Container Off-Loading and Transfer System (COTS) Advanced Development Tests of Elevated Causeway System. Volume V. Container-Handling Operations.

A two-phase advanced development test program was conducted to evaluate the elevated causeway system installation, operations, and demobilization. This volume covers the container-handling operations of the Phase II tests no containers were handled during Phase I and provides container transfer rates and operational data pertinent to container-handling cranes, containers, spreader bars, lighters, trucktrailers, pontoon deck reinforcement, turntable, beach transistion ramp, beach matting, and air bearing transporter. Also tested during Phase II, and reported in this volume, was the LoRo concept which delivers containers deck-loaded on a causeway ferry the ferry is beached and containers are off-loaded with commercial container handlers. Under the ideal sea conditions at the Coronado test site, crane-container handling rates of 20 containers per hour were attained, but the overall productivity was degraded to 15.4 containers per hour with a causeway ferry because of trucktrailer movement on the cause-way which could not keep up with the crane operation. A rate of 14 containers per hour was attained with the LCU. Time to unload containers during the LoRo tests varied from an average of 1.6 minutes per container on the first section nearest shore to 2.4 minutes per container on the third section. Author