Adjustable and disconnectable submerged-yoke mooring system

摘要

A single point mooring includes a yoke-shaped articulated arm assembly, which is affixed to the seabed by a fixed foundation or mooring base assembly, and a mooring support structure, which is retrofitted to a vessel. The articulated arm is connected to the base by a triaxial articulation joint for accommodating yaw, pitch and roll. To moor the vessel, the arm is connected to the mooring support structure with weighted pendants on port and starboard sides. The pendants are suspended at an adjustable elevation with respect to the mooring support structure, thus allowing the mooring system to be used at varying water depths. A combined connection bracket hosts both pendant linkages and umbilicals or hoses for speeding the process of connecting and disconnecting a vessel from the mooring system. A removable anchor, such as a suction pile, fixes the mooring system to the seabed, allows the system to be easily redeployed to another location.

主权项

1. A method for mooring a vessel (10) in water comprising the steps of:
affixing a mooring support structure (120) to a bow or a stern of said vessel (10) so that at least a portion of said mooring support structure is disposed outboard of said vessel, said mooring support structure including a plurality of connection elevation points (125A . . . 125E) at a plurality of elevations on said vessel; anchoring a base structure (40) at a first depth in said water; revolvably and pivotally coupling a first arm (25) to said base structure; pivotally coupling linkage 15 to said first arm; and selecting, based on the water depth, one of said plurality of connection elevation points to pivotally connect an upper end of said linkage such that said linkage is substantially vertically oriented; pivotally coupling said upper end of said linkage to said selected connection elevation point such that said linkage is substantially vertically oriented, whereby said vessel is allowed to freely weathervane about said base structure, and said plurality of connection elevation points allows for mooring in varying water depths.