UNDERWATER PIPE-LAYING

摘要

A pipe-laying vessel 10 for S-laying a pipeline 30 is provided, the vessel defining a pipe-laying path 20 extending along the vessel, the vessel comprising one or more track tensioners 200a, 200b, 200c disposed along the pipe-laying path, and a travelling clamp assembly 300, comprising a clamp 340 mounted for movement along a length of the pipe-laying path. The vessel may also comprise a fixed clamp assembly 100 located on the pipe-laying path for clamping the pipeline in a fixed position on the pipe-laying path. At least one of the clamp assemblies may comprise a load bearing structure 120, 320 and a clamp 130, 140, 340 wherein a downstream- facing portion of the clamp is in an abutting relationship with an upstream- facing portion of the load bearing structure such that a downstream force exerted, in use, by the pipeline on the clamp is transmitted to the load bearing structure.