Safer construction for offshore industries
Offshore construction often faces very interesting dilemmas; how to deal with the sea's unstable (and often unpredictable) surface motion and how to cope with load bearing transfers without endangering life, construction integrity and project development schedules. As such, the area of offshore construction vessel development is one in which one vessel cannot answer every construction site's needs. However, a Norwegian company has developed several technologies to advance the offshore construction industry, by putting forward a vessel with unique features. One such feature is the load transfer system. The system allows for large load transfers while interacting naturally with wave motion in order to prevent dynamic forces acting on the load platform. This means that massive weights can be transferred with minimal interactive or disruptive forces. For example, the average force required to prevent wave induced motions is around 2-3,000 tons, more than adequate to severely damage the platform's structural integrity. The developed load transfer system is actually based on two different systems. The first consists of a two-hinged beam system while the second is a single hinged-beam/trolley system. Both utilise stabilising jacks that ensure even load distribution during transfer operations. A rather interesting aspect is that the actual load transfer occurs while de-ballasting the vessel and simultaneously increasing the spring stiffness in the jacks. To further support the load transfer technology specialised tie down or tethering technologies and horizontal positioning systems were developed. Both systems contribute towards the smoother operation of the entire vessel as well as enhancing safety for workers and structures alike. An important note is that the tie down system does not require active control and can be remotely operated. Due to their suction anchors to which they are attached, as well as their vertical mooring, heave, pitch, roll and kinetic energy of weight transfer are all but eliminated. The horizontal positioning system greatly enhances the position of the vessel during load transfer, allowing for wave-frequency motion, thus simplifying the entire transfer procedure. The developers are aiming at becoming a service provider for the oil-rig and offshore construction industry.
