System and method for transporting cargo and containers across a body of water

A method for transporting cargo and containers across a body of water, the method comprising:

• providing a logistics manager program operationally disposed on at least one computer processor with at least one memory storage medium wherein the logistics manager program calculates with at least one mathematical model a route and pace of travel to optimize at least the cost of transporting cargo and containers across a body of water;
• calculating at least one rendezvous point along at least one leg from at least one port facility to a mothership vessel traversed by at least one of the at least one deployable and retrievable vessels, the mothership vessel adapted to carry the at least one deployable and retrievable vessels on a well-deck within ahull portion of the mothership vessel;
• updating the selected route and pace of travel incrementally and in response to voluntary and involuntary changes in at least one or more of the speed and direction of travel of the mothership vessel and the at least one deployable and retrievable vessels;
• partially submerging the hull portion of the mothership vessel wherein the plurality of deployable and retrievable vessels are retrieved from at least one or more of the bow, side, or stern of the mothership vessel, the deployable and retrievable vessels floating into the hull portion of the mothership vessel and being secured, the submerging hull portion rising to a transporting position, unsubmerged, wherein the deployable and retrievable vessels are secured to a well deck of the mothership vessel at least partially gravitationally;
• calculating at least one leg wherein the mothership vessel traverses a body of water while carrying at least one of the deployable and retrievable vessels to at least one release point;
• updating in the logistics manager program the selected route and pace of travel incrementally and in response to voluntary and involuntary changes in at least one or more of the speed and direction of travel of the mothership vessel;
• calculating at least one leg from the mothership vessel to at least one release point for at least one port facility for the at least one deployable and retrievable vessels;
• partially submerging a hull portion of the mothership vessel wherein the at least one deployable and retrievable vessels are released from at least one or more of the bow, side, and stern of the mothership vessel, the deployable and retrievable vessels floating off and on the mother vessel when the hull portion of the mothership vessel is in the partially submerged state;
• and
• selecting a route and pace of travel incrementally and in response to voluntary and involuntary changes in at least one or more of the speed and direction of travel of the mothership vessel and the at least one deployable and retrievable vessels.