Self-orienting suction with baffles for fluid transportation

A fluid transportation method for a vessel in rolling motion around a pivoting axis, the fluid transportation method comprising:

• storing a fluid in a fluid reservoir in a container inside the vessel which is configured to allow transport of the stored fluid and removal of the stored fluid from the fluid reservoir;
• partially covering a bottom of the container using one or more horizontal baffles spaced above the bottom of the container and leaving one or more surface openings not covered by the one or more horizontal baffles, the one or more horizontal baffles being horizontal when the container is level;
• attaching a first suction pipe to the vessel to move with the vessel in rolling motion, the first suction pipe having a first proximal end and a first distal end, the first distal end having a first intake opening configured to be submerged in the fluid reservoir of the fluid in the container via the one or more surface openings to take in the fluid and transport the fluid through the first suction pipe out through the first proximal end;
• attaching a second suction pipe to the vessel to move with the vessel in rolling motion, the second suction pipe having a second proximal end and a second distal end, the second distal end having a second intake opening configured to be submerged in the fluid reservoir in the container via the one or more surface openings to take in the fluid and transport the fluid through the second suction pipe out through the second proximal end;
• the first suction pipe and the second suction pipe being attached to the vessel on opposite sides of a vertical plane that passes through the pivoting axis of the rolling motion to move with the vessel in rolling motion, the first intake opening being disposed in the fluid reservoir at a position lower than the second intake opening as the first suction pipe and the second suction pipe move with the vessel in a first rolling direction of the rolling motion, and the second intake opening being disposed in the fluid reservoir at a position lower than the first intake opening as the first suction pipe and the second suction pipe move with the vessel in a second rolling direction of the rolling motion opposite from the first rolling direction;
• coupling a valve device to the first proximal end of the first suction pipe and the second proximal end of the second suction pipe, the valve device moving toward a maximally opened position for the first proximal end of the first suction pipe and to move toward a maximally closed position for the second proximal end of the second suction pipe as the first suction pipe and the second suction pipe move with the vessel in the first rolling direction of the rolling motion, the valve device moving toward a maximally opened position for the second proximal end of the second suction pipe and moving toward to a maximally closed position for the first proximal end of the first suction pipe as the first suction pipe and the second suction pipe move with the vessel in the second rolling direction of the rolling motion;
• and
• extending a plurality of vertical baffles below the one or more horizontal baffles to compartmentalize the fluid reservoir vertically;
• some of the vertical baffles each having a first portion extending fully to the bottom of the container and a second portion extending partially toward the bottom of the container, the second portion forming at least one generally circular opening extending above the bottom of the container;
• and
• extending the plurality of vertical baffles including extending one or more longitudinal vertical baffles and a plurality of transverse vertical baffles below the one or more horizontal baffles to compartmentalize the fluid reservoir vertically, the one or more longitudinal vertical baffles extending across an upper portion of the container and being spaced above the bottom of the container leaving lower openings between the one or more longitudinal vertical baffles and the bottom of the container.