Handling tail chains of mooring lines
AssigneeBardex Corporation
InventorsNick Atallah, Tony Cepeda, Kanghua Sun
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and systems for handling a tail chain of a mooring line are provided. A fairlead stopper having a tail chain support is provided for removing and reconnecting tail chain to the mooring line. The tail chain support is positioned to receive the tail chain of the mooring line, and includes a first chain coupler to secure a first portion of the mooring line, a second chain coupler to secure a second portion of the mooring line, and a working zone between the chain couplers for removing and reconnecting the tail chain.
Claims30
A mooring system, the mooring system comprising:
- a fairlead stopper, the fairlead stopper comprising a tail chain support that is positioned to receive tail chain of mooring chain;
- wherein the tail chain support comprises a first chain coupler configured to secure mooring chain at a first position on the tail chain support and a second chain coupler configured to secure mooring chain at a second position on the tail chain support, wherein the first position is spaced apart from the second position.
A moored system, the moored system comprising:
- a floating vessel;
- a fairlead stopper coupled with the floating vessel;
- a mooring chain coupled with the fairlead stopper and with an anchor;
- wherein the fairlead stopper comprises a tail chain support that is positioned to receive tail chain of the mooring chain;
- wherein the tail chain support comprises a first chain coupler and a second chain coupler, wherein the mooring chain is secured to the tail chain support by the first and second chain couplers, and Wherein at least one link of the mooring chain is positioned between the first and second chain couplers.
A method of mooring a floating vessel, the method comprising:
- paying-out a mooring chain from a fairlead stopper coupled with the floating vessel, hauling-in the mooring chain to the fairlead stopper, or combinations thereof, until the mooring chain has a first tension;
- securing the mooring chain at the first tension with the fairlead stopper;
- with the mooring chain secured at the first tension, securing a tail chain of the mooring chain to a tail chain support of the fairlead stopper, wherein securing the tail chain comprises securing a first chain link of the tail chain at a first position on the tail chain support and securing a second chain link of the tail chain at a second position on the tail chain support, wherein at least one chain link of the tail chain is positioned between the first and second chain links;
- and
- with the tail chain secured to the fairlead stopper, removing the at least one chain link positioned between the first and second chain links, wherein, after removing the at least one chain link, the first chain link is coupled with the mooring chain and the second chain link is coupled with a length of the tail chain that is disconnected from the mooring chain.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.