HANDLING LOADS IN OFFSHORE ENVIRONMENTS

摘要

A method of overboarding and lowering a load from a vessel comprises using a vessel- mounted crane to lift the load from a deck of the vessel, to move the load off the deck into an outboard over-water position and to lower the load from the outboard position into the water. The method further comprises placing at least one guide member acting in compression between the load and an upstanding supporting structure of the crane to restrain horizontal movement of the load relative to a boom of the crane; and lowering the guide member to continue restraining horizontal movement of the load while lowering the load from the outboard position into the water. A related guide apparatus comprises at least one guide member that is movably connected to a mount for movement relative to the mount around and parallel to a slewing axis of the crane.