Mobile ship loading and unloading facility

Claim 3

A method as in claim 1 wherein the buoyant platform is removed from the vessel by floating the platform through an opening in the vessel which is in communication with the surrounding water.

Claim 4

A method as in claim 1 wherein the vessel is provided with self-propelling means and is self-propelling to the off-shore site.

Claim 5

A method as in claim 1 wherein the vessel carries a crane and wherein the legs are hoisted by the crane to a vertical position in order to insert them into the jack holes.

Claim 6

A method as in claim 1 wherein the jack-up platform has jack-up legs insertable in and removable from jack holes in the platform and wherein the platform legs are removed from their jack holes and stored in horizontal positions on the deck of the vessel while the vessel is being floated to the off-shore site.

Claim 9

A method as in claim 6 wherein the vessel carries a crane and wherein the step of jacking-up the vessel includes lifting the legs from their horizontal stored positions and lowering them in vertical positions into engagement with jacking devices supported on the vessel.

Claim 10

A vessel for use in constructing a ship loading or unloading pier facility comprising: an elongated buoyant self-propelled hull provided with a storage well which has a bottom wall and side walls extending longitudinally of the hull, said well being capable of being placed in direct communication with the surrounding water through an opening in the stern of the vessel to enable at least one buoyant jack-up platform to pass into and out of the storage well; a plurality of longitudinally spaced-apart jack-up assemblies disposed inboard of the vessel and between the storage well and each side of the vessel and additional jack-up assemblies disposed forwardly of the well, said jack-up assemblies being operable to support the vessel in an above-water position from the submerged bottom, each assembly including an annular jacking device supported on the vessel and a jack-up leg insertable into the respective jacking device; said vessel having a storage deck area located forward of said storage well, said area having a longitudinal dimension which is greater than its transverse dimension and which is at least as great as the length of the jack-up legs; and a crane supported by the vessel for moving the legs between a horizontal longitudinal position on said storage deck area and a vertical position within their respective jacking devices, said crane having legs positioned to span the storage well and the storage deck area, said legs having lower ends movably mounted on rails extending longitudinally of the vessel, said rails extending along the storage deck area and along the storage well at a location.

Claim 11

A vessel for use in constructing a ship loading or unloading pier facility comprising: an elongated buoyant self-propelled hull provided with a storage well which has a bottom wall and side walls extending longitudinally of the hull, said well being capable of being placed in direct communication with the surrounding water through an opening in the stern of the vessel to enable at least one buoyant jack-up platform to pass into and out of the storage well; a plurality of longitudinally spaced-apart jack-up assemblies disposed inboard of the vessel and between the storage well and each side of the vessel and additional jack-up assemblies disposed forwardly of the well, said jack-up assemblies being operable to support the vessel in an above-water position from the submerged bottom, each assembly including an annular jacking device supported on the vessel and a jack-up leg insertable into the respective jacking device; said vessel having a storage deck area located forward of said storage well, said area having a longitudinal dimension which is greater than its transverse dimension and which is at least as great as the length of the jack-up legs; and a crane supported by the vessel for moving the legs between a horizontal longitudinal position on said storage deck area and a vertical position within their respective jacking devices, said crane having legs positioned to span the storage well and the storage deck area, said legs having lower ends movably mounted on rails extending longitudinally of the vessel, said rails extending along the storage deck area and along the storage well at a location.

Claim 12

A vessel as in claim 8 including at least one ballast tank for adjusting the level of the stern of the vessel so as to locate the well at an appropriate level to pass water through the opening between the well and the surrounding water, and rollers mounted on the bottom wall of the well for rotation about horizontal axes extending transversely of the vessel, hauling means for hauling a jack-up platform between a floating position in the stern portion of the storage well and a stored position on the rollers in the forward part of the well.

Claim 13

A vessel as in claim 8 wherein the crane has a boom operable to transport cargo between a cargo ship located along one side of the vessel and a pier platform located on the other side of the vessel.