AN INNOVATION IN THE OCEAN MINING AND TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM

In ocean mining, the slow movement of a mining vessel equipped with a passive nodule collector and the transfer of stored nodules from the mining vessel to the nodule carrier vessel are difficult and expensive operations. Two proposals for surface vessel mining systems that avoid these operations are presented. The first is for an unpowered catamaran mining vessel with an active nodule collector and pipe lift system, together with pusher tugs that move nodule carriers in an integrated tug barge mode and also push the catamarans as needed. The alternate proposal is for a nonpowered monohull mining vessel rigidly connected to the forebody of a powered nodule carrier that can move alone or in combination with the mining vessel. Some hydrodynamic design aspects of both systems are discussed, as are the environmental and pollution effects of the mining operations.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Conference paper; Paper OTC-5862
• Authors:
  • Mukherji, G N
  • Misra, S C
• Conference:
  • Offshore Technology Conference, 20th
  • Location: Houston, Texas
  • Date: 1988-5-2 to 1988-5-5
• Publication Date: 0

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: 6p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Catamarans; Mining; Ocean bottom; Tug ship interaction
• Old TRIS Terms: Integrated tug barge systems; Mining vessels; Ocean mining
• Subject Areas: Marine Transportation; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00657756
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Maritime Technical Information Facility
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 21 1994 12:00AM