Subsea anchor line connection method and connector for use therein

A method of repairing or exchanging a mooring line in a mooring system comprising a subsea anchoring element (1) which is connected to the seabed, a chain section (3) which is not longer than half the water depth, connected to the anchoring element (1), the chain section being at or near its free end provided with a coupling chain member (4, 25, 36) which is attached to a first multi-strand anchor line (16), characterized by the steps of:

• lowering a second multi-strand anchor line (9) from a vessel (8), the second multi-strand line (9) being at its free end attached to a connector (10);
• and
• maintaining the coupling chain member (4, 25, 26) spaced at a distance above the seabed via a lifting member (14, 16);
• and
• attaching the connector (10) of the second multi-strand line (9) to the coupling chain member (4, 25, 26), the connector comprising an eye (20, 30) that is attached to the second multi-strand line (9), a connector body (21, 31) comprising two spaced apart wall parts (22, 23;
• 32, 33) that define a recess therebetween for accommodating the coupling chain member (4, 25, 36), and a closing member (26, 34) being movable with respect to the connector body (21, 31), the closing member (26, 34) being slidable to bridge the space between the wall parts (22, 23;
• 32, 33), and
• attaching the connector (10) to the coupling chain member (4, 25, 26) by placing the chain member (4, 25, 26) between the wall parts (22, 23, 32, 33) and operating the closing member (26, 34) to bridge the space between the wall parts (22, 23, 32, 33).