US3595195A - Offshore vessel mooring system - Google Patents

Offshore vessel mooring system Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US3595195A
US3595195A US789028A US3595195DA US3595195A US 3595195 A US3595195 A US 3595195A US 789028 A US789028 A US 789028A US 3595195D A US3595195D A US 3595195DA US 3595195 A US3595195 A US 3595195A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
mooring
buoy
floating
floating body
cable
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US789028A
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Wouter H Van Eek
Johan De Groot
Simon F Westra
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Shell USA Inc
Original Assignee
Shell Oil Co
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Shell Oil Co filed Critical Shell Oil Co
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3595195A publication Critical patent/US3595195A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
    • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
    • B63B22/00—Buoys
    • B63B22/02—Buoys specially adapted for mooring a vessel
    • B63B22/021—Buoys specially adapted for mooring a vessel and for transferring fluids, e.g. liquids
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
    • B63H—MARINE PROPULSION OR STEERING
    • B63H25/00—Steering; Slowing-down otherwise than by use of propulsive elements; Dynamic anchoring, i.e. positioning vessels by means of main or auxiliary propulsive elements
    • B63H25/42—Steering or dynamic anchoring by propulsive elements; Steering or dynamic anchoring by propellers used therefor only; Steering or dynamic anchoring by rudders carrying propellers
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
    • F02B—INTERNAL-COMBUSTION PISTON ENGINES; COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL
    • F02B1/00—Engines characterised by fuel-air mixture compression
    • F02B1/02—Engines characterised by fuel-air mixture compression with positive ignition
    • F02B1/04—Engines characterised by fuel-air mixture compression with positive ignition with fuel-air mixture admission into cylinder

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a method for the self-mooring of a ship to a one-point mooring buoy for loading or unloading a medium toor from a ship and to a mooring system for use therewith.
  • One-point mooring buoys for loading or'unloading a mediwit to or from a ship are widely known and are being used in increasing numbers. Examples of known one-point mooring buoys of this type are described inter alia in the BritishPat. Nos. 977,45 l; l,03l,492 andl,0l7,894.
  • the onepoint mooring buoy is provided with a hose floating on the water, which hose is coupled to the ship after the latter has moored to the onepoint mooring buoy, whereupon a start is made with'the loading or unloading of the medium (a fluid or a gas) via the hose and the one-point mooring buoy.
  • the medium a fluid or a gas
  • the method according to the invention is characterized in that by means of a propulsion unit connected to a mooring cable and a floating hose of the one-point mooring buoy, the mooring cable and the floating hose are permanently maintained in stretched condition, that the mooring cable and the floating hose are subsequently picked up from on board an arriving ship, whereupon the mooring cable and the floating hose are connected to the ship and a start is finally made with the-loading or unloading of the ship.
  • the radial force on the mooring cable and the floating hose is advantageously exerted by the propulsion unit of a floating body which is connected to the mooring cable and the floating hose.
  • a mooring system for use with the above method and consisting of a one-point mooring buoy provided with a mooring cable and a floating hose is characterized according to the invention in that the mooring cable and the floating hose are connected to a floating body, which is provided with a propulsion unit in such a manner that by means thereof the mooring cable and the floating hose can be permanently maintained in a radially stretched condition when the propulsion unit is operating.
  • the invention also relates to a floating body for use with the above method and with the aforesaid mooring system, characterized in that it is of substantially circular cylindrical design and is provided with a propulsion unit consisting of a propeller and a driving motor.
  • FIG. I is a top plan view of a mooring system according to the invention showing a ship engaged inpicking up the mooring cable;
  • FIG. 2 is a side view ofthe system shown in FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the mooring system according to the invention showing the ship moored to the one-point mooring buoy and engaged in picking up the floating hose;
  • FIG. 4 is a side view of the system shown in FIG. 3;
  • FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the mooring system according to the invention showing "the floating hose also coupled to the ship and medium being loaded or unloaded through the hose and the one-point mooring buoy;
  • FIG. 6 is a side view of a vertical cross section of a floating body with propulsion unit for use with the mooring system according to the invention.
  • FIG. 7 is a top plan view of'ithe floating body taken on the section II-II in FIG. 6.
  • a one-point mooring buoy l of the conventional type provided with a turntable 2 with pipe swivel and supply and discharge lines (not shown) is anchored in the usual manner to the bottom 4 of the water by means of chains3.
  • the one-point mooring buoy l is provided with two floating hoses 5 and 6 of the conventional type which float on the surface of the water 7.
  • the ends of the hoses 5 and 6 are secured in the usual manner to the one-point mooring buoy l.
  • the other ends of the hoses 5 and 6 are designated by the reference numerals 8 and 9. Fastened to the ends 8 and 9am hoisting cables 10 and II which converge at the point 12.
  • the hoisting cables 10 and 11 are fastened to one end ofa steel bracing cable 13.
  • the other end 14 of the cable 13 is connected with a floating body 16 via an elastic element such as a nylon cable 15.
  • the one-point mooring buoy I is also provided with a mooring cable 17 which is secured byv one end to the turntable 2 in the usual manner.
  • the mooring cable 17 is of the self-floating type.
  • the other end 18 of the mooring cable 17 is connected to a bracing cable 19, which is connected to the floating body 16 in a manner which will be described hereinafter with reference to FIG. 6.
  • the floating body.l6' (see in particular FIGS. 6 and 7) is of substantially circular cylindrical design.
  • the propulsion unit consists of a screw propeller 20 which is connected to a driving motor 22 via a shaft 21.
  • the motor 22 is, for example, an internal combustion engine, for example, a diesel engine or a petrol engine.
  • the liquid fuel for the motor 22 can be stored in a fuel reservoir 23.
  • the motor 22 is located in an engine room 24. Connected to the motor 22 are an air suction line 25 and an exhaust line 26.
  • a protective frame or grating 27 is arranged around the propeller 20.
  • a filling line 28 leads to the fuel reservoir 23 via the engine room 24.
  • a ballast tank 29 which can be filled with ballast water.
  • the engine room 24 is provided with a manhole which is closed by a cover 30.
  • Above the engine room 24 is'a platform 31 which is surrounded by a railing 32.
  • a fender 33 is provided, which is made, for example, from a solid rubber.
  • ballast pumps 34 Installed in the engine room 24 are ballast pumps 34 which are connected by means of lines 35 and 36 to the water in which the body 16 floats and to the ballast reservoir 29, respectively.
  • the pumps 34 are provided with an automatic control (not shown) in such a manner that if the quantity of fuel in the fuel reservoir 23 decreases more ballast water is pumped to the ballast reservoir 29, and conversely, if the quantity of fuel increases ballast water is pumped out of the ballast reservoir 29.
  • the effect of this is that the draught of the body 16 is automatically maintained at a desired value under all conditions independently of the quantity of fuel in the fuel reservoir 23.
  • a guide tube 37 Extending vertically through the floating body 16 is a guide tube 37, the lower part of which protrudes relatively far underneath the body 16 andthe upper part of which protrudes relatively far above the body Fixedly secured to the lower part of the guide tube 37 is stabilizing weight 38, which serves to improve the stability of the floating body 16.
  • a sheave 39 Rotatably secured to the upper part is a sheave 39; running over this sheave 39 is a cable 40 which is provided at one end with a weight 41 capable of moving freely through the guide tube 37. At least prior to mooring, the end 42 of the cable 40 is connected with the end 43 of the bracing cable 19. Located on one side of the floating body 16 is an eye or a similar member 44, to which the nylon cable is secured, the end 14 of which is connected with the bracing cable 13, at least prior to mooring as explained in the foregoing.
  • a light-beacon 45 is preferably present on the floating body 16.
  • a grapple 48 is lowered from the ship 46 by means of a cable 47.
  • the grapple 48 is hooked on to cable 19 (which at that moment is in the position shown by the solid line) and the grapple 48 is subsequently hauled into the ship 46 with the result that the cable 19 and the cable 40 are pulled, at least in part, into the ship 46, so that the cables 19 and 40 occupy the position indicated by the dotted lines.
  • the cable 40 has been removed from the guide tube 37 to such an extent that the counterweight 41 has moved to the uppermost part of the guide tube 37.
  • the ends 42 and 43 of the cables 40 and 19, respectively, are now disengaged from each other.
  • the end 43 of the cable 19 is subsequently connected with one end 49 ofa cable 50 present on board the ship 46.
  • the end 42 of the cable 40 is connected with the end 51 ofa second cable 52 present on board the ship 46.
  • the ship 46 is now shifted to the position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 and made fast by means of a winch 53, the cable 52 being fastened to a winch 54.
  • a start is made with the second step of the mooring operation, namely the hauling in of the hoses 5 and 6 and the coupling thereof to the ship 46.
  • the grapple 48 is lowered for the second time from the ship 46 by means of the cable 47 in such a manner that the grapple 48 grasps the cable 13.
  • the cable 13 and the cables 10 and 11 are in the position shown by the solid lines.
  • the grapple 48 is subsequently hauled in so that the cables 10, 11 and 13 are brought at least in part into the ship 46 and occupy the positions shown by dotted lines.
  • the bracing cable 13 is then disengaged from the cables 10 and 11 and fastened to capstans 55.
  • the ends 12 of the cables 10 and 11 are secured to a hoisting cable 58 which ends are subsequently suspended by means of a hoisting device 59 and 60 at the same height as the lines 56 and 57 of the ship 46. After this the ends 8 and 9 of the hoses 6 and 5 are coupled to the lines 56 and/or 57, whereupon a start can be made with the loading or unloading of the ship 46 through the hoses 5 and 6 and the one-point mooring buoy 1.
  • the uncoupling of the ship 46 is in principle eflected by reversing the sequence of the above operations.
  • the propulsion unit 20, 21, 22 ofthe floating body 16 is constantly in operation as a result of which the mooring cable and the floating hoses can always be maintained in a radially stretched condition with respect to the one-point mooring buoy. Even at times when a ship is moored to the mooring system it is preferred to keep the propulsion unit 20, 21, 22 of the floating body 16 constantly in operation.
  • the floating body 16 may be of spindlelike design, the longitudinal axis pointing in a horizontal direction.
  • the propeller 20 is a traction propeller, i.e., it exerts a force which in the position shown is directed away from the onepoint mooring buoy 1.
  • the embodiment shows a one-point mooring buoy with two floating hoses.
  • Use can of course also be made of one floating hose or of more than two floating hoses.
  • the floating hoses or tubes can be made, for example, ofa flexible material such as rubber.
  • a bracing cable is arranged between the free end of the floating hose and the floating body so that a force is exerted on the hose which keeps the hose in a stretched condition.
  • the hose may be maintained in an at least more or less stretched condition by means of a continuous cable stretched between the floating body and the mooring buoy, the end of the floating hose being slidingly connected to this cable.
  • An offshore vessel mooring system for loading or unloading a fluid medium to or from said vessel, said system comprismg:
  • a one-point mooring buoy positioned on the surface of a body of water
  • anchoring means attached to said buoy for maintaining said buoy at an offshore location
  • floating hose means having one end operatively connected to said buoy
  • propulsion means carried by said floating body
  • said propulsion means including a motor and being adapted to move said floating body away from said mooring buoy to thereby maintain said mooring cable means and said floating hose means in a permanently radially stretched condition along the surface of the body of water.
  • An offshore vessel mooring system for loading or unloading a fluid medium to or from said vessel, said system comprising:
  • a one-point mooring buoy positioned on the surface of a body of water
  • anchoring means attached to said buoy for maintaining said buoy at an offshore location
  • floating hose means having one end operatively connected to said buoy
  • a floating body operatively connected to the other ends of said mooring cable means and said floating hose means;
  • propulsion means carried by said floating body
  • said propulsion means being adapted to move said floating body away from said mooring buoy to thereby maintain said mooring cable means and said floating hose means in a permanently radially stretched condition along the surface of the body of water;
  • said mooring cable means being operatively connected to said floating body by constant tension means prior to the engagement of said mooring means by a vessel, said constant tension means maintaining a constant tension on said mooring cable means independent of said propulsion means; and said constant tension means comprising a weight attached to said other end of sad mooring cable means and pulley means carried by said floating body and adapted to engage said mooring cable means. 4.
  • a mooring system as defined in claim 3 including vertically extending tube means carried by said floating body for 6 guiding said weight.
  • a mooring system as defined in claim 6 including:
  • ballast chamber means carried by said floating body
  • ballast pump means in communication with said ballast chamber means and said body of water to vary the amount of ballast water in said ballast chamber means.

Landscapes

  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
  • Laying Of Electric Cables Or Lines Outside (AREA)
  • Fire-Extinguishing By Fire Departments, And Fire-Extinguishing Equipment And Control Thereof (AREA)
US789028A 1968-05-08 1968-12-31 Offshore vessel mooring system Expired - Lifetime US3595195A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
NL6806466A NL6806466A (zh) 1968-05-08 1968-05-08

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3595195A true US3595195A (en) 1971-07-27

Family

ID=19803564

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US789028A Expired - Lifetime US3595195A (en) 1968-05-08 1968-12-31 Offshore vessel mooring system

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (1) US3595195A (zh)
FR (1) FR2008035A1 (zh)
GB (1) GB1207935A (zh)
NL (1) NL6806466A (zh)

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3747136A (en) * 1970-04-10 1973-07-24 Shell Oil Co Self-mooring of a ship to a one-point mooring buoy
USB379955I5 (en) * 1972-07-18 1975-01-28 Shell Int Research Single buoy mooring system
US3980038A (en) * 1975-03-31 1976-09-14 Omnithruster, Inc. Hose and mooring line positioning system
US5803779A (en) * 1997-02-26 1998-09-08 Deep Oil Technology, Incorporated Dynamically positioned loading buoy
US20090279383A1 (en) * 2008-02-26 2009-11-12 Napolitano Domenic F Autonomous Data Relay Buoy
US20100279561A1 (en) * 2007-10-22 2010-11-04 Bluewater Energy Services B.V. Fluid transfer assembly
US11161572B1 (en) 2020-06-01 2021-11-02 Raytheon Bbn Technologies Corp. System and method for underway autonomous replenishment of ships
WO2022106025A1 (de) * 2020-11-20 2022-05-27 DUNLOP OIL & MARINE Ltd. System zur erkennung eines fehlerzustands eines schwimmschlauchs

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3321923A (en) * 1965-03-02 1967-05-30 Smith Steerable self-powered floating structures
US3466680A (en) * 1967-07-14 1969-09-16 Air Logistics Corp Apparatus for loading and unloading offshore vessels

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3321923A (en) * 1965-03-02 1967-05-30 Smith Steerable self-powered floating structures
US3466680A (en) * 1967-07-14 1969-09-16 Air Logistics Corp Apparatus for loading and unloading offshore vessels

Cited By (16)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3747136A (en) * 1970-04-10 1973-07-24 Shell Oil Co Self-mooring of a ship to a one-point mooring buoy
USB379955I5 (en) * 1972-07-18 1975-01-28 Shell Int Research Single buoy mooring system
US3913157A (en) * 1972-07-18 1975-10-21 Shell Int Research Single buoy mooring system
US3980038A (en) * 1975-03-31 1976-09-14 Omnithruster, Inc. Hose and mooring line positioning system
US5803779A (en) * 1997-02-26 1998-09-08 Deep Oil Technology, Incorporated Dynamically positioned loading buoy
AU697197B2 (en) * 1997-02-26 1998-10-01 Cefront Technology As Dynamically positioned loading buoy
US20100279561A1 (en) * 2007-10-22 2010-11-04 Bluewater Energy Services B.V. Fluid transfer assembly
US9045199B2 (en) * 2007-10-22 2015-06-02 Bluewater Energy Services B.V. Fluid transfer assembly
WO2009151658A2 (en) 2008-02-26 2009-12-17 Raytheon Company Autonomous data relay buoy
US20090279383A1 (en) * 2008-02-26 2009-11-12 Napolitano Domenic F Autonomous Data Relay Buoy
WO2009151658A3 (en) * 2008-02-26 2010-11-11 Raytheon Company Autonomous propulsion data relay buoy
US7837525B2 (en) 2008-02-26 2010-11-23 Raytheon Company Autonomous data relay buoy
AU2009258095B2 (en) * 2008-02-26 2011-10-06 Raytheon Company Autonomous data relay buoy
US11161572B1 (en) 2020-06-01 2021-11-02 Raytheon Bbn Technologies Corp. System and method for underway autonomous replenishment of ships
US11511829B2 (en) 2020-06-01 2022-11-29 Raytheon Bbn Technologies Corp. System and method for underway autonomous replenishment of ships
WO2022106025A1 (de) * 2020-11-20 2022-05-27 DUNLOP OIL & MARINE Ltd. System zur erkennung eines fehlerzustands eines schwimmschlauchs

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
NL6806466A (zh) 1969-11-11
FR2008035A1 (zh) 1970-01-16
GB1207935A (en) 1970-10-07

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US2771617A (en) Means for mooring and refueling boats, seaplanes, and the like
US4273066A (en) Oil storage vessel, mooring apparatus and oil delivery for the off-shore production of oil
US2955626A (en) Pipe lines for loading and unloading ships and other vessels
US4271553A (en) System for launching and hauling in objects from the sea
US3750723A (en) Single point mooring system
CN102356200A (zh) 挖泥船系统
US3937163A (en) Launch and recovery vessel
US5501625A (en) Floating terminal
KR100397362B1 (ko) 근해구역으로부터탄화수소의생산및/또는로딩/언로딩과운송및또는유정작업을실행하기위한배
US3595195A (en) Offshore vessel mooring system
GB1576116A (en) Offshore mooring system
US3807334A (en) Motion compensating device for surface supported underwater structures
US3765463A (en) Offshore terminal
US5028194A (en) Marine crane improvement
US3766938A (en) Cargo transfer system for a floating storage vessel and offtaker moored in tandem
KR100280022B1 (ko) 잠수된 적재 또는 하역용부이를 수용공간에 안내하는 장치
JP2012526702A (ja) ２ステップｃａｍシステム
US3674062A (en) Offshore loading and unloading of tankers
GB2295372A (en) Fluid Transfer Between Ships
US3515179A (en) Offshore loading/unloading of tankers
US3245438A (en) Ship mooring device
US3934289A (en) Marine fluid transfer apparatus
GB1569734A (en) Floating terminals for loading and/or unloading tankers
US4000713A (en) Combined mooring and transfer means for oil and other liquid
SU1088989A1 (ru) Устройство дл передачи грузов в море