206 results about "Sea transport" patented technology

A system, equipment, and processes for extending the scope of automation in port container facilities, and thereby increasing port capacity within fixed land resources, increasing operational productivity, increasing safety, increasing the velocity and reliability of goods movement, increasing freight security, reducing negative environmental impacts, and reducing the overall cost of goods movement. A storage area is accessed by automated guided vehicles which receive and unload containerized loads. On the waterside, loads are exchanged between the vehicles and ships using quay cranes. On the ground transportation side, loads are exchanged between the vehicles and truck or rail carriers using semi automated or automated remote-controlled bridge cranes. Within the storage area, loads are exchanged between the vehicles and the storage facilities using automated stacking cranes. The vehicles are adapted to receive a cassette storage platform which in turn receives standard ISO containers. The vehicles also are adapted to receive one or more alternative platforms including a coning platform for workers to manage container coning, a reefer access and maintenance platform, and a worker transport platform. The use of a single vehicle type with interchangeable platforms allows for maximum flexibility and efficiency. The automation of the vehicle allows for complete contamination within the storage portion of the system.The system thus substantially extends the reach of automation to cover both landside and waterside intra-terminal transfer operations. By this extension, the interface of workers and machines is greatly reduced, increasing safety, productivity, security, and capacity. By this extension, the robotic control process can be fully optimized, increasing velocity and reliability while reducing the terminal's environmental footprint.

The invention allows cool rooms or sea containers designed for frozen goods to handle produce requiring more precisely controlled temperatures and conditions, e.g., vegetables and fruits requiring temperatures in the chilling range and often also needing control or modification of the atmosphere. Each load of produce (100) (e.g. of pallet size) is held in the sea container or cool room but is sealed from the air of the refrigerated environment by, for example, a plastics bag (56). The atmosphere within the bag is then circulated by a fan (12) (or by convection currents from a heating element) so as to pass through the load and around it via ducts (30) provided adjacent the bag (56). Heat exchange (50) between the circulating gas and the refrigerated environment, via the plastics film, serves to cool the load. However, if cooling is excessive a heating element can be used to raise the temperature of the circulating atmosphere. Gas composition of the atmosphere can be controlled by scrubbing, flushing, etc. via pipes from a central unit or at each load individually or by choosing semi-permeable plastic for the sealing bags.

The present invention relates to a process for the partial upgrading of properties of heavy and / or extra-heavy crude oil by low severity catalytic hydrotreatment in only one reaction step. The process of the present invention is obtained upgraded oil with properties required for its transportation from offshore platforms either to maritime terminal or to refining centers. The process reduces the viscosity of heavy and / or extra-heavy crude oil, and decreases the concentration of impurities, such as sulfur, nitrogen, and metals, in such a way that heavy and / or extra-heavy crude oils can be transported to maritime terminals or to refining centers. The process increases the lifetime of the catalyst and decreased operating costs by reducing consumption of utilities because the operation of the process is carried out at lower severity. The partially upgraded oils obtained in this process can be transported directly to the maritime terminals or to existing refineries.

A multi-modal system for transport of particulate material includes a plurality of ship based hoppers mounted within the hold of a ship. Each such hopper includes a container for particulate material, a container inlet by which particulate material can be loaded into the container by entrainment, and a container outlet through which particulate material can be unloaded from the container by entrainment. The system also includes a product loading internal manifold located within the hold of the ship and connected to a container inlet for a plurality of ship based hoppers, and a product unloading internal manifold located within the hold of the ship and connected to a container outlet for a plurality of ship based hoppers.

A plywood comprising plys of Paulowina wood combined with plys of other hardwoods. The resulting Paulowina based plywood panels are lightweight, approximately 40% lighter than ordinary plywood. This reduction in weight when used for construction of Recreational vehicles (RV's), Campers, Tractor-trailer box sides, Ocean Shipping boxes, Crates, and Steamer trunks will reduce associated fuel consumption by reducing the overall weight of the cargo, and can lower employee related injury. The resulting Paulowina based plywood panels will reduce work place injury (lower back pain, herniated disks, hernia, etc.) resulting in lower healthcare premiums for both employees and employers. The shipping industry that supply cargo shipping boxes also demand that a lightweight construction material be used for goods that are sent by air cargo, land cargo, rail, and sea cargo in order to conserve energy and the Paulowina based plywood panels are well suited for these applications.

A pallet for use within a sea freight container includes a chassis, which has a locomotion device, such as wheels or a roller, enabling it to be moved into, and out of, the container, and at least one locking device to immobilize the pallet within the container. A first locking mechanism is pivotally mounted on a leading edge of the pallet and can be rotated outwardly from the chassis and engage side walls of the container. A second locking mechanism may be provided on a trailing edge of the pallet, which includes a screw member which can be screwed out to engage side walls of the container. A third locking mechanism may, preferably, be included which has an extensible member to abut one or more rear doors of the container. These locking mechanism maintain the pallet securely in a fixed location within the sea freight container.

A device for and method of fixing vertically installed cargo pressure tanks (2), particularly the type used for sea transport of pressurised petroleum products, wherein at least two cargo pressure tanks (2) constitute a liftable cassette (1), the tanks (2) of which preferably are placed in the upright position on a cassette lifting frame (4) and are interconnected by means of a guide frame (6).

A suction-cup cargo netting device that can be secured to any type of vehicle, land-based or marine, such that items can be secured by the device while they are being transported. The suction-cup cargo netting device uses a flexible net that has a plurality of flexible suction-cups on its periphery that secure to any smooth surface quickly and conveniently. After use, the suction-cups and cargo net can be easily removed for storage, or use with another vehicle or another location such as a residence or commercial building. The suction-cups are attached to the periphery of a central net that covers the items being transported such that they are secured to a surface and create a storage area between the cargo net and the surface.