Loading assembly for conveying a pressurized gas stream and a switching system for use in a loading assembly

A loading assembly for conveying a pressurized gas stream between a floating structure and another structure that is located adjacent to the floating structure, the loading assembly comprising:

• a gas conduit that extends between the floating structure and the other structure, to convey a pressurized gas stream between the two structures;
• an emergency disconnection coupler configured in the gas conduit for establishing a selectively connectable and disconnectable gas connection between the floating structure and the other structure through the gas conduit, wherein gas present in the gas connection has a gas pressure, and wherein the emergency disconnection coupler comprises an engagement mechanism that is selectively switchable between a locked position and an unlocked position, whereby in said locked position the gas connection is established and whereby in said unlocked position the gas connection is interrupted whereby the engagement mechanism physically disengages when the engagement mechanism is in the unlocked position;
• an emergency disconnect power assembly functionally coupled to the engagement mechanism drive the switching of the engagement mechanism;
• a switching system arranged between the emergency disconnect power assembly and the engagement mechanism, wherein the switching system is configured to control the switching of the engagement mechanism in the emergency disconnection coupler between the locked position and the unlocked position, wherein the switching system is subject to two distinct fail-safe regimes contingent upon the internal gas pressure in the gas connection:
• a fail-unlocked regime when the internal gas pressure in the gas connection is below a preselected override threshold value, which sets the switching system to unlock the engagement mechanism upon power loss, and a fail-locked regime which sets the switching system to lock the engagement mechanism when the internal gas pressure in the gas connection is at or above the preselected override threshold value.