Apparatus for launch and recovery of a submersible vessel from and to an off-shore site

An apparatus for launch and recovery of a submersible vessel from and to an off-shore site, the apparatus comprising:

• a crane comprising a support platform placed on said off-shore site and a gantry pivotally mounted to the support platform, said gantry having side supports and a top beam suspended between the side supports of the gantry,
• a displacement unit for selectively displacing the gantry or a part of the gantry from an in-board position within boundaries of the off-shore site to an out-board position outside boundaries of the off-shore site,
• a launch/recovery cable passing said gantry and having a first end for suspending the submersible vessel from the off-shore site, when the submersible vessel is launched and recovered,
• a winch coupled to a second end of the launch/recovery cable, the winch operable for unwinding and winding the launch/recovery cable when launching and recovering the submersible vessel into or from a sea, respectively,
• an actively operated gimbal coupled between said first end of the launch/recovery cable and the submersible vessel, when the submersible vessel is suspended by the launch/recovery cable,
• actuators provided between the actively operated gimbal and the submersible vessel, the actuators operable for displacing the submersible vessel in relation to the actively operated gimbal in order to maintain the submersible vessel in a selected position in relation to the actively operated gimbal and in order to stabilize a position of the submersible vessel in relation to the off-shore site, when being launched and recovered,
• the actuators being electrically operated actuators, and the apparatus comprising rechargeable batteries for providing electrical power to the electrically operated actuators
• an electrical system configured to control launch and recovery of said submersible vessel from/to an off-shore site, and to charge the rechargeable batteries,
• where the actuators comprise
• roll actuators provided between the gantry and the actively operate gimbal, said roll actuators intended for and capable of stabilizing movement of the submersible vessel when suspended in the gantry, the stabilizing of movement being towards roll movements of the off-shore site,
• and/or
• pitch actuators provided between the gantry and the actively operated gimbal, said pitch actuators intended for and capable of stabilizing movement of the submersible vessel when suspended in the gantry, the stabilizing of movement being towards pitch movements of the off-shore site.