Marine tensioner

Marine tensioner for handling an elongated article, such as a pipeline in pipeline installation or an umbilical, said tensioner being adapted to absorb the load exerted by said elongated article on the tensioner, said tensioner comprising:

• a tensioner frame,
• multiple track units mounted in said frame at positions distributed around an article passage having a passage axis,
• wherein each track unit comprises an elongated chassis, said chassis having end portions at opposed ends thereof as well as a central portion between said end portions,
• and wherein each track unit further comprises an endless track supported by said chassis and track motion control means for effecting controlled motion of the endless track, the endless track having a multitude of friction elements adapted to engage on the elongated article,
• and wherein between each track unit and the tensioner frame a connecting structure is provided that at least allows for lateral motion of the track unit so as to adapt the position of the track unit to the elongated article diameter,
• and wherein for each track unit one or more squeeze actuators are provided between the tensioner frame and the chassis of the track unit,
• and wherein actuator control means are provided which are associated with said one or more squeeze actuators and allow to control the squeeze force exerted by the friction elements of the track of track unit on the elongated article,
• wherein the connecting structures are each adapted to—in addition to the lateral motion—allow for a pivotal motion of each track unit so as to obtain a non-parallel orientation of the tracks of the track units with respect to the passage axis.