TECHNICAL FIELD

The various aspects and embodiments thereof relate to unloading and loading of modular cargo elements from and to a ship.

BACKGROUND

Container vessels are discharged and loaded using container cranes. Such cranes comprise a structure provided on a quay and a horizontal boom that overhangs the ship. On the boom, a trolley is provided. From the trolley, a spreader is suspended for transporting containers between the quay and the ship.

On the quay, transport vehicles are provided for transportation of containers on the quay. These vehicles wait in a line on the quay. A container is picked up from a vehicle and loaded in the ship. A container is discharged from the ship and loaded on the empty vehicle. Next, the loaded vehicle is driven off and the next vehicle in line, with a container to be loaded, is driven under the gantry crane.

With the advent of larger and larger container vessels, currently nearing a capacity of 20.000 containers, efficient discharging procedures and loading procedures are becoming more and more important.

SUMMARY

Waiting for the loaded vehicle to be driven off and for the next vehicle to arrive introduces waiting time between dropping off a container on the quay and picking up a container from the quay. It is preferred to reduce this waiting time.

A first aspect provides a method of handling transportation of modular cargo elements between a storage area and a transport area by means of a first gantry crane comprising a first trolley comprising a first gripper for griping the cargo elements, the first trolley being arranged for moving between the storage area and the transport area over a

substantially linear first trolley trajectory, the transport area comprising under the first trolley trajectory a first transportation line and a second transportation line for transporting the cargo elements from and to the transport area, the first transportation line being in the transport area substantially parallel to the second transportation line and substantially perpendicular to the trolley direction. The method comprises: transporting, by means of the first gantry crane, a first cargo element from the storage area to the transport area, providing a second cargo element to the transport area via the second transportation line and deploying, by means of the first gantry crane, the first cargo element on the first transportation hne. The second cargo element is picked up from the second transportation hne by means of the first gantry crane and, by means of the first gantry crane, transported from the transport area to the storage area.

By unloading a cargo element to a first lane and loading a cargo element from a second lane, the crane does not have to wait for

transportation of a transportation line to transport the discharged cargo element away and to provide the cargo element to be loaded to the vessel - or other storage facility or storage area.

An embodiment of the first aspect comprises moving the first trolley from the storage area to the transport area for transporting the first cargo element from the storage area to the transport area, after deployment of the first cargo element on the first transportation line, moving the first trolley from the first transportation line to the second transportation line and moving the first trolley from the transport area to the storage area for transporting the second cargo element from the transport area to the storage area. In this embodiment, the trolley first completes all local movements before making large movements. This reduces local waiting time and travel time of the trolley.

In another embodiment, the first transportation line and the second transportation line comprise vehicles. In this embodiment, providing a second cargo element to the transport area via the second transportation hne comprises providing a second vehicle carrying the second cargo element via the second transportation line; and deploying the first cargo element on the first transportation line comprises deploying the first cargo element on a first vehicle provided on the first transportation line.

Vehicles provide flexible transportation systems, as compared to for example conveyor belts.

A further embodiment comprises moving the first vehicle with the first cargo element away from the transport area, and moving the second vehicle from the second transportation lane to the first transportation lane.

This allows the gantry crane to pick up cargo elements always from the same position and to deploy discharged cargo elements at the same location.

In again another embodiment, a first transportation direction of the first transportation line is opposite to a second transportation direction of the second transportation hne.

This embodiment allows for flexibility and implementation of alternative transportation schemes.

In again a further embodiment, a second gantry crane is provided for transportation of modular cargo elements between the storage area and the transport area, the second gantry crane comprising a second trolley comprising a second gripper for griping the cargo elements, the second trolley being arranged for moving between the storage area and the transport area over a substantially linear second trolley trajectory.

Furthermore, the transport area comprises under the second trolley trajectory a third transportation line and a fourth transportation line for transporting the cargo elements, the third transportation line being substantially in extension of a first of the first or second transportation line and the fourth transportation hne being substantially in extension of a second of the first or second transportation line. This again further embodiment comprises transporting, by means of the second gantry crane, a third cargo element from the storage area to the transport area, providing a fourth cargo element to the transport area via the fourth transportation line and deploying, by means of the second gantry crane, the third cargo element on the third transportation line. The fourth cargo element is picked up, by means of the second gantry crane, from the fourth transportation line; and transported, by means of the second gantry crane, from the transport area to the storage area.

In this way, two transport lanes are shared by two gantry cranes. This allows operation of two gantry cranes with two lanes in an efficient way.

Yet another embodiment comprises transporting the first cargo element away from the transport area over the first transport line, transporting a fifth cargo element from the storage area to the transport area and providing a sixth cargo element to the transport area via the first transportation line. The fifth cargo element is deployed on the second transport line, the sixth cargo element is picked up from the first

transportation line and transported from the transport area to the storage area.

A second aspect provides a computer programme product readable by an electronic computing device, comprising instructions arranged to programming the electronic computing device to provide a set of instructions for managing transportation of cargo elements between a storage area and a transport area by means of a first gantry crane comprising a first trolley comprising a first gripper for griping the cargo elements, the first trolley being arranged for moving between the storage area and the transport area over a substantially linear first trolley trajectory, the transport area comprising under the first trolley trajectory a first transportation line and a second transportation line for transporting the cargo elements from and to the transport area, the first transportation line being in the transport area substantially parallel to the second transportation hne and substantially perpendicular to the trolley direction. The set of instructions comprises instructions to transport, by means of the first gantry crane, a first cargo element from the storage area to the transport area, provide a second cargo element to the transport area via the second transportation line, deploy, by means of the first gantry crane, the first cargo element on the first transportation line; pick up, by means of the first gantry crane, the second cargo element from the second transportation line; and transport, by means of the first gantry crane, the second cargo element from the transport area to the storage area.

A third aspect provides an computing device programmed by means of the computer programme product according to the second aspect.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The various aspects and embodiments thereof will now be discussed in further detail in conjunction with drawings. In the drawings,

Figure 1 A: shows a vessel to be unloaded and loaded; Figure 1 B: shows a top view of a vessel to be unloaded and loaded;

Figure 2: shows a flowchart;

Figure 3 A: shows a step in handling of containers;

Figure 3 B: shows a step in handling of containers;

Figure 3 C: shows a step in handling of containers;

Figure 3 D: shows a step in handling of containers;

Figure 3 E: shows a step in handling of containers; Figure 4: sshhoowwss aa first top view of a vessel and transport lanes;

Figure 5: shows a

Figure 6 A: shows a

Figure 6 B: shows a

Figure 6 C: shows a

Figure 6 D: shows a

Figure 6 E: shows a

Figure 7: shows a

lanes; and

Figure 8: sshhoowwss aa third top view of a vessel and transport lanes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Figure 1 A shows a container ship 100 as a cargo vessel moored to a quay 170 on which a gantry crane 150 is provided as a quay crane. The container ship 100 comprises a lower cargo level 110 below a first deck module 102 and further deck modules and an upper cargo level 120 above the a first deck module 102 and further deck modules. Optionally, the container ship 100 comprises an upper cargo level 130 on top of various upper cargo module at the upper cargo level. The container ship 100 carries containers and preferably steel containers having sizes in accordance with ISO standards as modular cargo elements.

The gantry crane 150 comprises a base structure 152, on top of which a boom 154 is provided. The boom 154 extends from the gantry crane 150 over the container ship 100. The boom 154 may comprise a pivoting element for swiveling a part of the boom 154 that overhangs over the container ship 100 upward. For providing balancing of the gantry crane 150, a counterweight 156 is provided at the mainland side of the gantry crane 150. On the boom 154, a trolley 162 is provided. The trolley 162 is arranged for executing a reciprocating linear movement over substantially the full length of the boom 154, from a distal point of the boom 154 at the counterweight 156 to a proximal point of the boom 154 opposite to the distal point - or at least over a substantial part thereof. To the trolley 162, a cabin 164 is provided for accommodating a crane driver. To the trolley, also a hoisting module is provided for hoisting a hne holding a spreader 166 as a gripper. The hoisting module allows moving the container spreader 166 up and down.

The spreader 166 is arranged for gripping and holding one or more containers. This allows the gantry crane 150 for transporting containers between the container ship 100 and a first vehicle 412 and a second vehicle 422 provided in a target area 172. The vehicles are arranged for

transporting containers to and from the target area. In this way, containers to be loaded on the container ship 100 are transported towards the target area 172 and containers discharged from the container ship 100 may be transported away from the target area 172.

Within the cabin 164, the crane driver is provided with controls for, among others, moving the trolley 162, hoisting and lowering the spreader 166 and for gripping or releasing containers. The crane driver receives instructions which container to pick up and where to deploy it via a computing device 180. The processing device 180 may be embodied as a computer. The computing device 180 is programmed by means of a computer programme product 182 which may be provided on a non-transitory or transitory medium. Alternatively, driving of the gantry crane 150 is automated and operation thereof is fully controlled by the computing device 180.

Figure 1 B shows a schematic view of the top of the situation depicted by Figure 1 A. Figure 1 B shows the gantry crane 150. In the target area 172, Figure 1 B shows a first lane 410 for the first vehicle 412 and a second lane 420 for the second vehicle 422. On the first lane 410, the first vehicle 412 is provided empty and on the second lane 420, the second vehicle 422 is provided with a container. The first vehicle 412 is ready to receive a discharged container from the ship 100 and the container on the second vehicle 422 is ready to be loaded onto the ship 100. The method of managing transportation of the containers between the ship 100 and vehicles as part of the transportation hne in the target area 172 will be discussed in further detail in conjunction with a first flowchart 200 in Figure 2 and drawings provided by Figure 3 and Figure 4. The parts of the first flowchart are summarised below:

202 start

204 pick up container from ship

206 transport container to first lane

208 deploy discharged container on first lane

210 move trolley from first lane to second lane

212 pick up container from second lane

214 transport container to ship

216 deploy container in ship

218 move away discharged container on first lane

220 move vehicle from second to first lane

222 end

The procedure starts in a terminator 202 and proceeds by picking up a container from the ship 100 in step 204 by means of the spreader 166. The container picked up is transported to the first lane 410 by moving the trolley 162 from above the ship 100 to above the first lane 410. Once above the first lane 410 and the first vehicle 412 in particular, the container is deployed on the first vehicle 412 by lowering the spreader 166 in step 208. This is depicted in Figure 3 A. Next, the trolley 162 is moved from above the first lane 410 to above the second lane 420. This is depicted by Figure 3 B. Once above the second lane 420, the spreader 166 is lowered and another container, available on the second vehicle 422, is picked up in step 212. This is depicted by Figure 3 C. Subsequently, the procedure splits in two branches executed in parallel. In step 214, the container picked up from the second vehicle 422 is transported to the ship 100 and deployed in the ship 100 in step 216.

In the right branch, the procedure proceeds in step 218 by moving away the discharged container by moving away the first vehicle 412. This is depicted in Figure 3 D. The first vehicle 412 is moved away to a further area where containers are stored or to another transportation area for loading the container in another vessel or vehicle like a lorry or a train. The arrow in Figure 3 D indicates step 220, in which the second vehicle 422 is moved from the second lane 420 to the first lane 410. The process ends in

terminator 222.

Subsequently, the procedure may be repeated as long as required. This means that the subsequent container discharged from the ship 100 is received by the second vehicle 422, from that moment designated as the new first vehicle 412. Switching of lanes by the vehicles is depicted in Figure 4 in further detail.

Figure 4 shows a top view of the ship 100 and the target area 172. In the target area 172 and over the ship 100, a first gantry crane 150', a second gantry crane 150", a third gantry crane 150"', a fourth gantry crane 150"", a fifth gantry crane 150""' and a sixth gantry crane 150""" are provided. Below the gantry cranes, the first transport lane 460, the second transport lane 450, a third transport lane 440, a fourth transport lane 430, a fifth transport lane 420 and a sixth transport lane 410 are provided. In the situation depicted by Figure 4, only the first transport lane 460 and the second transport lane 450 are dedicated to specific gantry cranes: the first transport lane 460 is dedicated to the first gantry crane 150' and the second transport lane 450 is dedicated to the sixth gantry crane 150""". Hence, in the situation as depicted by Figure 4, the method as depicted by the first flowchart does not apply to operation of the first gantry crane 150' and the sixth gantry crane 150""".

For the second gantry crane 150", a first transportation line 434 for providing containers to be loaded in the ship 100 and for further

transportation of discharged containers is provided by a part of the third transport lane 440 and a part of the fourth transport lane 430. Once a container supplied via the relevant part of the third transport lane 440, the third vehicle 442 moves in the first transportation hne 434 from the third transport lane 440 to the fourth transport lane 430. The trajectory from the third transport lane 440 to the fourth transport lane 430 is diagonal relative to the transport lanes.

Vehicles used for the transportation of container on the shore are provided with steering capacity on all wheels, preferably four wheels. This allows the third vehicle 442 to follow a crab like movement. The body of the vehicle remains substantially parallel to the third transport lane 440 and the fourth transport lane 430, the wheels are swiveled over substantially the same angle over a substantially vertical angle towards the fourth transport lane 430. In the embodiment shown by Figure 4, the wheels are swivelled over an angle of approximately 30 degrees. In other embodiments, the wheels may be swivelled up to ninety degrees or even more.

Next, the wheels are driven such that the third vehicle 442 moves from the third transport lane 440 to the fourth transport lane 430, as part of the first transportation line 434. Likewise, a second transportation line 444, a third transportation line 454 and a fourth transportation line 464 are provided. The first transport lane 460 and the second transport lane 450 may also be considered providing transportation lines. It is noted that embodiments without the all-wheel steering capacity may be envisaged as well. In such embodiment, mostly more room is required on the quay. Therefore, vehicles with all- wheel steering capacity and crab capability are preferred.

This set up allows the gantry cranes to deploy a container in one lane and pick up a container in another, preferably adjacent, lane. This reduces discharging and loading time as the loading and discharging time is far less dependent on time required for moving of vehicles for carrying away discharged containers and for providing containers to be loaded. Rather, the loading times are determined by the travel speed of the trolleys 162 (Figure 1) over the boom 154.

However, in the situation as depicted above, the dual lane transportation of containers is not implemented for the first gantry crane 150' and the sixth gantry crane 150""". A reason for this is that in particular situations, the target area 172 is not wide enough to provide for a dual lane transportation line for the outer gantry cranes. Implementing such dual lane transportation line for the outer gantry cranes would result in a target area 172 that is significantly wider than the ship 100, which would go at the cost of port capacity.

Another solution would be implementing two lanes per crane for the outer gantry cranes. This would require, however, much wider gantry cranes, which comes at a significant cost. However, it is possible to provide a seventh lane under existing gantry cranes, this additional lane is preferably provided between the first transport lane 460 and the second transport lane 450. This, in turn, allows for lane sharing for the first gantry crane 150' and the sixth gantry crane 150""". The lane sharing is depicted by a second flowchart 500 provided by Figure 5. The second flowchart 500 will be discussed in conjunction with Figure 6 and Figure 7. Figure 7 shows a situation similar to that as shown by Figure 4, with the addition of the seventh transport lane 470. The various parts of the second flowchart are summarised below: 502 start

504 pick up container from ship

506 transport container to first lane

508 deploy discharged container on first lane

510 move trolley from first lane to seventh lane

512 pick up container from seventh lane

514 transport container to ship

516 deploy container in ship

518 pick up container from ship

520 move away discharged container on first lane

522 provide new container in first lane

524 deploy discharged container in seventh lane

526 move trolley from seventh lane to first lane

528 pick up container from first lane

530 transport container to ship

532 deploy container in ship

534 move away discharged container in seventh lane

536 end

The procedure starts in a terminator 502 and proceeds by picking up a container from the ship 100 in step 504 by means of the spreader 166. The container picked up is transported to the first lane 460 by moving the trolley 162 from above the ship to above the first lane 460. Once above the first lane 460 and the first vehicle 462 in particular, the container is deployed on the first vehicle 462 by lowering the spreader 166 in step 508. This is depicted in Figure 6 A.

Next, the trolley 162 is moved from above the first lane 460 to above the seventh lane 470. This is depicted by Figure 6 B. Once above the seventh lane 470, the spreader 166 is lowered and another container, available on the second vehicle 452, is picked up in step 512. This is depicted by Figure 6 C. Subsequently, the procedure splits in two branches executed in parallel. In step 514, the container picked up from the second vehicle 452 is transported to the ship 100 and deployed in the ship 100 in step 516. After the container has been deployed in the ship, another container is picked up again from the ship 100 in step 518, without moving the trolley 162 back to the target area 172 in between.

In the right branch, the procedure proceeds in step 520 by moving away the discharged container by moving away the first vehicle 462. This is depicted in Figure 6 D. The first vehicle 462 is moved away in the first lane 460 to a further area where containers are stored or to another

transportation area for loading the container in another vessel or vehicle like a lorry or a train. Subsequently, a new container is provided by means of a further vehicle 492 in the first lane 460. This is depicted by Figure 6 E.

The container picked up in step 518 is in step 524 provided on the second vehicle 452 available in the seventh lane 470. In step 526, the trolley 162 is moved from above the seventh lane 470 to above the first lane 460 for picking up the new container in step 528. The new container picked up is transported to the ship 100 in step 530 and deployed in the ship 100 in step 532. In parallel, the second vehicle 452 is moved away. The second vehicle 452, available in the seventh lane 470, is firstly moved from the seventh lane 470 to the first lane 460 and subsequently moved away for further processing of the container. This means that the first gantry crane 150' is served by two transportation lines. These two transportation lines are in this embodiment interleaved. A first transportation line provided along the trajectory of the first transport lane 460 and a second transportation hne provided mainly along the trajectory of the first transport lane 460 and underneath the first gantry crane 150' provided along the seventh transport lane 470.

The vehicles provided on the transport lanes as part of the transportation lines for transportation of containers are preferably spaced apart sideways to the smallest extent possible to allow for a maximum amount of transport lanes. In one embodiment, this is approximately 4 metres. This pitch allows for safe movement of the vehicles over the lanes in straight hnes. However, when taking turns, the vehicles - and hence the transport lanes used - should be spaced apart sideways at about 6 metres to avoid serious risks of collision.

Figure 8 provides an embodiment allowing for transport lanes with a minimum pitch at the quay, underneath the gantry cranes, and with a wider pitch at bends of transport lanes to prevent collision. The first transport lane 460 is continued over the first bend 468, the second transport lane 450 is shifted by half the pitch distance before the second bend 458, the third transport lane 440 is continued via the third bend 438, the fourth transport lane 430 and the fifth transport lane 420 are merged into a merged transport lane 480 before the fourth bend 428 and the sixth transport lane 410 is continued via a fifth bend 418. It is noted that the seventh transport lane 470 is only used at the locations of the first gantry crane 150' and the sixth gantry crane 150""". Therefore, the seventh transport lane 470 does not have to be continued to a further location for further handling of containers.

The situation depicted by Figure 8 only shows the left side of the situation depicted by Figure 7. It is noted at the right side of the situation as depicted by Figure 7, the bends in the transport lanes may be provided as well, preferably as mirrored versions of the trajectories shown by Figure 8.

In summary, The various aspect and embodiments relate to discharge of a container from a ship on a first transport line and

subsequently loading a container from an adjacent second transport line. Hence, the trolley of a quay crane moves with a container from ship to shore, drops the container on the first line, picks up a container from the second line and returns to the ship. The transport lines may comprise vehicles for transporting containers. While the container is being moved to the ship, a vehicle may move from the first transport line to the second transport line. Alternatively or additionally, loading and discharging may be executed intermittently from the first line and the second line, respectively.

Expressions such as "comprise", "include", "incorporate", "contain", "is" and "have" are to be construed in a non-exclusive manner when interpreting the description and its associated claims, namely construed to allow for other items or components which are not explicitly defined also to be present. Reference to the singular is also to be construed in be a reference to the plural and vice versa.

In the description above, it will be understood that when an element such as layer, region or substrate is referred to as being "on" or "onto" another element, the element is either directly on the other element, or intervening elements may also be present.

Furthermore, the invention may also be embodied with less components than provided in the embodiments described here, wherein one component carries out multiple functions. Just as well may the invention be embodied using more elements than depicted in the Figures, wherein functions carried out by one component in the embodiment provided are distributed over multiple components.

A person skilled in the art will readily appreciate that various parameters disclosed in the description may be modified and that various embodiments disclosed and/or claimed may be combined without departing from the scope of the invention.