Abstract: In a method for installing a blade on a horizontal axis rotational hub of an offshore wind turbine, use is made of a blade installation device that is temporarily installed on the offshore wind turbine. The device includes a mounting part that is mounted on the foundation of the offshore wind turbine and/or on a lower portion of the wind turbine mast. A guide mast having a track is supported by the mounting part and extends parallel and adjacent to the wind turbine mast. A support bracket laterally supports the guide mast. The blade installation device further includes a blade manipulator assembly with a trolley that is movable along the track and a blade manipulator including blade engagement members. The blade manipulator is supported by the trolley via an actuating assembly including actuators. A positioning system controls the actuators.

Abstract: An offshore wind turbine installation vessel includes a crane provided with a computerized crane control system. The computerized crane control system is linked to the slew drive, the luffing drive, and the hoisting winch of the crane, and is programmed to perform a foundation pile installation routine providing a coordinated pattern of slew motion of the superstructure and of luffing motion of the boom structure, as well as operation of the hoisting winch so that the load connector of the crane moves from a foundation pile pick up position thereof, where the load connector is connected to the top end of a horizontally oriented foundation pile stored on a storage deck, to a foundation pile overboarding position thereof, wherein the foundation pile is in vertical suspended from the load connector, outside of the hull.

Abstract: A hoisting crane or multi configurations crane system for use on an offshore vessel, such a vessel and methods for operating are disclosed. The hoisting crane comprises a boom having a proximal portion, an intermediate portion and a distal portion. An extension mechanism is provided that is configured to allow the distal portion to be slid relative to the intermediate portion from a retracted configuration to an extended configuration. In the retracted configuration, the intermediate portion is arranged substantially within the distal portion.

Abstract: A system includes a crane and an exchangeable tool. The crane and the tool respectively, include an upper tool connector with tool retainers and a lower tool connector which can be interconnected, e.g. a male and female connector, e.g. the lower tool connector of the tool being embodied as a shank provided with a shoulder and the upper tool connector as a tool clamp with a female, open-centered body. A tool suspension device includes the upper tool connector and a travelling block member. The tool clamp has multiple mobile tool retainers adapted to—in a non-operative position—allow introduction of the shank of the tool from below into the shank receiving passage and—in an operative position—engage below the shoulder of the shank that has been introduced into the passage so as to suspend the tool. The upper tool connector may include a bearing allowing for swivelling of the open-centered body, and e.g.

Abstract: Providing energy to an energy consuming piece of equipment and/or tool during offshore operations. Use is made of a crane including a substructure, a boom mounted on the substructure, one or more hoist winches and cables, as well as an object suspension device suspended from the boom by the cables. A piece of equipment or tool is suspended from the object suspension device. An energy storage unit is provided on the object suspension device and has an input connector. The boom may be provided with an output connector of an energy charging unit and in a lower supply position of the object suspension device it is disconnected from the input connector of the energy storage unit. The piece of equipment or tool is then run on energy supplied by the energy storage unit.

Abstract: An assembly for supporting an object on a rail comprises a load bearing housing and an endless chain of steel cylindrical rollers arranged for recirculating along a closed path. The assembly comprises an elastically compressible resilient insert which is sandwiched between a steel central body and a steel raceway member above a work portion of the path, so that the central body is resiliently supported on an operative set of the cylindrical rollers via the insert and the steel raceway member.

Abstract: An offshore vessel for performing offshore subsea wellbore related activities, for example for drilling a subsea wellbore includes a drilling tower. A method for drilling a subsea wellbore includes using an offshore vessel and a method for tripping a tubulars string is disclosed. The offshore vessel is provided with a hoisting system which has a first configuration, wherein a hoisting cable is connected to a working deck and a second configuration wherein said hoisting cable is connected to a traveling block. The system allows for efficient tripping in and tripping out.

Abstract: A crane housing for a leg encircling crane to be mounted onto a slew bearing includes an annular base component, two support components, and a frontal component, each having bulkheads. The support components are connected to the annular base component at respective lateral sides of a front segment thereof. The frontal component is connected to the front segment of the annular base component, between the two support components such as to interconnect these. The two support components and the frontal component together form a front torsion box, which provides torsional rigidity. The load of the boom, as applied on the support components, subjects the base component via the torsion box to a torsion that is distributed over the front segment of the base component.

Abstract: A top drive system for wellbore related activities involving a drilling tubulars string. The system includes a frame structure and a top drive device with one or more top drive motors, a transmission housing, a floating quill system with a hollow vertical floating quill shaft. The top drive device has a thrust bearing housing arranged below the transmission housing and suspended via said first and second vertical frame members from the top frame member. A hollow vertical outer main shaft is suspended from the thrust bearing housing and a hollow vertical inner main shaft is arranged vertically mobile within the outer main shaft.

Abstract: An offshore wind turbine installation vessel includes a crane provided with a computerized crane control system. The computerized crane control system is linked to the slew drive, the luffing drive, and the hoisting winch of the crane, and is programmed to perform a foundation pile installation routine providing a coordinated pattern of slew motion of the superstructure and of luffing motion of the boom structure, as well as operation of the hoisting winch so that the load connector of the crane moves from a foundation pile pick up position thereof, where the load connector is connected to the top end of a horizontally oriented foundation pile stored on a storage deck, to a foundation pile overhoarding position thereof, wherein the foundation pile is in vertical suspended from the load connector, outside of the hull.

Abstract: A method for handling of an offshore wind turbine component includes using a vessel having a hull on which a motion compensating crane is mounted. The crane includes a main boom; a main boom luffing assembly; a mobile hoist cable suspension member; and a hoist winch and a hoist cable driven by the hoist winch. An object suspension device is suspended from the hoist cable. The mobile hoist cable suspension member is supported by a motion compensating support device that is fitted to the tip end of the main boom, the motion compensating support device including one or more motor powered motion displacement actuator assemblies and a motion compensating support device controller. The method includes connecting the offshore wind turbine component to the object suspension device; and operating the motion compensating support device to provide motion compensation in at least one direction of the object suspension device and the connected offshore wind turbine component.

Abstract: A power tong includes a lower tong and an upper tong, each with multiple grippers distributed around a tubular passage, for gripping a lower tubular and ripping an upper tubular respectively. A torque actuator includes a first hydraulic drive and a second hydraulic drive, for rotating the upper tong relative to the lower tong. The first hydraulic drive and the second hydraulic drive each have a drive shaft that supports a guide wheel for cooperating with a guide track, and a pinion for cooperating with a rack, which guide wheel and pinion are concentrically, mounted on the drive shaft of the hydraulic drive. The hydraulic drives are mounted with the drive shafts parallel to the main axis, and the upper tong or the lower tong comprises a guide track receiving the guide wheel and a rack cooperating with the pinion.

Abstract: The invention relates to a crane for assembly and installation of offshore wind turbines on an offshore location, to a vessel for assembly and installation of offshore wind turbines on an offshore location, and to a method for assembly and installation of offshore wind turbines on an offshore location. According to the invention the crane is provided with a base section and a top section, wherein the top section is rotatable supported by a bearing, and can be rotated with the wind turbine hoisting device relative to the base section about a vertical axis, wherein a first trolley guide is mounted to a top section of the installation crane for giding a vertically mobile wind turbine supporting trolley. According to the invention the vessel is provided with one or more assembly stations on different sides of the installation crane.

Abstract: A semi-submersible crane vessel for use in assembling a wind turbine and for installation by means of a crane of the vessel of the assembled wind turbine on a foundation. At an assembly station, the hull of the vessel is provided with a mast-receiving well that is sunk into, or through, the hull, preferably a well that extends into, or through a support column of the hull, which well is configured to receive therein at least a portion of the mast of the wind turbine during an assembly step of the wind turbine. For example, the mast-receiving well has a depth of at least 15 meters, e.g. at least 30 meters, measured from the deck of the deckbox structure.

Abstract: In an installation of a wind turbine on a floating foundation in floating condition and subject to sea-state induced motions, e.g. at the site of an offshore windfarm, use is made of a vessel with a crane arranged on the hull and provided with a hoisting system adapted to support the weight of the wind turbine and suspend the wind turbine from the crane. A heave compensation device compensates for sea-state induced heave motion of the wind turbine mast relative to the mast mounting structure of the floating foundation. Use is made of a mast alignment system configured to engage on the suspended wind turbine, e.g. on the mast of the suspended wind turbine, and to bring and maintain the mast of the wind turbine in alignment with the mounting axis of the floating foundation in order to compensate for sea-state induced motions, at least including tilt motions in one or more vertical planes, of the wind turbine mast relative to the mounting axis of the floating foundation.

Abstract: The first aspect of the present invention relates to an offshore drilling system and a method for performing subsea wellbore related activities involving a riser extending between the vessel and a subsea wellbore. The offshore drilling system comprising a drilling vessel with a floating hull, a drilling tower and a tubular string main hoisting device. A vertically mobile working deck with a rig floor slip device is positioned above the moonpool. A telescopic joint and a diverter are provided, wherein the inner barrel of the telescopic joint is secured to the diverter via a flexible joint. Furthermore an integrated heave compensation system is provided such that said travelling block and the mobile working deck move synchronously in heave compensation.

Abstract: A tool and method for hoisting an longitudinal end of an offshore wind turbine component which is in a horizontal orientation. The tool is after being attached to a lifting block to be moved into a proximate position in which gripping members of the tool are longitudinally spaced from the longitudinal end but the radial contour of the tool at least overlaps with the radial contour of the longitudinal end. While the gripping members are in a retracted position guiding actuators can move the tool from the proximate position into a gripping position longitudinally aligned with the longitudinal end in which the gripping members are movable to engage said surface of the longitudinal end, thereby connecting the longitudinal end to the tool and suspending the longitudinal end from the lifting block so that the longitudinal end can consequently be hoisted.

Abstract: A pile holding system is to be mounted on a deck of a vessel, e.g. for installation of a pile adapted to support an offshore wind turbine. The pile holding system is configured to support the pile in an upright position at a pile installation location next to the vessel. A vessel is provided with such a pile holder system. A method for installation of a pile and a pile holder are also disclosed.

Abstract: A crane for use on an offshore vessel is provided with a boom restrainer, wherein the boom restrainer is a hydro-pneumatic boom restrainer, for reducing upward pivoting of the boom, when the boom is in the top zone, wherein the boom restrainer includes: multiple hydraulic cylinders, each having a hydraulic circuit and a cylinder rod with a cylinder head, wherein the cylinders are mounted on the crane structure with the cylinder heads directed towards the boom of the crane, preferably are mounted on a stay of the crane structure, a catcher for each hydraulic cylinder, wherein each catcher is mounted on the boom and is configured for receiving the cylinder head of the corresponding hydraulic cylinder, and to lock the cylinder head, preferably pivotable locks the cylinder head, relative to the boom, when the boom pivots upwards in the top zone; a gas buffer for each hydraulic cylinder, wherein each gas buffer is mounted to the corresponding hydraulic cylinder, and is connected to the hydraulic circuit of the cor

Abstract: A crane with a pivotal boom. The crane has a first and a second main hoisting system, which main hoisting system are configured for independent operation. Each system comprises a hoisting cable, an upper sheave block, a hoisting block assembly suspended from the upper sheave block by the hoisting cable in a multiple fall configuration, and a hoisting winch. The upper sheave blocks of the first and second main hoisting systems are each independently pivotable about a common pivot axis relative to the boom. Each hoisting block assembly comprises a hoisting block body, multiple fixed sheaves that are fixed on the hoisting block body, and multiple disconnectable sheave members, each disconnectable sheave member comprising a frame and at least one sheave rotatably supported by the frame.