Method of distributing cargo

A method for loading cargo into and discharging it from a plurality of mutually connected cargo spaces of unequal size, whereby to minimize the time required both for the loading operation(s) and the subsequent discharge operation(s), comprising the steps of:

• dividing the cargo to be loaded at each loading place of a series of sequentially utilized loading places into a plurality of separate portions corresponding to said plurality of cargo spaces, the quantity of the cargo portion intended for the largest cargo space(s) being the same or larger than the quantity of the cargo portion intended for any of the smaller cargo space(s), and the quantity of the cargo loaded at each loading place in said series of sequentially utilized loading places and destined for the same discharging place in a series of sequentially utilized discharging places being distributed among said separate cargo portions so that the largest cargo space(s) will have the same or a larger quantity of the cargo destined for the same discharging place as any of the smaller cargo spaces;
• loading the separate portions of cargo at each loading place of said series of sequentially utilized loading places into their respective cargo spaces, with the loading in the largest cargo space(s) at each loading place being carried out at the same time as loading one or more of the other cargo spaces;
• and subsequently
• discharging the separate portions of cargo destined for each discharging place of said series of sequentially utilized discharging places at the respective discharging place(s), with the discharging of cargo from the largest cargo space(s) being carried out at each discharge place at the same time as the discharging of cargo from one or more of the other cargo spaces.