Abstract: A vessel has a substantially vertical frame attached to a vessel support structure, an upper clamping element vertically displaceable along the frame via a displacement member, a lower clamping element aligned with the upper clamping element, a loading device for supplying a pipe segment to the upper clamping element, and a control device adapted to control the displacement member and the upper and lower clamping elements for lowering the pipe segment by the displacement member along a pipe trajectory, with the upper clamping element being engaged on the pipe segment, while the lower clamping element is disengaged, with the lower clamping element being situated on the vessel support structure, with a transverse track extending from a side position on the vessel to a position alongside the pipe trajectory, and a support member which is displaceable along the track to be situated in the pipe trajectory.