Process for handling cargo and cargo handling facility

Abstract

A process for handling cargo which comprises the step of providing a cargo handling facility having a wharf defining a marine berth of sufficient length to accommodate the docking of a marine vessel in substantially parallel relation to a sidewall of the wharf. A shelter having a roof structure overlying the marine berth and an adjacent portion of the wharf is also provided, with one or more overhead lifting means mounted beneath the roof structure for movement over the marine berth and over the adjacent portion of the wharf in both transverse and parallel directions relative to the sidewall providing for movement of cargo by the overhead lifting means between the marine vessel and one or more exterior transport positions located on the wharf. The one or more exterior transport positions are also preferably located under the roof.

1 . A process for handling cargo comprising the step of providing a cargo handling facility having: 
 a wharf defining a marine berth of sufficient length to accommodate the docking of a marine vessel in substantially parallel relation to a sidewall of said wharf;    a shelter having a roof structure overlying said marine berth and an adjacent portion of said wharf;    one or more overhead lifting means mounted beneath said roof structure for movement over said marine berth and over said adjacent portion of said wharf in both transverse and parallel directions relative to said sidewall so as to provide for movement of cargo by said overhead lifting means between said marine vessel and one or more exterior transport positions located on the wharf.    
   
   
       2 . A process according to  claim 1 , wherein said overhead lifting means comprises a first overhead crane.  
   
   
       3 . A process according to  claim 2 , wherein said one or more exterior transport positions are also located under said roof structure.  
   
   
       4 . A process according to  claim 3 , wherein the shelter includes a waterside wall extending upwardly, from a bed of a water body on which the wharf sits, to the roof structure, such that the marine berth is sheltered on a water side by the waterside wall.  
   
   
       5 . A process according to  claim 4 , wherein the facility additionally comprises a warehouse having an access wall in which one or more cargo doorways opening onto said wharf are provided.  
   
   
       6 . A process according to  claim 5 , wherein the warehouse is orientated with its access wall positioned towards and arranged substantially parallel to a waterside edge of the wharf, such that the marine berth is sheltered on a land side by the access wall.  
   
   
       7 . A process according to  claim 6 , wherein said one or more exterior transport positions are located one each on the wharf outside a respective one of said one or more cargo doorways.  
   
   
       8 . A process according to  claim 7 , wherein said facility additionally comprises one or more cargo conveyance means associated one each with said one or more cargo doorways, each of said one or more cargo conveyance means being adapted to convey cargo between a respective one of said one or more exterior transport positions on the wharf outside its associated cargo doorway to a respective interior transport position in the warehouse inside its associated cargo doorway.  
   
   
       9 . A process according to  claim 8 , wherein the cargo conveyance means is a conveyor belt.  
   
   
       10 . A process according to  claim 8 , wherein the cargo conveyance means is a wheeled cart on rails.  
   
   
       11 . A process according to  claim 8 , wherein the facility additionally comprises a transport means for moving cargo between each said respective interior transport position and an interior of the warehouse.  
   
   
       12 . A process according to  claim 11 , wherein said transport means comprises, for each cargo conveyance means, a second overhead crane having rails extending, on opposite sides of said each cargo conveyance means, from the access wall, and in substantially normal relation thereto, to a back wall of the warehouse, opposed to the access wall.  
   
   
       13 . A process according to  claim 12 , wherein the warehouse is climate-controlled, and has one or more cargo doors associated one each with said one or more cargo doorways, each cargo door being operatively mounted to the access wall for movement between an open position, whereat it is disposed apart from its associated cargo doorway, and a closed position, whereat it substantially occludes and seals said cargo doorway.  
   
   
       14 . A process according to  claim 5 , wherein the first overhead crane has rails extending substantially parallel to the access wall and to the waterside wall.  
   
   
       15 . A process according to  claim 5 , wherein the first overhead crane is provided with three bridges, each having a single trolley hoist.  
   
   
       16 . A process according to  claim 12 , wherein each second overhead crane is provided with two bridges, each having a single trolley hoist.  
   
   
       17 . A process according to  claim 6 , wherein the wharf has defined thereon, exterior to the warehouse and substantially parallel to its waterside edge, a first delivery alley which transport trucks may traverse.  
   
   
       18 . A process according to  claim 17 , wherein the shelter has a pair of end walls substantially enclosing ends of said wharf, said end walls each having a first overhead door located therein to permit ingress and egress of transport trucks to and from the first delivery alley.  
   
   
       19 . A process according to  claim 18 , wherein a second delivery alley is located in the warehouse, proximate the access wall and substantially parallel thereto, which loaded transport trucks may traverse, and wherein a warehouse exterior has second overhead doors located therein, at opposite ends of the second delivery alley, to permit ingress and egress of loaded transport trucks to and from the second delivery alley.  
   
   
       20 . A process according to  claim 19 , wherein a third delivery alley is located in the warehouse proximate to the back wall of the warehouse, which a pair of loaded transport trucks may traverse in side-by-side relation, and wherein the warehouse exterior has third overhead doors located therein, at opposite ends of the third delivery alley, to permit ingress and egress of the pair of loaded transport trucks, in side-by-side relation, to and from the third delivery alley.  
   
   
       21 . A process according to  claim 20 , wherein a fourth delivery alley is located in the warehouse, adjacent to and parallel the third delivery alley, which loaded rail cars may traverse, and wherein the warehouse exterior has fourth overhead doors located therein, at opposite ends of the fourth delivery alley, to permit ingress and egress of loaded rail cars to and from the fourth delivery alley.  
   
   
       22 . A process according to  claim 21 , wherein the facility further comprises a climate-controlled staging structure connected exteriorly to the warehouse and forming a heated airlock in combination therewith, said airlock having located therein extensions of the third delivery alley and fourth delivery alley, in which loaded transport trucks and rail cars can be acclimatized prior to ingress to the warehouse, to limit moisture infiltration.  
   
   
       23 . A cargo handling facility comprising: 
 a wharf defining a marine berth of sufficient length to accommodate the docking of a marine vessel in substantially parallel relation to a sidewall of said wharf;    a shelter having a roof structure overlying said marine berth and an adjacent portion of said wharf;    one or more overhead lifting means mounted beneath said roof structure for movement over said marine berth and over said adjacent portion of said wharf in both transverse and parallel directions relative to said sidewall so as to provide for movement of cargo by said overhead lifting means between said marine vessel and one or more exterior transport positions located on the wharf.    
   
   
       24 . A cargo handling facility according to  claim 23 , wherein said overhead lifting means comprises a first overhead crane.  
   
   
       25 . A cargo handling facility according to  claim 24 , wherein said one or more exterior transport positions are also located under said roof structure.  
   
   
       26 . A cargo handling facility according to  claim 25 , wherein the shelter includes a waterside wall extending upwardly, from a bed of a water body on which the wharf sits, to the roof structure, such that the marine berth is sheltered on a water side by the waterside wall.  
   
   
       27 . A cargo handling facility according to  claim 26 , additionally comprising a warehouse having an access wall in which one or more cargo doorways opening onto said wharf are provided.  
   
   
       28 . A cargo handling facility according to  claim 27 , wherein the warehouse is orientated with its access wall positioned towards and arranged substantially parallel to a waterside edge of the wharf, such that the marine berth is sheltered on a land side by the access wall.  
   
   
       29 . A cargo handling facility according to  claim 28 , wherein said one or more exterior transport positions are located one each on the wharf outside a respective one of said one or more cargo doorways.  
   
   
       30 . A cargo handling facility according to  claim 29 , additionally comprising one or more cargo conveyance means associated one each with said one or more cargo doorways, each of said one or more cargo conveyance means being adapted to convey cargo between a respective one of said one or more exterior transport positions on the wharf outside its associated cargo doorway to a respective interior transport position in the warehouse inside its associated cargo doorway.  
   
   
       31 . A cargo handling facility according to  claim 30 , wherein the cargo conveyance means is a conveyor belt.  
   
   
       32 . A cargo handling facility according to  claim 30  wherein the cargo conveyance means is a wheeled cart on rails.  
   
   
       33 . A cargo handling facility according to  claim 30 , additionally comprising transport means for moving cargo between each said respective interior transport position and an interior of the warehouse.  
   
   
       34 . A cargo handling facility according to  claim 23 , wherein said transport means comprises, for each cargo conveyance means, a second overhead crane having rails extending, on opposite sides of said each cargo conveyance means, from the access wall, and in substantially normal relation thereto, to a back wall of the warehouse, opposed to the access wall.  
   
   
       35 . A cargo handling facility according to  claim 34 , wherein the warehouse is climate-controlled, and has one or more cargo doors associated one each with said one or more cargo doorways, each cargo door being operatively mounted to the access wall for movement between an open position, whereat it is disposed apart from its associated cargo doorway, and a closed position, whereat it substantially occludes and seals said cargo doorway.  
   
   
       36 . A cargo handling facility according to  claim 27 , wherein the first overhead crane has rails extending substantially parallel to the access wall and to the waterside wall.  
   
   
       37 . A cargo handling facility according to  claim 27 , wherein the first overhead crane is provided with three bridges, each having a single trolley. hoist.  
   
   
       38 . A cargo handling facility according to  claim 34 , wherein each second overhead crane is provided with two bridges, each having a single trolley hoist.  
   
   
       39 . A cargo handling facility according to  claim 28  wherein the wharf has defined thereon, exterior to the warehouse and substantially parallel to its waterside edges, a first delivery alley which transport trucks may traverse.  
   
   
       40 . A cargo handling facility according to  claim 39 , wherein the shelter has a pair of end walls substantially enclosing ends of said wharf, said end walls each having a first overhead door located therein to permit ingress and egress of transport trucks to and from the first delivery alley.  
   
   
       41 . A cargo handling facility according to  claim 40 , wherein a second delivery alley is located in the warehouse, proximate the access wall and substantially parallel thereto, which loaded transport trucks may traverse, and wherein a warehouse exterior has second overhead doors located therein, at opposite ends of the second delivery alley, to permit ingress and egress of loaded transport trucks to and from the second delivery alley.  
   
   
       42 . A cargo handling facility according to  claim 41 , wherein a third delivery alley is located in the warehouse proximate to the back wall of the warehouse, which a pair of loaded transport trucks may traverse in side-by-side relation, and wherein the warehouse exterior has third overhead doors located therein, at opposite ends of the third delivery alley, to permit ingress and egress of the pair of loaded transport trucks, in side-by-side relation, to and from the third delivery alley.  
   
   
       43 . A cargo handling facility according to  claim 42 , wherein a fourth delivery alley is located in the warehouse, adjacent to and parallel the third delivery alley, which loaded rail cars may traverse, and wherein the warehouse exterior has fourth overhead doors located therein, at opposite ends of the fourth delivery alley, to permit ingress and egress of loaded rail ends of the fourth delivery alley, to permit ingress and egress of loaded rail cars to and from the fourth delivery alley.  
   
   
       44 . A cargo handling facility according to  claim 43 , wherein the facility further comprises a climate-controlled staging structure connected exteriorly to the warehouse and forming a heated airlock in combination therewith, said airlock having located therein extensions of the third delivery alley and fourth delivery alley, in which loaded transport trucks and rail cars can be acclimatized prior to ingress to the warehouse, to limit moisture infiltration.