Abstract: A ship has a stern with a facility for docking and undocking tenders. Preferably, the facility is a rearwardly opening bay in the stern of the ship which has a hoist therein. Alternatively, the hoist projects rearwardly from the stern. In practicing the invention, tenders shuttle between the ship and shore while docking and undocking from the ship while the ship is underway. Since the ship is underway, a relatively flat sea is created in the wake of the ship which allows the tenders approaching the stern of the ship to dock and undock while floating in either the flat sea or in a calm pond within the bay.