Abstract: A portable elevator system for transporting a cargo container between a container cell and a mouth of the container cell is disclosed. The elevator includes a frame which is crane transportable and mountable on the mouth of a container cell in an open hold of the ship. A plurality of hoists are mounted on the frame. The hoists are releasably engageable with at least one container so as to transfer the container in either vertical direction through a central opening in the frame between a first location at a mouth of the container cell and a second location in the container cell. The container further includes a plurality of supports, which are releasably engageable with a container in the first location in addition to the engagement of the hoists. Additionally, a connector for connecting two adjacent containers in a single cell is disclosed. The connector is adapted to be transported to one of the two containers on one of the hoists.

Abstract: A system for determining position and orientation of a stationary or moving object projects beams of electromagnetic waves, such as light, onto the object. The beams make lines on the object. A camera senses reflections of the lines. The reflections are converted into pixel data which are used to determine the position and orientation of the object relative to a predetermined coordinate system. The system can also maneuver a robot end effector to the object's position and orientation by interactively viewing representations of the object's position and orientation, and the end effector on a computer screen.