WO1992019490A1

WO1992019490A1 - Method for ferry transport of vehicles and a ferry system for transport of vehicles

Info

Publication number: WO1992019490A1
Application number: PCT/NO1992/000084
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kåre Rygg JOHNSEN
Original assignee: Kvaerner Mandal AS
Current assignee: Umoe Mandal AS
Priority date: 1991-05-03
Filing date: 1992-04-30
Publication date: 1992-11-12
Anticipated expiration: 1993-11-03
Also published as: AU1742592A; NO931659D0; NO174091C; TR26441A; NO931659L; NO911744L; NO911744D0; NO174091B

Abstract

Ferry transport of vehicles where the vehicles are placed on a deck (3) (loading) and remain there during transit, whereafter they are brought on land (unloading). The deck (3) is an independent unit which may be coupled to/uncoupled from a propelled lift barge (2) in a loading/unloading dock. As the propelled lift barge (2) is used an air-cushion multihull vessel, for example an air-cushion catamaran. Utilization of a pontoon structure (14) designed as a pass-through slip for the propelled lift barge is described. The pontoon structure is designed such that it advantageously provides space for two independent deck units (3, 3').

Description

METHOD FOR FERRY TRANSPORT OF VEHICLES AND A FERRY SYSTEM FOR TRANSPORT OF VEHICLES.

The invention relates to a method for ferry transport of vehicles where the vehicles are placed on a deck (loading) and remain there during transit, whereafter they are brought on land (unloading).

The invention also relates to a ferry system for transport of vehicles where the vehicles are placed on a deck (loading) and remain there during transit, whereafter they are brought on land (unloading).

It is known to undertake the maritime transport of cargo by means of vessels provided with demountable decks which, during loading, rest on suitable support means in the loading dock, and are taken over by a self-propelled lift barge which then brings the deck with the cargo to the destination, where the deck and cargo are moved onto the support means in an unloading installation, permitting the propelled lift barge to be disengaged from the deck. We refer in this connection to, for example, US-PS 2,371,149.

Reference is also made to US-PS 4,085,695, where there is described use of releasable, cargo carrying decks in connection with a supply vessel. Using this technology as a point of departure, the invention is intended to provide a ferry system which, in particular, could make ferry opera¬ tions in sheltered waters more effective, comfortable and economical.

According to the invention, therefore, as a propelled lift barge for ferry transport of vehicles where the vehicles are placed on a deck and remain there during transit and are thereafter driven onto land, we propose the use of an air- cushion multi-hull vessel, the air cushion of which is used for raising/lowering of the deck in relation to a supporting bridge for the deck in the loading/unloading dock.

The main concept behind the ferry system according to the present invention is thus to divide a ferry into two parts, namely a propelled lift barge of the air-cushion multi-hull type, and a deck for the placement of vehicles and for any necessary passenger service rooms, and to operate these two sections or components separately. The propelled lift barge could be more or less in continuous operation, while a deck either stands still for the loading/unloading of the vehicles or is connected to a propelled lift barge during transit.

According to the invention, the transport may be conducted in a particularly advantageous way by using as the supporting bridge a pontoon bridge designed as a drive-through slip for the propelled lift barge. This enables rapid switching of the decks, because the drive-through slip may be dimensioned so as to be able to carry or support two decks placed in succession in the direction of travel. Thus the propelled lift barge can bring in a deck loaded with vehicles, detach itself from the deck and, in so doing, also position the deck on the pontoon bridge, and then proceed further in the same drive-through slip to move in under the next deck, which has already been loaded with vehicles. The propelled lift barge can then couple with this deck, which it carries with it out of the sϊip and on to the next ferry port.

In addition to seeking protection for the method defined herein, the invention also relates to a ferry system for transport of vehicles where the vehicles are placed on a deck (loading) and remain there during transit, whereafter they are brought on land (unloading), the characterizing features of the ferry system according to the ⁱnvention being that the ferry is designed as an air-cushion multi-hull vessel comprising a propelled lift barge and a deck for placement of vehicles (referred to hereafter as the "car deck") constructed as an independent unit, which may be coupled to/uncoupled from the propelled lift barge, and a supporting bridge for the car deck that is constructed at or may be placed in a loading/unloading dock.

With a ferry system of this type, the advantages outlined above are obtained. An especially advantageous ferry system according to the invention is characterized in that the supporting bridge is a pontoon bridge designed as a drive- through slip for the propelled lift barge. This makes it possible to carry out the above outlined method with the advantages attendant thereto. In this connection, a particularly advantageous pontoon bridge may have dimensions that will permit receival and support of two car decks placed in succession in the direction of passage, thereby enabling very rapid switching of decks.

A particular advantage of a ferry system having a pontoon- type of supporting bridge is that one can thereby realize a ferry system where the components include a pontoon bridge, an air-cushion multi-hull vessel, and a deck. These will be components in a system that may be rapidly deployed where the need arises, without there necessarily being required any particularly demanding measures on shore. The components may be constructed at places favorable for that purpose (wharf); this implies that not only the multi-hull vessel and deck or decks are built at the wharf, but the pontoon bridge/bridges may also be constructed in a particularly advantageous manner at a suitable location and floated into position where there is a need for them. This makes possible an especially rapid and economical establishment of ferry docks, which docks may readily be dismantled and floated/moved to other locations.

Of course one may also envision a Terry system where the supporting bridge is constructed as at least one dock where the propelled lift barge may enter, and where along the sides of the dock are arranged support means for the car deck. Such a dock may also advantageously be formed from a floating structure in the sea (pontoon). If two docks are used, this will result in more effective operation because one may, for example, operate in such a manner that the ferry (i.e., the deck and propelled lift barge) arrive at an unoccupied dock, the deck is coupled to the dock and released from the barge, the barge is swung out and under a deck that is loaded with vehicles in the adjacent dock, this deck is uncoupled from the dock and coupled to the lift barge, whereafter the deck with the vehicles is transported — while connected to the propelled lift barge — to an unoccupied dock or similar facility on the other side of the ferry crossing/sound.

A particularly serviceable ferry system according to the invention is one where the car deck is adapted for crosswise arrangement of the vehicles, i.e., transverse to the barge's direction of travel. This provides for particularly effective loading and unloading.

The ferry system according to the invention may advantage¬ ously comprise pontoon bringes essentially consisting of two parallel, vertical floating walls, which are joined together below the surface of the water by one or more cross beams. Between the floating walls is thus formed a through-going slip for the propelled lift barge.

It is particularly advantageous to design the propelled lift barge in such a way that it may pass freely under the car deck/decks. This makes it possible to use the barge in the drive-through slip, at the same time that, for example, the wheelhouse may be raised or lowered to bring it into a favorable navigating position during transit.

The invention shall now be described in more detail with reference to the drawings, where: Fig. 1 in perspective shows a section of the ferry crossing/sound and a ferry, which constitute essential components in the ferry system according to the invention, Fig. 2 in exploded view shows the ferry, with the propelled lift barge and associated deck, Fig. 3 shows the same components as in Fig. 2, i.e., the propelled lift barge and a car deck belonging thereto, Fig. 4 shows the propelled lift barge in Fig. 3 seen from the underside, Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of a loading/unloading dock which constitutes a part of the ferry system according to the invention, Fig. 6 shows the same loading/unloading dock as in Fig.

5, but in a different phase of operation, Fig. 7 shows a schematic section through the loading/- unloading dock in Fig. 5 and 6, Fig. 8 shows more schematically the loading/unloading dock in Fig. 6,

Fig. 9 shows in four sections how the deck and propelled lift barge cooperate, Fig. 10 shows a perspective view of the forward part of the ferry, for example as shown in Fig. 1-4, with the wheelhouse lowered relative to the deck, Fig. 11 shows the same perspective view as Fig. 2, but with the wheelhouse raised to navigating position, Fig. 12 is a purely schematic illustration of how the dimensions of the necessary raising/lowering capability of the propelled lift barge are determined, Fig. 13 shows in six illustrations how a ferry berth may be operated,

Fig. 14 shows an example of a traffic solution in a loading/unloading dock where the ferry system according to the invention is employed, and Fig. 15 shows a variant of the invention.

In Fig. 1 there is shown in the background one side 1 of a ferry crossing and in the foreground a ferry moving toward the other side of the ferry crossing. The ferry 1 is in principle built up of a propelled lift barge 2 and an independent deck for placement of vehicles (car deck) 3 carried thereon;, see exploded view in Fig. 2, and Fig. 3, where the propelled lift barge 2 and the car deck 3 are shown.

The propelled lift barge 2 and the deck 3 have mating conical sockets 4 and conical members 5, respectively, which are used to connect the two ferry components.

The propelled lift barge 2 is designed as an air-cushion multi-hull vessel, as will be apparent from the perspective drawing in Fig. 4, where the barge 2 is shown viewed from the underside. There one sees that the vessel has three relatively slim, longitudinal hulls 6, 7, 8 which between them form compartments, bordered in the transverse direction by suitable cross skirtings 9, 10, 11. In the compartments 12 thus formed, in this case four such compartments 12, there may be established by known means air cushions which serve to lift the barge in the sea.

A loading/unloading dock is shown in Fig. 5-8. The loading/ unloading dock, which forms a part of a ferry berth, comprises a quay 13, a pontoon bridge 14 and drive ramps 15, 16 between the quay and pontoon bridge. In Fig. 5 a propelled lift barge 2 is shown on the way into the open drive-through slip formed by the pontoon bridge 14. Barge 2 carries with it a car deck 3 with vehicles 17 arranged thereon. At the other end of the open slip formed by the pontoon bridge 14 for passage of the barge 2 is positioned deck 3' which is being loaded with vehicles 18 via ramp 16.

In Fig. 6 is shown a subsequent phase, where the deck 3 is brought into position on the pontoon bridge 14 and is released from barge 2, which has then passed under deck 3', with vehicles 18 arranged thereon. Deck 3 is being unloaded, i.e., the vehicles 17 are being driven onto land via ramp 15.

The section in Fig. 7 and the more schematic illustration in Fig. 8 shows how the pontoon bridge 14 is designed. It consists essentially of two parallel, vertical floating walls 19, 20, which are joined together at the bottom, well below the surface of the water and under the draught of the barge 2, by means of cross beams 21. Along the top of each floating wall 19, 20 is formed a longitudinal groove 22, 23, V-shaped in cross-section, which serves to receive correspon¬ dingly shaped bottom ridges 24,25, triangular in cross- section, on the underside of deck 3.

Fig. 9, shows at the top, left, how the propelled lift barge 2 with the deck 3 has entered the through-going slip formed by the pontoon bridge 14, and it is apparent that contact has not yet been established between the bottom of deck 3 and the top of the pontoon bridge 14. At the top, right, in Fig. 9, such contact has been achieved, by means of reduction of the air cushion on the underside of barge 2. At the bottom, left, in Fig. 9 the air cushion under barge 2 has been reduced so severely that the vessel is lowered so deep in the water that deck 3 is brought to rest on the pontoon bridge 14 and the deck is thus released from barge 2. The wheel¬ house 26 is lowered, so that barge 2 may pass freely under the car deck 3. At the bottom, right, in Fig. 9 the barge 2 has moved to a position under the car deck 3'and is lifted into supporting position relative thereto by means of activation of the air cushion on the underside of the vessel. The ferry is now lifted clear of the pontoon bridge 14, and the ferry may move out, as is shown in Fig. 6. The wheel¬ house 26 is now swung up again into navigating position. The downward and upward pivoting of the wheelhouse 26 is illustrated more clearly in Fig. 10 an 11. How the wheel- ₅ house is mounted to enable it to swing up and how the in¬ dividual aggregates in this connection are formed is not shown, as this basically involves well-known art.

Fig. 12 shows how one determines the barge's 2 lifting ,_α height, which is calculated by the sum of the height dimension HI to the cone 5 plus the required margin Ml between the top of the cone and the top of the barge 2, together with the height dimension H2 to the bottom ridge 25 on the underside of deck 3 plus the margin M2 between the top ₁₅ of the bottom ridge and the top of the pontoon bridge 14.

The sum of these four height dimensions, that is, the two values H1.H2 and the two margins M1,M2, thus determines the float differential for the vessel which the air cushion must ₂₅ be capable of accommodating.

In Fig. 13 there are shown in six illustrations a typical transport pattern for a ferry system according to the invention, with four car decks, two propelled lift barges and ₅ two pontoon bridges, one on each side of the ferry crossing/sound. The arrows indicate the directions^x of movement, or the driving directions for, respectively, the parked vehicles and the vehicles being moved during loading/- unloading. :

A possible system for handling the traffic in a loading/un¬ loading dock, i.e., in one section of a ferry berth, is shown in Fig. 14. On the quay 13 are indicated lanes for the vehicles, connected to a roundabout.

In Fig. 15 is shown a possible embodiment utilizing a pontoon bridge 30 with two docks 31 and 32. Here, as indicated with the arrows, the ferry may enter the docks and back out. Thi means that the ferry (i.e., the deck and propelled lif barge) arrive in an unoccupied dock 31 in the pontoo structure 30 and the deck is connected to the dock an released from the barge. The barge then swings out and under a deck that is loaded with vehicles in the adjacent dock 32. The deck with the vehicles is then transported, coupled to the barge, to an unoccupied dock on the other side of the ferry crossing.

By means of the invention, one is able to reduce the time between ferry departures (turnover time), because the vehicles drive directly out onto the waiting deck. It is known that with a conventional ferry, the driving of vehicles on and off takes up a substantial portion of the total time.

There is achieved the possibility of reducing the crew required, because all operations are controlled from the wheelhouse or the navigating house on the lift barge.

Cost reductions are achieved, made possible as a consequence of increased departures and thus a greater number of vehicles being transported per unit of time, together with lower personnel costs.

Greater effectiveness and more efficient utilization of the equipment is achieved.

In strictly practical terms, a deck with space for about 40 passenger cars has the dimensions: 50 m length x 15 m width. For the transport of such a deck, there may be used, for example, a lift barge of the air-cushion catamaran type having the dimensions: 40 m length x 11 m width.

The invention is particularly advantageous when the vehicles are driven on board and onto land and are arranged crosswise on the deck, i.e., transversely to the direction of movement r the barge, as can be seen, for example, in Fig. 1. Such arrangement is also shown in Fig. 5, and indicated in Fig. and Fig. 7.

Claims

P a t e n t C l a i m s

1. A method for ferry transport of vehicles where the vehicles are placed on a deck (loading) and remain there during transit, whereafter they are brought on land (unloading), c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the deck as an inde¬ pendent unit is coupled to/uncoupled from a propelled lift barge in a loading/unloading dock, there being used as the propelled lift barge an air-cushion multi-hull vessel, the air cushion of which is utilized for raising/lowering of the deck in relation to a supporting bridge for the deck in the loading/unloading port.

2.

A method according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that there is used as a supporting bridge a pontoon bridge designed as a drive-through slip for the propelled lift barge.

3.

A ferry system for transport of vehicles where the vehicles are placed on a deck (loading) and remain there during transit, whereafter they are brought on land (unloading), c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the ferry boat is designed as an air-cushion multi-hull vessel comprising a propelled lift barge (2) and a car deck (3) formed as an independent unit, which may be coupled to/uncoupled from the propelled lift barge, and by a supporting bridge (14) for the car deck that is constructed at or may be placed in a loading/unloading dock.

4. The ferry system according to claim 3, c h a r a c t e r¬ i z e d i n that the supporting bridge is a pontoon bridge (14) designed as a drive-through slip for the propelled lift barge.

5. The ferry system according to claim 4, c h a r a c t e r¬ i z e i n that the pontoon bridge (14) has dimensions that will permit receival and support of two car decks (3,3') placed in succession in the direction of passage.

6.

The ferry system according to claim 3, c h a r a c t e r¬ i z e d i n that the supporting pier is constructed as at least one dock where the propelled lift barge may enter, together with support means for the car deck along the sides of the dock.

7.

The ferry system according to claim 6, c h a r a c t e r¬ i z e d i n that the dock/docks is/are formed by a floating structure (pontoon) in the sea.

8.

The ferry system according to one of the claims 3-7, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the car deck (3) is adapted for crosswise arrangement of the vehicles, i.e., transverse to the direction of travel of the vessel.

9.

The ferry system according to claim 4, c h a r a c t e r¬ i z e d i n that the pontoon bridge (14) essentially consists of two parallel, vertical floating walls (19, 20) which are joined together below the surface of the water by one or more cross beams (21).

10.

The ferry system according to one of the claims 3-9, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the propelled lift barge is designed to pass freely under the car deck.