Marine pipelaying friction clamp device and method of laying a pipeline

A marine pipelaying friction clamp device for frictionally retaining an offshore pipeline having a longitudinal axis, to be launched into the sea during the laying of the pipeline from a vessel, the clamp device comprising:

• a supporting frame that is adapted to be supported by the vessel,
• wherein the supporting frame supports, in series in a longitudinal direction of the clamp device which corresponds to the longitudinal axis of the pipeline to be retained, multiple annular arrays of clamping units adapted to simultaneously engage separate portions of the pipeline, wherein each annular array of clamping units comprises multiple clamping units,
• wherein each clamping unit comprises a friction pad adapted to frictionally engage a portion of the pipeline and an associated force actuator adapted to radially force the friction pad against the pipeline,
• wherein each clamping unit further comprises a base fixed to the actuator, wherein the friction pad is rotatably connected to the base via a single axis hinge mechanism defining a single hinge axis parallel to the longitudinal axis, the single axis hinge mechanism comprises:
• a first hinge portion on the base, comprising a first semi-cylindrical hinge surface, and
• a second hinge portion on the friction pad, comprising a complementary second semi-cylindrical hinge surface, which first and second semi-cylindrical hinge surfaces are adapted to transmit the radial force of the actuator to the friction pad, and allow a rotation of the friction pad about the single hinge axis over 2-2° relative to the base, and
• wherein the friction pad is axially connected to the base via:
• a first axial load surface on the base, and a second complementary axial load surface on the friction pad, the first and second axial load surfaces being adapted to transmit the axial force exerted by the pipeline on the friction pad from the friction pad to the base.