Abstract: A laden ship is transported across a shallow portion of a watercourse by a submergible floating vessel, while the ship is lifted upwardly within the water by means of a vessel platform placed under the hull. The vessel is preferably comprised of a multiplicity of rigid U-shape, separately floodable, buoyant sections, including end sections, which have self-propulsion. The several sections are pivotably interconnected, as by hinge assemblies, so the transporter platforms adjust to major up or down bends along the length of the hull, during lifting. The platforms are surfaced with a layer of resilient deformable material, or movable blocks, to accommodate local irregularities in the bottom of the ship.