Devices for transferring heavy loads at sea

Abstract

Cargo transfer device for transferring heavy loads at sea between ships or ship and an off-shore platform. In one embodiment the device essentially comprises an inverted V-shaped cargo boom including two booms pivoted together at their top ends and to the respective ships at their bottom ends. A manoeuvering cable with its winch brings the cargo boom into position once the ships are coupled together. A lifting cable with its associated winch lifts the load at the beginning and end of the transfer operation. The transfer operation per se is insured by a traction cable with its winch and a restraining cable with its winch. This arrangement of three cables acting in three different directions prevents pendular movement of the load during transfer. The resultant force exerted by the device tends to maintain the ships at a distance from each other. In the other embodiment a crane is provided on the supply ship having its boom pivotally mounted about a horizontal pivot. A structural arm pivotally mounted on the ship being supplied is also pivotally connected to the boom. Winches and cables as in the first embodiment are also provided.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.