Abstract: An integrated tug/barge (ITB) for carrying cargo, including: a cargo carrying barge having no means of propulsion; and a tug boat mounted on top of the barge such that the tug boat and the barge will experience identical motion when the ITB is operated, the tug boat including apparatus for propulsion and maneuvering of the ITB. In a further aspect, a method of launching a tug boat from the ITB, the method including: pushing the tug boat aftward until the center of gravity thereof is aft of a knuckle point formed by horizontal and sloped portions of the floor of a recess in which the tug boat is mounted; and permitting the tug boat to slide down the sloped portion of the bottom of the recess into water in which the barge is floating.

Abstract: In a preferred embodiment, a self-launching superstructure for a vessel, the superstructure including: a floatable hull having a forward bottom portion sloping downwardly from near a waterline near a bow end of the superstructure to a point near a stern end of the superstructure; the forward bottom portion being engagable with a corresponding sloped floor on the vessel when the superstructure is mounted on the vessel, the sloped floor terminating at an edge of the vessel, such that the superstructure, under gravitational force, may slide from the vessel into water in which the vessel is floating; and apparatus to releasably secure the superstructure on the vessel with the forward bottom portion of the hull engaging the sloped floor.

Abstract: In a preferred embodiment, a midbody section for a midbody section for a marine vessel of the double hull type, said midbody section having joined rectilinear top, bottom, and two side hull portions, said midbody section comprising: said top, bottom, and two side hull portions being constructed from substantially identically dimensioned rectilinear sandwich sections and having inner and outer hull plates, said inner and outer hull plates being joined together by at least longitudinally extending members welded to said inner and outer hull plates. The invention includes method and apparatus for construction of the sandwich sections.

Abstract: In a preferred embodiment, a system for launching barges from the deck of a ship, the system including: ramp means selectively positionable along the side of the ship such that a selected one of the barges may be placed on the ramp means and allowed to slide therealong by gravity into water in which the ship is floating.

Abstract: In a preferred embodiment, a system for unloading bulk material from a ship, which system includes: an elevating conveyor having a first, inclined section to raise bulk material from a lower space in the hull of the ship to a point above the deck thereof at the distal end of the elevating conveyor; the elevating conveyor having at the proximal end thereof a second section over which is disposed a single row of discharge gates generally parallel to the centerline of the ship and connected to the bottoms of a first plurality of hoppers which contain a first portion of bulk material, so as to selectively discharge the first portion onto the second section; cross conveyors to discharge a second portion of bulk material onto the cross conveyors; parallel conveyors generally parallel to the centerline to discharge the second portion onto the cross conveyors; each of the parallel conveyors being disposed underneath a row of discharge gates connected to bottoms of a second plurality of hoppers containing the second p

Abstract: In a preferred embodiment, a midbody section for a liquid cargo vessel of the double hull type, the midbody section having rectilinear top, bottom, and two side hull portions joined by four curvilinear hull portions, the midbody section including: the top, bottom, and two side hull portions being constructed from substantially identically dimensioned rectilinear sandwich sections and having inner and outer hull plates; and the four curvilinear hull portions being substantially identically dimensioned and having inner and outer hull plates. The invention includes method and apparatus for construction of the sandwich sections.

Abstract: In a preferred embodiment, a stripping gutter for a liquid cargo vessel having therein a liquid carrying tank defined between the bottom of the vessel, forward and aft bulkheads, and the starboard and port sides of the hull of the vessel, with a sump disposed in the bottom on the centerline of the vessel at the aft bulkhead of the tank, the stripping gutter including: first and second, inclined, generally triangular plates; the first plate being attached to the inner surfaces of the aft bulkhead, the starboard side, and the bottom, such that the first plate slopes forwardly from top to bottom and forwardly from an inner apex at the sump to an outer edge at the starboard side; and the second plate being attached to the inner surfaces of the aft bulkhead, the port side, and the bottom, such that the second plate slopes forwardly from top to bottom and forwardly from an inner apex at the sump to an outer edge at the starboard side; whereby, when the vessel trims by the stern as the vessel is unloaded, residual l