WO2002036423A1

WO2002036423A1 - A transportation system

Info

Publication number: WO2002036423A1
Application number: PCT/DK2001/000710
Authority: WO
Inventors: Niels Peter Raun
Original assignee: Maersk Container Industri AS
Current assignee: Maersk Container Industri AS
Priority date: 2000-10-27
Filing date: 2001-10-26
Publication date: 2002-05-10
Anticipated expiration: 2003-04-27
Also published as: PL360940A1; AU2002210410A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a tansportation system, wherein the hatchway covers of s ship are transported between the ship and a container terminal by means of a transportation device. Hereby the hatchway covers can be used ashore as a pallet on which container are stacked, said carrier plate being subsequently transferred to the ship's deck to form a hatchway cover.

Description

A transportation system

The present invention relates to an improved transportation system for optimised loading and unloading of freight containers and comprising a ship. 5 The term 'freight containers' as used in this context is intended to designate large containers, especially ISO standard containers of for instance the 20- or the 40-feet type.

US patent No. 5,618,148 discloses a transportation system for transporting l o freight containers and comprising a ship with a cargo hold and a number of so-called "mega-pallets" or carrier plates that are configured for carrying a large number of said freight containers stacked on top of each other. The freight containers are stacked on the carrier plates in a container terminal that is situated at a given distance from the ship. The system further 15 comprises a number of conveyors in the form of trolleys that are configured for moving the mega-pallets with containers from the container terminal and to the ship.

In this prior art system the cargo hold of the ship is more specifically charged 20 with a large number of such mega-pallets that each carries a stack of freight containers, wherein the mega-pallets support the containers during the voyage. It is described how the mega-pallets are charged to the cargo hold through the aft port of the ship. Thus, the prior art transportation system presupposes a tailor-made ship and the patent does not in any way disclose 25 how - by a minor re-construction of a conventional containership charged via hatchways in the weather deck - it is possible to considerably reduce the amount of time consumed in the loading and unloading.

The invention seeks to provide a simplified transportation system whereby it 30 is possible - with a reduced time consumption - to convey containers to or from a container terminal within a port. In accordance with the invention this is obtained by the features more specifically outlined in claim 1 , whereby the carrier plates are utilised as hatchway covers for closing the cargo holds of the ship. Hereby the carrier plates, whose dimensions are adapted in accordance with the hatchways of the ship, can be used ashore as a 'pallet' on which the containers are stacked, the carrier plate being subsequently transferred to the ship's deck to form a hatchway cover. The transportation system as defined in claim 1 thus also comprises transportation devices configured for moving the hatchway cover having a stack of freight containers arranged thereon. It is noted that it is an option to benefit from the fact that already existing hatchway covers are dimensioned for receiving the weight of a stack of containers and for transmitting the forces exerted thereon to the hatchway coamings that delimit the hatchways of the ship. Thereby the invention can optionally be implemented by use of hatchway covers already in existence.

According to a preferred embodiment as featured in claims 2 and 4, it is possible to provide an extremely reliable securing of the containers on the weather deck of the ship during sailing and to control the containers during lowering on the carrier plate onto the quayside. It is also an option to eliminate the need for expensive lashing bridges on container ships. In case of conventional container ships it is thus necessary to connect freight containers to each other by means of so-called 'twist locks' and the freight containers must also be lashed to so-called lashing bridges that extend transversally to the ship between the hatchways, as described in International patent application No. WO96/30256.

According to one embodiment of the invention the hatchway coamings may comprise guide rails for a transportation device that is able to move the latch covers in a direction towards the ship's side. The transportation device may preferably be configured as remote-controlled trolleys that are introduced below an edge area of the hatchway covers. Preferably and as featured in claim 10, the trolleys comprise lifting devices, eg in the form of jacks, that are able to lift the hatchway covers above and clear of their engagement, if any, with the hatchway coamings. As featured in claim 12, the transportation system preferably comprises a land-based transportation device configured for receiving a hatchway cover and for lowering the hatchway cover onto the quayside. As featured in claim 13, the invention also comprises a ship configured for being used in the transportation system.

The invention will now be explained in further detail with reference to the exemplary embodiment shown in the drawing.

Figure 1 shows the transportation system during unloading of a stack of containers, in a sectional view transversally through a ship at a hatchway coaming;

Figure 2 shows a longitudinal sectional view through the ship shown in Figure 1 , seen along the line A-A;

Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the lower left portion of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 shows a land-based transportation device for use in the system, seen along the line B-B of Figure 1.

Now Figure 1 uses reference numeral 1 to generally designate the transportation system according to the invention. More specifically the transportation system 1 comprises a ship 10 shown in a schematical view in the transversal direction of the ship. For instance, it may be a slightly rebuilt conventional containership intended for the transportation of freight containers in an interior cargo hold 12 and on the weather deck. The transportation system also comprises a number of transportation devices 100, 200 that are configured for being advanced on a quayside 500. In the figure, the ship 10 is shown sitting at the quayside 500, the line WL indicating the water line of the ship 10.

The ship 10 shown in Figure 1 has a ship's hull with a plating 15 that delimits the cargo hold 12 and a weather deck or upper deck that is carried by deck girders 20. As is common, the weather deck comprises a number of hatchways 22 that are delimited by transversally and longitudinally extending hatchway coamings and that provide access to the cargo hold 12 interior. Preferably the hatchways have such dimensions that it is possible to perform direct lowering of freight containers into the cargo hold 12. Thus the hatchways 22 may have an exemplary width in the transversal direction of the ship 10 that corresponds to twelve times the width of an ISO 40 feet freight container, and the expanse of the hatchways in the longitudinal direction of the ship typically corresponds to the length of such freight container. The cargo hold 12 can be divided by the athwartship bulkheads and in a conventional manner cell-guides can be arranged that serve to control containers during lowering into the cargo hold 12.

Figure 1 also shows how, upwardly, the cargo hold 12 is delimited by hatchway covers 30 that are configured for abutting on the hatchway coamings of the ship to form a sealing covering of the cargo hold 12. As shown the ship 10 may have rows consisting of three such hatchway covers 30 arranged side-by-side athwart of the ship. The hatchway covers 30 are each configured for also constituting supporting carrier plates for a stack 2 of freight containers 5 and for transmitting the weight of these freight containers to the hatchway coamings. Thus, Figure 1 illustrates a situation that often occurs during the transportation of containers on a ship's deck, wherein each hatchway cover 30 supports a stack consisting of a number of columns of freight containers. Each column may consist eg of six freight containers 5 arranged on top of each other.

In case of conventional systems, freight containers 5 are arranged on the weather deck by means of lift cranes that lift the freight containers individually from the quayside and onto the hatchway covers. The freight containers are subsequently connected to each other and to so-called lashing bridges on the ship by means of so-called twist locks and lashing rods, respectively.

Figure 2 shows a hatchway cover 30 that is a constituent of the transportation system according to the invention. The hatchway cover 30 carries six columns consisting of six forty-feet freight containers 5 stacked on top of each other and are configured for being able to abut on parallel hatchway coamings 40 that extend transversally to the ship 10. The hatchway coamings 40 can be configured for providing a fixation of the hatchway cover 30 when the hatchway cover 30 abuts on the hatchway coamings 40. Additionally, the figure schematically illustrates by the reference numeral 40' the upper of two cell-guides that extend downwards into the cargo hold 12. Besides, on the figure is outlined two neighbouring rows of containers on hatchway covers.

In order to brace the columns of freight containers the hatchway cover 30 preferably comprises upright bracing devices 32 that are arranged opposite each other at each of the athwarthships extending edges of the hatchway cover 30. If desired, the hatchway covers 30 can also be provided with corresponding supporting means 32 at the edges that extend longitudinally of the ship. As shown the supporting means 32 preferably extend all the way to the upper container of the stack, ie eg as high as about 12 meters, and they are dimensioned to be able to a certain extent to resist forces that seek - in rough sailing - to shift the containers relative to each other. Hereby it is possible to avoid that the ship loses the upper containers during sailing. By means of the supporting means 32 it is thus possible to avoid time- consuming mutual interlocking of the containers by means of twist-locks, and optionally to avoid use of lashing rods for securing the containers to lashing bridges. However, the ship 10 can optionally comprise means for ensuring a desired transfer of forces on the supporting means 32 onto the force- absorbing construction of the ship during sailing.

It will also be possible to arrange not-shown upright cell-guide-like devices on the hatchway cover 30 providing manoeuvrability of the containers when they are lowered onto the hatchway cover 30 by means of a crane. Such devices can be integral with the supporting means and can be arranged to define receiving areas for each column of containers.

Also, Figures 2 and 3 show how the hatchway coaming 40 is provided with supporting means for edge areas 32 of the hatchway covers 30. More specifically, the hatchway coaming 40 has two upright flanges 42 that have, at the top, a respective support face for a side edge of a hatchway cover 30. Said flanges 42 form between them a guide rail 41 that extends transversally to the entire ship 10, and which is constructively extended to extend all the way to the ship's side.

The guide rails 41 are used to manoeuvre a transportation device that comprises a number of separate, remote-controlled trolleys that each consists of a first pair of wheels 52 and a second pair of wheels 54. The manoeuvring of the trolleys in the guide rails 41 can be accomplished by means of a pre-programmed computer and the vertical clearance height of the guide rail need not be more than about 10-20 cm. Additionally the trolleys comprise jacks 56 for providing a vertical movement of the hatchway cover 30 with the stack of freight containers 5 relative to the support faces of the hatchway coamings 40. It will appear that - in the state shown - trolleys have been introduced into two parallel and adjoining guide rails 41 and that the hatchway cover 30 has been lifted upwards.

Reference is once again made to Figure 1 that illustrates how the transportation system according to the invention is used to load containers 5. It will also appear that, as mentioned, the guide rails 41 extend all the way to the ship's 10 side at the outer plating 15.

More specifically Figure 1 illustrates the advancement of the same stack 2 of containers from a first position onboard the ship 10 to another position on a transportation device 100 and further to a third position on a transportation device 200. It will be understood that the transportation system could also be used for loading containers 5, while using, however, a procedure like the below described that has merely been reversed.

During unloading of the ship the hatchway cover 30 is initially released from the hatchway coamings 40. A suitable number of said trolleys - designated by the reference numeral 50 - is conveyed below the hatchway coaming 30 and the jacks 56 are activated, whereby the hatchway cover 30 is lifted clear of the support faces of the hatchway coamings 40, as shown. At this point the trolleys 50 are activated for conveyance of the hatchway cover 30 in a first direction relative to the ship 10, more specifically towards the ship's side.

Simultaneously a land-based transportation device 100 has been conveyed towards the ship's 10 side immediately opposite the end of the two guide rails 41. The transportation device 100 is configured for being movable back and forth on the quayside 500 by means of drive wheels 120 for being able to receive at least one hatchway cover 30 with a stack of containers from the ship 10. 0

The transportation device 100 is also shown in Figure 4 and comprises a carrier frame 110 that can, by means of conventional lifting devices 105, be moved between the first upper position shown in Figures 1 and 4, in which the carrier frame 110 levels with the weather deck of the ship to a second 5 position outlined in Figure 4 by the reference numeral 110'. The carrier frame 110 comprises two pairs of upright flanges 145 that form between them respective drive rails 141 that preferably have the same configuration as the drive rail 41 on the ship 10 for being able to receive the trolleys 50. One of the flanges 145 in each pair of flanges can further comprise an upper roller o bearing 148 that is configured for forming a support for the peripheral area 32 of the hatchway cover 30 and for allowing horizontal displacement of the hatchway cover 30. The transportation device 100 or the ship 10 preferably comprises a ramp 102 that connects the drive rail 41 to the drive rail 141.

5 When the hatchway cover 30 with the stack of containers has been conveyed entirely onto the transportation device 100 to the second position shown in Figure 1 , the hatchway cover 30 is lowered by deactivation of the jacks 56 and the hatchway covers now engage the roller bearing 148. The trolleys 50 are now again conveyed onboard the ship 10 towards the hatchway cover 0 that is next in line or towards a hatchway cover in one of the neighbouring rows shown in Figure 2. Now the carrier frame 110 is lowered to the second position, following which the transportation device 100 can, if desired, be moved to a deployment station for the hatchway cover 30 with the stack of containers. If the transportation device 100 can be moved on its own on rails along the ship 10, the system 1 can further comprise a second transportation device 200 in the form of a so-called karmag-trolley that can be conveyed to a desired position on the quayside. Such karmag-trolley 200 is outlined in Figure 1 and may comprise a carrier frame 210 that is supported by wheels 220. The karmag-trolley may also comprise a roller bearing 248 that can be configured in the same manner as the roller bearing 148. Positioning of the karmag-trolley 200 opposite the transportation device 100 means that the hatchway cover 30 is, when the carrier frame 110 is located in the lowered position, conveyable onto the roller bearing 148 on the carrier frame 210 of the karmag-trolley 210.

Claims

C l a i m s

1. A transportation system (1 ) for the transportation of freight containers (5) and comprising:

- a ship (10) with a weather deck with hatchways (22) that are delimited by athwarthships hatchway coamings (40) and that provide access to a subjacent cargo hold (12) in the interior (10) of the ship;

- at least one carrier plate (30) that is configured for being able to carry a stack (2) of said freight containers (5);

- - said ship (10) having supporting means (42) configured for supporting the carrier plate (30) and for allowing horizontal displacement of the carrier plate (30) in a first direction relative to the ship (10); - transportation devices (50, 100) for moving the carrier plate (30) with a stack (2) of containers relative to the ship (10);

characterised in

- that said supporting means (42) are arranged in the area of the weather deck of the ship (10); and

- that the dimensions of the carrier plate (30) are adjusted in accordance with at least one of said hatchways (22), whereby the carrier plate (30) may, in a first position, form a hatchway cover for covering at least a portion of the cargo hold (12).

2. A transportation system according to the preceding claim, characterised in that the carrier plate (30) comprises upwardly extending supporting means (32) that are configured for providing a lateral support of the stack (2) of containers (5) and that preferably extend as far as the uppermost containers (5) in the stack (2).

3. A transportation system according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the carrier plate (30) is configured for carrying a stack (2) of said freight containers consisting of at least two vertical columns of stacked freight containers (5).

4. A transportation system according to the preceding claim, characterised in that the carrier plate (30) comprises upwardly extending guide means (32) that are configured for delimiting receiving areas for each of said vertical columns of freight containers (5); and optionally also for supporting the containers (5) laterally.

5. A transportation system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said supporting means (42) on the ship (10) form guide rails (41 ).

6. A transportation system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said supporting means (42) are arranged on said hatchway coamings (40).

7. A transportation system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a first transportation device (50) comprises trolleys that are configured for being able to support the carrier plate (30) and having wheels (52,54) that co-operate with said supporting means (42).

8. A transportation system according to the preceding claim, characterised in that the trolleys (50) are releasably connected to the carrier plate (30).

9. A transportation system according to the preceding claim, characterised in that the trolleys can be moved between a first position in which the trolleys support the carrier plate (30) and a second position away from the carrier plate (30).

10. A transportation system according to the preceding claim, characterised in that said trolleys (50) comprise lifting means (56) that are configured for being able to lift the carrier plate (30) with a stack of freight containers.

11. A transportation system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the ship (10) comprises, transversally to the ship, a plurality of said carrier plates (30) that combine to form a closure of the cargo hold (12).

12. A transportation system according to any one of claims 7-10 with a second land-based transportation device (100) having engagement faces (145) for the carrier plate (30) and comprising a lifting and lowering mechanism (105) for the carrier plate (30), characterised in that the engagement faces (145) form a guide rail (141 ) for the first transportation device (50).

13. A transportation system according to the preceding claim, characterised in that the engagement faces (145) comprise a roller bearing that allows horizontal movement of the carrier late (30) with the stack of freight containers.

14. A ship (10) for use in a system according to claim 1 and comprising a weather deck with hatchways (22) that provide access to a subjacent cargo hold (12) in the interior (10) of the ship; and at least one carrier plate (30) that is configured for being able to carry a stack (2) of said freight containers (5); said ship (10) having supporting means (42) configured for supporting the carrier plate (30) and for allowing horizontal displacement of the carrier plate (30) in a first direction relative to the ship (10);

characterised in

- that said supporting means (42) are arranged in the area at the weather deck of the ship (10); and - that the carrier plate (30) is dimensioned to form a a hatchway cover for covering the cargo hold (12): and

- that the carrier plate (30) comprises upwardly extending supporting means (32) that are configured for providing a lateral support of the stack (2) of containers.

15. A ship according to the preceding claim, characterised in that the upwardly extending supporting means (32) extend from the carrier plate (30) to a height of at least eight meters, preferably at least about twelve meters.