Patent ID: 7341012

Claim:
A barge for transporting bulk cargo, the barge being adapted to be moved from a loading location to a unloading location, the barge comprising: an enclosed shallow draft flat bottom hull defining an upper deck surface with an outer periphery, the hull not having associated therewith a system for propelling the barge; a plurality of open top containers for receiving bulk cargo, each container having a closed base, an open top, and four walls rigidly attached to the base and extending between the base and the open top, each of the plurality of open top containers being mounted on the hull deck surface adjacent the outer periphery and pivotable between an upright storage position in which the bulk cargo is supported within the open top container and a tipped inclined discharge position in which the bulk cargo is allowed to be discharged out of the container only through the open top; and a plurality of hydraulically driven piston assemblies for moving the plurality of open top containers between the upright storage position and the inclined discharge position.