System and method for the deployment, towing and recovery of marine equipment from a waterborne carrier

A carrier configured for the deployment, towing and recovery of marine equipment into a water, the carrier comprising:

• a hoisting arrangement including a hoist winch comprising a lift line configured to lift the marine equipment from the carrier into a water,
• the system configured to cooperate with the hoisting arrangement, and comprising at least one lateral deployment-recovery assembly for deployment and recovery of the marine equipment on a lateral side of the carrier, the at least one lateral deployment-recovery assembly including:
• a tow winch comprising a tow line configured to tow the marine equipment;
• and
• an aft lateral outrigger connected to the carrier configured to keep the tow line at an extended position on a lateral side of the carrier during towing;
• a tow line guide configured to receive the tow line;
• and
• a guider winch including a guide line, the guide line being attachable to the tow line guide;
• wherein the aft lateral outrigger comprises a seat configured to receive the tow line guide, and a sheave configured to guide the guide line such as to enable guiding of the tow line guide towards the seat.

A method of deploying marine equipment from a waterborne carrier into a water, wherein the marine equipment is to be deployed into the water at a lateral side of the carrier, the method including:

• connecting a tow line provided by a tow winch to the marine equipment, the tow line extending from a tow winch;
• connecting a lift line to the marine equipment, the lift line being provided by a hoist winch of a hoisting arrangement on the carrier;
• and
• lifting the marine equipment from the carrier into the water using the hoisting arrangement;
• wherein the deployment is performed using a lateral deployment-recovery assembly, the method thereby further comprising the steps of:
• prior to connecting the tow line, extending the tow line through a tow line guide, and connecting the tow line guide to a guide line provided by a guider winch, the guide line running over a sheave on the aft lateral outrigger;
• and
• during said lifting of the marine equipment, operating the guider winch to pull the tow line guide towards a seat mounted onto the aft lateral outrigger connected to the carrier, for keeping the tow line at an extended position on a lateral side of the carrier during towing.