Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B35/00—Vessels or similar floating structures specially adapted for specific purposes and not otherwise provided for
  • B63B35/003—Vessels or similar floating structures specially adapted for specific purposes and not otherwise provided for for transporting very large loads, e.g. offshore structure modules
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B1/00—Hydrodynamic or hydrostatic features of hulls or of hydrofoils
  • B63B1/02—Hydrodynamic or hydrostatic features of hulls or of hydrofoils deriving lift mainly from water displacement
  • B63B1/10—Hydrodynamic or hydrostatic features of hulls or of hydrofoils deriving lift mainly from water displacement with multiple hulls
  • B63B1/12—Hydrodynamic or hydrostatic features of hulls or of hydrofoils deriving lift mainly from water displacement with multiple hulls the hulls being interconnected rigidly
  • B63B1/121—Hydrodynamic or hydrostatic features of hulls or of hydrofoils deriving lift mainly from water displacement with multiple hulls the hulls being interconnected rigidly comprising two hulls
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63C—LAUNCHING, HAULING-OUT, OR DRY-DOCKING OF VESSELS; LIFE-SAVING IN WATER; EQUIPMENT FOR DWELLING OR WORKING UNDER WATER; MEANS FOR SALVAGING OR SEARCHING FOR UNDERWATER OBJECTS
  • B63C7/00—Salvaging of disabled, stranded, or sunken vessels; Salvaging of vessel parts or furnishings, e.g. of safes; Salvaging of other underwater objects
  • B63C7/02—Salvaging of disabled, stranded, or sunken vessels; Salvaging of vessel parts or furnishings, e.g. of safes; Salvaging of other underwater objects in which the lifting is done by hauling

Definitions

• the invention is a multihull vessel of the type in which the hulls are united to form a mono hull forward and in which a combined bottom and deck arrangement are binding together and are covering the area between the hulls from where the hulls are connected together and aftwards.
• the vessel according to the invention is preferably designed for transport, lifting and submerging of heavy goods from sea surface or the vessel down to great sea depths. Further the vessel is intended for lifting/rescuing of heavy constructions from seabed and up to sea surface and/or onboard the vessel and securing the same for further transportation in the vessel.
• the vessel can further be used for removing of for example offshore installations in the North Sea and other Ocean areas.
• the vessel can also be used for rescue operations in connections with accidents and or total loss.
• the biggest crane vessel in operation today has a maximum lifting capacity of about 14.000 Tonnes (tandem- lift) which is considerably below the lifting capacity of subject invention, which has a lifting capacity in the range of 15.000 Tonnes.
• the vessel itself according to the described invention is based on well known technology as a vessel of catamaran type with two connected hulls in which the connection has been made in the forward part of the vessel. Between the hulls it is known to have a fixed bottom/deck arrangement which binds the decks together and covers the area between the hulls.
• the multihull vessel according to the invention has a flexible/tumable bottom construction.
• a turnable stabilizing device for a marine construction is described in NO-A-891017.
• This publication concerns a stabilizing device for a semi-submersible marine design.
• the stabilizing device according to this publication is used primarily in orderto increase the marine designs stability.
• the turnable stabilizing device has according to the publication also another task and are used on one type of marine designs which should not be directly compared with the multihull vessel according to subject invention.
• NO 173.052 concerns a multihull vessel in which an opening in the transverse deck is arranged.
• the flaps are turnably arranged, and are controlled by means of hydraulic cylinders.
• transport conveyor for collecting cargo.
• the conveyor is partly height-and lowerably mounted in the vessel. It is at it's upper end turnably mounted around an axis, transversally of the vessels longitudinal direction and substantially horizontal.
• the multihull vessel according the invention when in deballasted condition, it will achieve a transit speed of about 20 knots, which is unique for a heavy lift vessel. Also with cargo the multihull vessel will have superior speed performance compared with designs of today. The multihull vessel according to the invention will further be able to lift/lower down heavier objects than what is possible today, and this operation will be carried out in a condition which the vessel has very good stability due to the multihull design and the special bottom construction.
• the multihull vessel is identified in the way the combined bottom- and deck arrangement are linked together in the forward part of the vessel by a transversal axis arranged with a bearing in both mentioned hulls of which the bottom/deck arrangement can be lowered down at the vessel's aft part and be turned via the hinged construction towards the vessel's bottom area.
• Fig. 1 shows the multihull vessel shown from the side
• Fig. 2 shows the multihull vessel shown from above
• Fig. 3 shows a midship section of the vessel in bigger scale seen from forward
• Fig. 4 shows a midship section of the vessel in bigger scale seen from aft.
• the multihull vessel 1 shown consisting of a first hull 2 and a second hull 3. Between the hulls is shown a combined bottom- and deck structure 4 (hereinafter called bottom) which are covering the area between the two hulls 2,3 from the unified mentioned hull and aftwards to the vessel's stern 5.
• the bottom 4 is in the forward part connected to the hulls 2, 3 by a turnable hinged arrangement 6.
• the hinged arrangement 6 is supported in both hulls 2, 3.
• the bottom 4 can in this way be turned down in to water below the vessel 1 around the mentioned transversal hinged arrangement 6.
• the bottom 4 can further be filled by ballast water and manoeuvred below the vessel 1 and forward 180 degrees, such that the area between both hulls 2,3 will be opened and reachable for example for lifting operations.
• the bottom 4 is further arranged with two tunnel-propellers (thrusters) for manoeuvring of the bottom under water (in submerged condition).
• the vessel 1 is further outfitted with crane arrangements 10 which is mounted on both sides of the hulls 2, 3. With reference to fig. 1 ,2 and 3 the vessel 1 is shown in operational service condition with closed bottom 4, in fig 4 the area between the hulls 2, 3 aft of the joints is open, such that the bottom 4 points 180 degrees forward.
• the vessel 1 will achieve a very good stability and it will further be achieved a sheltered working area between the hulls 2, 3 for possible lifting operations.
• the object which is lifted from sea bed will be brought in position between both hulls 2, 3, where the bottom 4 then is located in 90-180 degree position downwards/forward, comp. fig. 4.
• the bottom is turned (manoeuvred) 4 back to and below the object, such that the bottom 4 at deballasting increases the buoyancy and secures the objective when this is breaking the sea surface in which the gravity will increase considerably.
• Deballasting of the bottom 4 will be an important contribution in respect of the vessel's lifting capacity in this critical operational phase.
• the vessel can as earlier mentioned be utilised to remove for example offshore-installations in the North Sea and other ocean areas.
• This operation can consist of preparation of removing of installations, cutting up of steel constructions for preparation for lifting, and lifting of installations into the vessel.
• Installations can be dismantled into parts, and the parts placed in the catamaran hulls 2, 3, and/or the parts to be placed on the bottom 4 for direct transport to the depot.
• Heavy lifts will besides the force from the lifting crane 10, be executed by utilising the buoyancy force which is made free due to the bottom 4 has been deballasted. This is giving extra force in the last phase of the lift, which are crucial in respect of loss of buoyancy, in the moment when the objective are breaking the surface.
• ballasting/deballasting of the catamaran hulls 2, 3 as such will be used in parallel to increase the lifting capacity further.
• An example of a service area for the vessel is positioning of modules/heavy equipment on the sea bed, together with removing same type of equipment.
• the vessel In deballasted condition the vessel will according to the invention be able to achieve a speed which considerably exceeds the speed of crane vessels of to day. This means that the vessel can be transferred quickly to an emergency spot if so desired, and in this way have a great competing advantage compared with lifting vessels of today. Also in loaded condition the vessel will have a great speed advantage compared with competing vessels, because these competing vessels (mainly heavy lift crane vessels) are dependant of barges to transport the installations into positioned site. Another area the vessel can be utilised for is assistance for, stand-by and rescue operations. The vessel will on these areas be superior in comparison to vessels in operation today due to the invention with better performance in respect of bollard pull and transit speed in comparison to existing vessels, which means that the emergency target can be reached quicker. Accommodation facilities and landing deck 11 for helicopters with twinrotors will make the present vessel especially well suited for extensive and complicated rescue operations.
• the vessel according to the invention will be classified with the highest ice class, which means that the vessel can be operated in arctic areas.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
• Transportation (AREA)
• Organic Low-Molecular-Weight Compounds And Preparation Thereof (AREA)
• Jib Cranes (AREA)
• Pharmaceuticals Containing Other Organic And Inorganic Compounds (AREA)
• Load-Engaging Elements For Cranes (AREA)
• Filling Or Discharging Of Gas Storage Vessels (AREA)

Priority Applications (4)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=19900006

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

Cited By (2)

Citations (3)

• 1996
  • 1996-11-05 NO NO964680A patent/NO964680A/no not_active IP Right Cessation
• 1997
  • 1997-10-31 AT AT97912578T patent/ATE214675T1/de active
  • 1997-10-31 AU AU49708/97A patent/AU4970897A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1997-10-31 WO PCT/NO1997/000287 patent/WO1998019905A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 1997-10-31 DE DE69711205T patent/DE69711205D1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1997-10-31 EP EP97912578A patent/EP0935552B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime

Patent Citations (3)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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