2 step cam mooring system

Method for mooring a vessel in a sea comprising:

• a vessel (5);
• a mooring column (10) having a height and having an upper end (12) and a lower end;
• a pivoting arm (1) coupling the upper end of said mooring column to said vessel for permitting the mooring column to pivot about a pair of horizontal axes relative to the vessel;
• a plurality of chains (9) having upper ends coupled to the lower end of said mooring column, said heavy extending in catenary curves to the sea floor and giving the restoring force required to keep the vessel moored once connected;
• the lower half of said mooring column being free of attachment to any buoyant body having a greater positive buoyancy than the negative buoyancy of said heavy chains, the method comprising the steps of:
• sailing the vessel to the point where the upper end of the mooring column projects above water
• stoping the vessel and maintaining station
• moving the pivoting arm along the length direction until the arm projects to a pre-determined distance beyond the bow
• lowering a pick-up line from the outward end of the mooring arm for connection to a messenger line that is pre-attached to the top of the elongated mooring column by means of a pull in line
• articulating the pivoting arm downwards about axis (16) using hydraulic rams at the vessel's deck such that the outward end of the arm is close to the top of the upper part of the elongated mooring column
• Pulling in the pick-up line to bring the top of mooring column up into contact with a mechanical connector until the pivoting arm and the mooring column are connected together, wherein
• after the connection, the pivoting arm is articulated back up to a level applying tension in the mooring column and chains to moor the vessel to the mooring column, and wherein
• Piping systems of the arm and the buoy element are connected and product is transferred from/or to the vessel via the piping systems.