Abstract: A distribution method is for transporting goods from a loading port for a ship or some other collection site, such as a storage room or centralized handling plant, to cabins or other operation sites on a ship. The steps include placing the goods on a transport pallet at the collection site; moving the transport pallet, including the goods, by an internal vertical conveyor belt on the ship to the cabins or operation sites. The method also includes performing the steps in the reverse order to transport the goods from the operation sites to the collection site.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a port arrangement for transferring first-type and second-type freight units from a storage area on shore into a freight space of a ship and vice versa. The ship comprises a first freight space compartment forming a structural part of the ship and including a plurality of superimposed freight planes. The ship's hull includes freight handling apertures. More specifically, the port arrangement is for handling simultaneously at least two types of freight to be shipped in different ways, the first freight type being wheeled vehicles and the second freight type being large general or bulk cargo. A lifting framework is used for loading and unloading the ship and includes a mechanism for reducing motion resistance in the loading planes to enable movement of the freight units mainly in a horizontal direction during such loading and unloading.

Abstract: An adjustable pallet for transporting cargo, particularly automobiles, comprises an extension member adjustably attached to a rectangular base with the extension member and base each having a loading surface capable of supporting cargo thereupon and defining the total loading surface of the pallet. The extension member has a retracted position and an extended position relative to the base with the extension loading surface of the member being substantially co-planar with the base loading surface in the retracted position and the extended position. The extension member may be attached to the base by rails extending from one of the base and extension member and the other of the base and extension member having channels defined therein to slidably receive the rails, such that the extension member is slidably extendable from the base to form a selectively variable total loading surface.