Abstract: Vessel including a hull of a substantially closed surface has at deck level a lifting crane, ballast tanks within the hull and a ballast control unit for admitting water to the ballast tanks for changing the draft of the vessel. The hull has a narrow lower section having first width over a height from keel level to a widening level, and a top section having a larger width than the lower section, extending from the widening level upwards towards deck level. The control unit is adapted to ballast the vessel to have a relatively shallow draft level in a transit mode, so that the wide top section is above water level, while the vessel is traveling, and to ballast the vessel to a relatively deep draft level in a lifting mode so that the widening level is below water level, at least when the vessel is substantially stationary and the crane is in its lifting position.

Abstract: A jacking system for jacking a structure, includes a leg having a longitudinal axis and including first engagement parts along the leg, and a guiding frame displaceable along the leg. The guiding frame includes at least a first, second, third and fourth actuator, the actuators each having a first and second actuator part which in operation can displace with respect to one another along the leg, the first actuator part of the actuators coupled to the guiding frame, the second actuator parts of the actuators each coupled to first engagement parts for engaging and disengaging the first engagement parts of the leg for providing abutment in the longitudinal direction of the leg, the second actuator parts of the actuators displaceable along the leg past one another, and the actuators being arranged in pairs opposite one another with respect to a longitudinal plane of the leg.

Abstract: A jacking system for jacking a structure, includes a leg having a longitudinal axis and including first engagement parts along the leg, and a guiding frame displaceable along the leg. The guiding frame includes at least a first, second, third and fourth actuator, the actuators each having a first and second actuator part which in operation can displace with respect to one another along the leg, the first actuator part of the actuators coupled to the guiding frame, the second actuator parts of the actuators each coupled to first engagement parts for engaging and disengaging the first engagement parts of the leg for providing abutment in the longitudinal direction of the leg, the second actuator parts of the actuators displaceable along the leg past one another, and the actuators being arranged in pairs opposite one another with respect to a longitudinal plane of the leg.

Abstract: The invention relates to a tie-back system for a crane comprising a rotatable base with a generally vertical support frame and a lifting arm which is with a lower end hingedly connected to the base in a hinge point, an upper part of the frame carrying a displacement member movable relative to the frame, the displacement member carrying a first cable guide means, a first cable extending from a first connection point on the arm along the first cable guide means to a first pulling device. The displacement member comprising a tie connection point for connection to a tie member, a second cable guide means attached to an upper part of the frame and a second cable extending from a second connection point on the arm along the second cable guide means to a second pulling device.

Abstract: Vessel including a hull of a substantially closed surface has at deck level a lifting crane, ballast tanks within the hull and a ballast control unit for admitting water to the ballast tanks for changing the draft of the vessel. The hull has a narrow lower section having first width over a height from keel level to a widening level, and a top section having a larger width than the lower section, extending from the widening level upwards towards deck level. The control unit is adapted to ballast the vessel to have a relatively shallow draft level in a transit mode, so that the wide top section is above water level, while the vessel is traveling, and to ballast the vessel to a relatively deep draft level in a lifting mode so that the widening level is below water level, at least when the vessel is substantially stationary and the crane is in its lifting position.

Abstract: The invention relates to a tie-back system for a crane comprising a rotatable base with a generally vertical support frame and a lifting arm which is with a lower end hingedly connected to the base in a hinge point, an upper part of the frame carrying a displacement member movable relative to the frame, the displacement member carrying a first cable guide means, a first cable extending from a first connection point on the arm along the first cable guide means to a first pulling device. The displacement member comprising a tie connection point for connection to a tie member, a second cable guide means attached to an upper part of the frame and a second cable extending from a second connection point on the arm along the second cable guide means to a second pulling device.

Abstract: The invention relates to a floating lifting device, using two movable lifting structures (13, 14) which can be alternatively engaged with broaden support members (5, 6, 7) of a cable (4). The cable (4) is stored substantially without tension in the vessel (1), for instance on a drum or in a hawse-hole (10) in a looped configuration. Large loads (9) can be lowered and raised from the seabed at large water depths such as at 3000 m. Preferably, the cable is formed by neutral buoyancy material, such as synthetic cable.

Abstract: A pipe lay vessel with a reel for carrying a length of pipe and first drive part for controlling rotation of the reel. A substantially vertical guide structure includes at its upper end a deflection member for deflecting the pipe from a first trajectory extending between the reel and the guide structure to a second, substantially vertical trajectory. A clamping member carries the vertical pipe section and has second drive for feeding the pipe along the vertical trajectory. A movable tension compensator (7) is provided at the first pipe trajectory for lengthening or shortening the first pipe trajectory to maintain a substantially constant tension of the pipe along the first trajectory during unwinding of the reel.

Abstract: A pipe lay vessel with a reel for carrying a length of pipe and first drive part for controlling rotation of the reel. A substantially vertical guide structure includes at its upper end a deflection member for deflecting the pipe from a first trajectory extending between the reel and the guide structure to a second, substantially vertical trajectory. A clamping member carries the vertical pipe section and has second drive for feeding the pipe along the vertical trajectory. A movable tension compensator (7) is provided at the first pipe trajectory for lengthening or shortening the first pipe trajectory to maintain a substantially constant tension of the pipe along the first trajectory during unwinding of the reel.

Abstract: A retractable thruster (5) is connected to a lifting device for retracting the thruster in two stages, the lifting device in the first stage lifting the thruster to a level at or near the keel (7) of the vessel, the second stage including lifting the thruster to an access level (13), located above the first level. The lifting device may be formed by a rack (3,3′) which can be constructed on deck level, or by hydraulic cylinders. Preferably the frame (6) which carries the thruster is formed by a closed container having buoyancy, the drive motor, gearbox and rotational drive unit being placed in the container.

Abstract: A vessel-turret assembly with an opening (3) in the hull of the vessel wherein a turret (4) is rotatably received. The axial bearings (8) between the hull structure and the turret have a number of circumferentially spaced bogies (12) running on raceways. Each of the bogies (12) is mounted on a displacement element such as an elastically deformable element. The bogie body may comprise a side plate with flange or shaft which in a hingepoint is hingedly attached to the hull structure. This point is located near or on the plane defined by the load bearing surfaces of the wheels. In this way a radial movement of the load bearing surfaces of the wheels. In this way a radial movement of the load bearing surfaces of the wheels due to the elastical deformable elements is prevented. Alternatively, each bogie may comprise one or more axial wheels for engaging the hull structure and/or the turret to prevent radial movement of the bogie structure at the position of the load bearing surface of the wheels.

Abstract: The invention relates to a vessel having a turret which is rotatingly mounted within a turret wall. The turret is supported by means of a number of axial bogie wheels. The bogie wheels have a curved metal contact surface with a radius of curvature within 5 and 50 meters, preferably of about 20 meters. The wheel diameter amounts to about 750 mm. The wheels run on circular raceways with a diameter of between 10 and 30 m, preferably about 20 meters. It was found that the bogie wheels have low friction, very little wear and are hardly subject to torsional forces upon rotation.