Roll and heave stabilized buoyant body

摘要

A buoyant body stabilized against both roll and heave is described in which the hull has a generally spherical surface and in which the weight of the hull and its contents is of such magnitude and is distributed so that the body floats with a predetermined portion up and so that the natural periods of both roll and heave oscillations are greater than the periods of any waves of significant height reasonably expected to be encountered in the waters where the body is deployed. Also described is the use of the body as a self-propelled off shore oil terminal into which a super tanker can discharge its entire load while remaining in deep, traffic free water.