GB2487372A

GB2487372A - Offshore marina formed from a number of interconnected ships

Info

Publication number: GB2487372A
Application number: GB1100823.2A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Dominic Michaelis
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2011-01-18
Filing date: 2011-01-18
Publication date: 2012-07-25
Also published as: GB201100823D0

Abstract

Land next to the sea is generally built-up and development land there is often too expensive or unavailable. The application proposes to create development platforms at sea, an example of which is formed by bringing together six ships to form a hexagon structure, the prow 3 of one ship designed to be firmly fixed to the rear of the neighboring ship. One of the ships is provided with an opening 8 such that boats can enter a central harbor 6. Within the area enclosed by the hexagonal structure a number of inner platforms are also provided to form accessible deck space that acts as a Piazza. Each ship is composed of a hull 1 which provides the flotation and large rooms, and a superstructure 2 where apartments, hotels, ground floor shops and public spaces are planned. Since the life of conventional hulls is around 50 years, a system is provided by which the superstructures can be slid from an old or damaged hull to a new hull brought alongside.

Description

SHIP MARINA

DESCRI PTION.

This invention relates to the built environment and building development at sea.

Land next to the sea is generally built-up and development sites there are often too expensive or unavailable.

According to the present invention, a ship marina is built up of liner-like ships constructed in shipyards that are brought to the "development site", located at sea. The ships are designed so that they can be readily assembled off the coast line, but close to residential or other centres. Since they are built to the high specifications of liners, they are capable of supplying high quality residential units, as well as all requirements of hotels and conference centres. In an embodiment of this invention, six ships are brought together such that the prow of the hull of one ship is designed to be joined firmly to the rear of the hull of a neighbouring ship, so that the six assembled hulls form a rigid hexagon.

Each ship consists of a hull, which provides the floatation, and a superstructure that generally consists of a higher ground floor, above which is a multi-storey structure within which are planned cabins, apartments, hotel rooms as required, penthouses being located at roof level. The triangular superstructure above the prows can house service and circulation cores. The main hexagonal structure encloses a space of which, at water level, a part can be available to form a yachting harbour, with a floor to protect the boats from the swell, a water gate protecting the harbour in stormy weather.. The remainder forms an accessible planted and built platform making up a "square" or "piazza" onto which give cafés, restaurants and shops, and on which buildings can be placed, made up of prefabricated floating concrete pontoons installed as the ship structures are assembled.

Waterside pontoons are designed to retain sand and trees, so that a planted beach can be established giving onto a pool raised above the harbour water level.

Because steel ship hulls are generally only given a 50 year life, and because the greatest value is in the superstructures that can be designed to have a much longer life, a built-in system of rails or slides will allow the superstructures, a new hull being brought alongside, to be slid from the old hull to the new whenever necessary.

Since the ship marina needs access to land, floating pontoon auavs are deDloved around the marina to allow shios to moor. and helicopters to land. Some marinas will be linked to land by footbridges or bridges able to bring cars and vans to a quayside.

Because of the distance between hulls, a ship marina will be little affected by waves, and will better resist storms and bad weather than a single ship structure.

Although this describes one hexagon only, the ship building system can be used to create linked hexagons around canal waterways, so that whole settlements and towns can be built. The system will allow square or other geometric grids to be used also.

Marine or lake housing and urban development could thus be planned and built in shipyards. Some advantages of floating urban units is that they are less subjected to earthquakes and tsunamis, and are not affected by flooding or predicted sea level rise.

Against waves, they may benefit from floating or fixed breakwaters if there is no natural protection afforded by their immediate geographical environment.

They can also be used to harvest marine renewable energies, in particular, wave, wind, sea current and solar energies, and where there are nearby depths of 1000 metres and warm tropical surface seas, they can obtain the power and the desalinated water they need from OTEC or Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion, and even provide such power and desalinated water to their neighbouring settlements.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-Figure 1 shows a plan of the ship marina.

Figure 2 shows a perspective of the ship marina.

Figure 3 shows an underwater view of the ship marina.

Figure 4 shows a plan of the superstructure sliding system.

Figure 5 shows a section through the superstructure sliding system.

Figure 6 shows a perspective of the superstructure sliding device.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown in Figure 1 a ship marina plan constituted of 5 complete hulls, 1, with their superstructures, 2, each ship having a triangular prow, 3, on which is a triangular multi-storey element, 4, links the rectangular superstructures of neighbouring ships together, the said element here forminci towers. the hicihest tower. 11. beinci used as the marina's captain's bridge, having a panoramic view over the outer seas and the marina itself. To the opposite side of the plan from the bridge tower, 11, closing the harbour, 6, is the water gate, 8, protecting the harbour in bad weather and preventing high waves from washing the centre of the marina. From the gate triangle side, a pier, 7, allows ships to moor alongside, and gives access to a helipad, 5. Further quaysides, 7, allow for further ship mooring.

Referring to Figure 2, there is shown a perspective view taken from above the helipad, 5, where the external mooring quays, 7, are visible, as is the water gate, 8, protecting the harbour, 6. At the centre of the "piazza", 10, is a leisure building, 15, located above an Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion, OTEC plant, 9, only possible where great depths are found nearby, providing all electrical energy required by the Marina, as well as all necessary desalinated water, and natural food for on site fish farming in the form of phyto-plankton, brought up from the depths of 1000 metres by the cold water pipe, 14.

Referring to Figure 3, the ship marina is seen from below, with the ship hulls, 1, forming an annular structure which is continuous, although reduced in height at the water gate, 8, to allow small craft to pass over it, and reach the harbour, 6, shown here without its structural floor that protects the harbour from the effects of any swell. The OTEC plant room, 9, is shown at the top of the cold water pipe, 14.

Referring to Figure 4, there is shown plan view of the ship marina, with a new hull, 16, brought alongside a ship which has a damaged hull. The superstructure of that ship, 2, can be displaced outwards from the hexagonal structure to be fitted to the new hull, the old or damaged hull being then removed, and replaced with the new hull with its superstructure, taking its place in the hexagon.

Referring to figures 4 and 5, they also show, in section and perspective, how the new hull, 16, is placed alongside a damaged or old hull, 1, the superstructure of which, 2, is displaced outwards on rails or slides onto the new hull, the damaged or old hull being then removed from the hexagon, and replaced by the ship with an existing superstructure and a new hull.

The ship marina concept allows building development at sea, and can provide the high quality of liner construction to the built environment, giving work to shipyards worldwide, and allowing development without using costly or sensitive land.

Claims

SEA MARINACLAIMS1 A ship marina is built up of liner-like ships constructed in shipyards that are brought to the "development site", located at sea. The ships are designed so that they can be readily assembled off the coast line, but close to residential or other centres. Since they are built to the high specifications of liners, they are capable of supplying high quality residential units, as well as all requirements of hotels and conference centres. In an embodiment of this invention, six ships are brought together such that the prow of the hull of one ship is designed to be joined firmly to the rear of the hull of a neighbouring ship, so that the six assembled hulls form a rigid hexagon.Each ship consists of a hull, which provides the floatation, and a superstructure that generally consists of a higher ground floor, above which is a multi-storey structure within which are planned cabins, apartments, hotel rooms as required, penthouses being located at roof level. The triangular superstructure above the prows can house service and circulation cores. The main hexagonal structure encloses a space of which, at water level, a part can be available to form a yachting harbour, with a floor to protect the boats from the swell, a water gate protecting the harbour in stormy weather.. The remainder forms an accessible planted and built platform making up a "square" or "piazza" onto which give cafés, restaurants and shops, and on which buildings can be placed, made up of prefabricated floating concrete pontoons installed as the ship structures are assembled.Waterside pontoons are designed to retain sand and trees, so that a planted beach can be established giving onto a pool raised above the harbour water level.Because steel ship hulls are generally only given a 50 year life, and because the greatest value is in the superstructures that can be designed to have a much longer life, a built-in system of rails or slides will allow the superstructures, a new hull being brought alongside, to be slid from the old hull to the new whenever necessary.Since the ship marina needs access to land, floating pontoon quays are deployed around the marina to allow ships to moor, and helicopters to land. Some marinas will be linked to land by footbridges or bridges able to bring cars and vans to a quayside.Because of the distance between hulls, a ship marina will be little affected by waves, and will better resist storms and bad weather than a single ship structure.Although this describes one hexagon only, the ship building system can be used to create linked hexagons around canal waterways, so that whole settlements and towns can be built. The system will allow square or other geometric grids to be used also.Marine or lake housing and urban development could thus be planned and built in shipyards. Some advantages of floating urban units is that they are less subjected to earthquakes and tsunamis, and are not affected by flooding or predicted sea level rise.Against waves, they may benefit from floating or fixed breakwaters if there is no natural protection afforded by their immediate geographical environment.They can also be used to harvest marine renewable energies, in particular, wave, wind, sea current and solar energies, and where there are nearby depths of 1000 metres and warm tropical surface seas, they can obtain the power and the desalinated water they need from OTEC or Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion, and even provide such power and desalinated water to their neighbouring settlements.
2 A ship marina, as described in claim 1, where an OTEC system is installed to provide the energy required by the marina, and maybe more for neighbouring settlements, where the cold water pipe brings up water from great depths containing phyto-plankton and other marine organisms such that these can feed fish and sea food in nets or pens located below the marina or in the accessible hulls or pontoons that are its foundation, providing fresh sea food to its inhabitants and visitors, and providing a vital activity to many people manning the fish farm.
3 A ship marina as described in claim 1, which uses the OTEC cool water drawn up from depths of 1000 metres, or cool water drawn up from lesser depths, to act as coolants required by Sea Water Air Conditioning, or SWAC, helping towards the energy autonomy of the marina.
4 A ship marina as claimed in claims 1 and 2, that can be motorised, so that it can move away from any tornado or hurricane path, and return to its moorings after the storm.
A ship marina that can be motorised to cruise as a liner.
6 A ship marina surrounded by flexible material "skirts", such that a cushion of air can be contained below it, to allow it to move with lesser energy use.
7 A ship marina, considered as a vessel, that can readily be towed to enjoy different locations, or to avoid predicted cyclonic paths.9 A ship marina where underwater facilities for viewing the sea fauna and flora are created, and where mini-submarines can dock.A ship marina substantially as described herein with reference to figures 1-6 of the accompanying drawings.