Container Cargo Transfer System

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.

1 . A method of transporting goods, comprising: 
 providing a jack-up barge;    providing a crane on the jack-up barge;    transferring goods between an ocean-going vessel and barges or other shallower-draft feeder vessels using the crane on the jack-up barge to unload the ocean-going vessel by transferring its containers to the barges or other shallower-draft feeder vessels and vice versa.    
   
   
       2 - 52 . (canceled)  
   
   
       53 . Apparatus including: 
 a gantry;    a trolley attached to the gantry;    at least one rotating, luffing, boom crane attached to the gantry.    
   
   
       54 . The apparatus of  claim 53 , including at least two rotating boom cranes attached to the gantry.  
   
   
       55 . The apparatus of  claim 53 , wherein the gantry includes a ship side, and including at least one boom crane attached to the ship side of the gantry.  
   
   
       56 . The apparatus of  claim 53 , wherein the gantry includes a back side, and including at least one boom crane attached to the back side of the gantry.  
   
   
       57 . The apparatus of  claim 53 , including three rotating boom cranes attached to the gantry.  
   
   
       58 . The apparatus of  claim 53 , including four rotating boom cranes attached to the gantry.  
   
   
       59 - 63 . (canceled)  
   
   
       64 . Apparatus including: 
 a luffing, rotating, boom crane;    a frame for supporting the boom crane;    means for attaching the frame to a ship-to-shore gantry having a trolley.    
   
   
       65 . The apparatus of  claim 64 , including three rotating boom cranes attached to the gantry.  
   
   
       66 . The apparatus of  claim 64 , including four rotating boom cranes attached to the gantry.  
   
   
       67 . The apparatus of  claim 53 , including at least one luffing boom crane attached to the gantry and at least one slewing boom crane attached to the gantry.  
   
   
       68 . The apparatus of  claim 53 , including two luffing boom cranes attached to the gantry and two slewing boom cranes attached to the gantry.  
   
   
       69 . The apparatus of  claim 64 , further comprising a bi-directional trailer.  
   
   
       70 . The apparatus of  claim 64 , further comprising multiple bi-directional trailers.  
   
   
       71 . The apparatus of  claim 64 , further comprising an MPC island.  
   
   
       72 . The apparatus of  claim 64 , further comprising a platform exension.  
   
   
       73 . The apparatus of  claim 64 , further comprising platform exensions.