gantries similar to gantries  510  and  410 , but without back boom cranes (see gantry  210  in  FIG. 11 , showing two ship side boom cranes  211  and  212 ). In such a terminal, cargo transferred between vessel  221  and dock  230  might be handled with terminal tractors (not shown). Other vehicles such as AGV&#39;s (automated guided vehicles) and over-the-road approved trucks and trailer chassis can be used depending upon the terminal operations.  
         [0110]      FIG. 11  shows a 9-container wide ship  221  with one gantry  210  configured with two ship-side boom cranes  211  and  212 . Gantry  210  with two attached pedestal cranes  211  and  212  working a 9-container wide ship  221  gives simultaneous access to 53 cells versus a standard gantry&#39;s access of only 9 cells. Two standard gantries working as close as possible to each other cannot access the ship&#39;s bay between them without both cranes gantrying to new positions. The improved gantry  210  with two boom cranes  211  and  212  reaches seven adjacent bays without moving the gantry. A small terminal using the improved gantry  210  can handle ships efficiently and allow a more flexible ship stowage plan.  
         [0111]     In  FIG. 11 , the hatched area shows a reach into 53 cells on a 9-wide ship  221  using a 100′ (30.5 m) boom reach.  
         [0112]     Gantry cranes similar to gantry cranes  510  and  410  might be used on a platform or finger pier handling cargo between ships (or larger barges) and feeder vessels or barges. In this example the terminal operates as a transfer hub for water born vessels, and the gantry cranes might each have a single ship side boom crane and two back boom cranes (the ship side boom cranes could be positioned distant from one another on the gantries).  
         [0113]     Gantry cranes  510  and  410  might be used to transfer cargo between a dock and a container vessel along the dock In such a situation, gantry cranes  510  and  410  would work between a ship or barge and the storage stack, trucks and trains.  
         [0114]     One or more of the boom cranes attached to the gantry cranes of the present invention can be horizontal slewing boom cranes (not shown in the drawings).  
         [0115]     The examples mentioned herein show some of the benefits that can be achieved by combining a gantry with a boom crane. The examples do not show all of the possible applications. Some of the other possible benefits are for terminals that specialize in mixed cargo including containers, bulk and break bulk cargoes in bags, pallets, coils etc.  
         [0116]      FIGS. 12-17  show an embodiment of the present invention, a boom crane and frame to be attached to a new or existing ship to shore gantry. This embodiment of the present invention allows the attachment of a boom crane to a new or existing gantry without substantially increasing wheel loads of the existing gantry. The boom cranes&#39; stability benefits from the attachment. The invention shown in  FIGS. 12-17  will allow the addition of one or two boom cranes to an existing gantry without significant structural change to the existing gantry and rail system. A conventional ship-to-shore gantry with one or more attached boom cranes increases cargo productivity economically and improves the efficiency of moving both containerized and non-containerized cargoes between vessels and land side truck/rail-on-dock transport at terminals. The invention improves the transfer of containers or other cargo between ships and feeder vessels or barges.  
         [0117]      FIGS. 12 and 13  show a conventional ship-to-shore gantry  310  with two pedestal-type boom cranes  311  and  312  on separate frames  321  and  322  attached to the main gantry  310 . Other boom cranes such as harbor cranes, jib cranes, telescopic and any other crane with a boom can be attached. The crane frames  321  and  322  can be (and preferably are) built to match the main gantry rail gauge and portal beam clearance. The wheels  343  (see  FIGS. 14 and 15 ) of the boom crane frames  321  and  322  can be freewheeling. Hoist, luffing and sluing power for the attached cranes  311  and  312  can be provided in several ways. The main gantry power supply can be sized to provide the additional power needed for the attached cranes  311  and  312 . The attached cranes  311  and  312  may also have a built in diesel/electric or diesel/hydraulic power system located over the back wheels of the crane frames  321  and  322 . A separate cable reel or other power conveyance method can be used for the attached cranes  311  and  312  when power is supplied from a utility or a generating plant in the port area. A container ship  320  is shown in  FIGS. 12 and 13 . A trolley  315  is best seen in  FIG. 12 .  
         [0118]      FIGS. 14 and 15  show different methods used to attach the crane frames  321 ,  322  to the main gantry  310 . The attachment points can be built on both sides of the frame  321 ,  322  ( FIG. 15 ) and on the main gantry  310  thereby allowing a crane to be moved and attached to either side of a gantry  310 . The design will be engineered to distribute the attached crane weight to the separate crane frame wheels  343  without adding significant weight to the main gantry wheels  353 . The number of wheels for the crane frame  321 ,  322  can be designed to keep the wheel weights within the rail design limits of the facility. The attachment points on the main gantry  310  are located to provide crane stability in the “East/West” direction along the dock  330 . The “North/South” crane stability results from the separate crane frame. A structural analysis of the existing gantry and the dynamic forces of the operations will determine the best points for the attachment.  
         [0119]      FIG. 14  shows the preferred location of slip pins  344  and fixed pins and a detail of a slip pin.  
         [0120]     The braces should be engineered to be as high as possible for crane stability. In  FIG. 15 , attachment points  361  are provided on frame  441  for opposite side installation. In  FIG. 15 , a rope luffing jib crane  411  replaces the hydraulic ram luffing crane  311  of  FIGS. 12-14 . Also, the separation of frame  441  from gantry  310  is greater than the separation of frame  322  from gantry  310  to give added stability and reach to crane  411 .  
         [0121]      FIGS. 16 and 17  show the modified gantry  310  positioned over two standard hopper barges  420 ,  520 . For barge and similar operations where the vessel(s) being loaded are without ballast and trim pumps, the modified gantries  310  are substantially more productive because the barge trim can be maintained during operations without gantrying up and down the length of the barge. Hopper barges  420 ,  520  can be 35 feet (10.7 m) wide and 195 feet (59.4 m) long, for example.  
         [0122]      FIG. 17  shows a rail-on-dock operation  430 . The boom crane  311  provides better reach to temporary stacks, trucks and train. The improved reach gives a terminal operator added flexibility to plan rail-on-dock operations efficiently.  
         [0123]     In  FIG. 17 , a temporary storage stack  419  is indicated below the truck lanes  428 . Three trucks  424 ,  426 , and  427  are on the truck lanes  428 . Railroad cars  461  or other like container-carrying means are on track  462 .  
         [0124]     The present invention has particular utility in the systems and methods disclosed in International Publication No. WO 01/42125 A1, which is incorporated herein by reference.  
         [0125]      FIGS. 18 and 19  show Sea Point System Components of another embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0000]     Platform  
         [0126]     Deck  601   
         [0127]     MPC (multi-purpose container) Island  602   
         [0128]     Deck Extensions  603   
         [0129]     Causeway  604   
         [0130]     Causeway truck turn-around  605   
         [0131]     Mooring Dolphins  606   
         [0000]     Lift Equipment  
         [0132]     Over the Ocean vessel 
        Gantry crane(s) with trolley&#39;s and hatch storage  607      Sea Point gantry crane(s) (trolley gantry cranes with one or two “boom” cranes attached and hatch storage  608      Harbor crane(s) fixed or mobile  609 . The harbor cranes operate over the ship or barges.     CBW type “boom” crane(s) mounted on separate gantry frames with hatch storage  610 .        
 
         [0137]     Over the Barges 
        MPC cranes with horizontal slewing booms.  611      Harbor cranes fixed or mobile  609  
 
 Horizontal Conveyance Equipment 
       
 
         [0140]     Bi-directional draw bar multi-trailers  612  and yard tractors  613  with automatic hitches.  
         [0000]     Miscellaneous  
         [0141]     Container scanning equipment  614   
         [0142]     Fixed Barge shift equipment (winches and sliders)  615   
         [0143]     Push boats  616   
         [0000]     Facility Operating System  
         [0144]     Software  
         [0145]     Control and monitoring hardware  
         [0146]     The use of a bi-directional drawbar double trailer (multi-trailer)  612  with an automatic hitch improves the present invention&#39;s operating flexibility, reduces labor, reduces vehicle traffic and supports cargo operations at the platform extension  603 .  
         [0147]     The bi-directional trailer allows a tractor  613  to pull into a narrow platform extension (about 50′ wide)  603 . The truck without trailer can then make a U-turn and the trailer can be pulled out from the other drawbar on the opposite end. This system can be used in several areas of the platform to create additional barge docking locations where the barges can be shifted independently of the other barges. A single MPC barge crane  611  on a  50 ′ wide platform extension  603  can reach four barges and at least two trailers. The ability to rapidly shift strings or sets of barges independently of each other without interrupting the MPC cranes&#39; cargo operations of the remaining barges is essential to service the largest ship loads without slowing the facility&#39;s productivity.  
         [0148]     A separate MPC platform island  602  and mooring points  606  for the outer lane of barges gives each MPC  611  crane the ability to reach every cell in four barges and two trailer lanes on the main platform  601 . The barges in each of the four lanes can be shifted without interrupting the cargo operations to the three remaining barge lanes.  
       PARTS LIST  
       [0149]     The following is a list of parts suitable for use in the present invention: 
     10  platform apparatus of a first embodiment of the present invention      11  ship side boom cranes      12  ship side boom cranes      13  transfer area      14  transfer area      15  trolley      16  transfer rack      17  back boom crane      18  back boom crane      19  container storage stack      20  platform structure of platform apparatus  10  and  100       21  jack-up module      22  jack-up module      23  jack-up module      24  spud legs      30  dock      31  ocean-going vessel      32  ocean-going vessel      41  barge going to port C      42  barge going to port A      43  barge going to port B      44  barge going to port A      45  barge going to port D      51  container handling crane      52  container handling crane      53  container handling crane      54  container handling crane      55  loaded containers      56  crane legs      57  bracing      58  gantries      59  trolley stops      61  transfer cars      62  road ways      65  transfer rack of platform apparatus  100       66  openings adjacent rack  65       71  cabs and traveling trolleys      75  helicopter pad (heliport)      76  yard tractor      80  water      81  water line      90  mud      91  mud line      100  platform apparatus of the second embodiment of the present invention      110  platform apparatus of the third embodiment of the present invention      112  ship side boom crane      115  trolley      116  transfer rack      117  back boom crane      118  back boom crane      120  platform      124  piles for platform  120       141  boom crane with lifting hoist      142  boom crane with lifting hoist      143  pedestal type boom crane with lifting hoist      144  pedestal type boom crane with lifting hoist      145  pedestal type boom crane with lifting hoist      146  pedestal type boom crane with lifting hoist      151  container handling crane      152  container handling crane      153  gantry of crane  151       154  gantry of crane  152       200  platform apparatus of the fourth embodiment of the present invention      210  gantry      211  ship side boom crane      212  ship side boom crane      221  vessel      220  platform      225  causeway from platform  220  to shore      230  dock      231  mobile harbor crane      232  mobile harbor crane      233  mobile harbor crane      234  mobile harbor crane      241  boom crane with lifting hoist      242  boom crane with lifting hoist      243  telescopic boom crane with lifting hoist      244  telescopic boom crane with lifting hoist      245  telescopic boom crane with lifting hoist      246  telescopic boom crane with lifting hoist      251  container handling crane      252  container handling crane      253  gantry of crane  251       254  gantry of crane  252       310  conventional ship-to-shore gantry      311  pedestal-type boom crane      312  pedestal-type boom crane      315  trolley      320  container ship      321  frame      322  frame      330  dock      341  slip pins      342  feeder vessel      343  wheels      344  feeder vessel      345  barge      346  barge      353  main gantry wheels      361  attachment points      410  gantry crane      411  rope luffing jib crane      419  temporary storage stack      420  standard hopper barges      424  truck      426  truck      427  truck      428  truck lanes      430  rail-on-dock operation      441  frame      461  railroad cars      462  track      510  gantry crane      520  standard hopper barges      601  deck      602  MPC island      603  deck extensions      604  causeway      605  causeway truck turn-around      606  mooring dolphins      607  gantry crane with trolleys and hatch storage      608  Sea Point gantry crane (trolley gantry cranes with one or two “boom” cranes attached and hatch storage)      609  Harbor crane, fixed or mobile      610  CBW type “boom” crane mounted on separate gantry frames with hatch storage      611  MPC cranes with horizontal slewing booms      612  bi-directional draw bar multi-trailers      613  yard tractors with automatic hitches      614  container scanning equipment      615  fixed barge shift equipment (winches and sliders)      616  push boats      720  container vessel    
 
         [0281]     In all plan views, the circles and partial circles show the maximum outreach of the boom crane whose base is at the center of the partial circle.  
         [0282]     Various features have been shown in various figures herein. Feature appearing in one figure can be used with apparatus in other figures. For example, though jack-up legs are shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , and pilings are shown in  FIGS. 5 and 7 , the platform in  FIGS. 1 and 3  can be supported by pilings and the platform in  FIGS. 5 and 7  can be supported by jack-up legs. Likewise, cranes appearing in one figure can be used with the apparatus shown in other figures. Also, various features shown in the various patents cited herein can be incorporated into the apparatus of the present invention.  
         [0283]     More information about the invention can be found in the papers attached to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/394,988, filed 10 Jul. 2002.  
         [0284]     Any suitable materials, such as steel, can be used to construct the apparatus of the present invention. For example, reinforced concrete can be used for the platform deck.  
         [0285]     All measurements disclosed herein are at standard temperature and pressure, at sea level on Earth, unless indicated otherwise.  
         [0286]     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.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1