Offshore fluid transfer system and method

Apparatus for transferring fluid between a first structure and a floating vessel, comprising:

• a submerged rigid transfer arm carrying a fluid pipeline for receiving fluid from a first structure, means to attach a first end of the arm to the first structure so as to allow the arm to pivot about at least two axes, loading means located at the second end of the arm and attachable to a floating vessel for transferring fluid from the fluid pipeline to the floating vessel, wherein the apparatus is provided with thrust means operable to rotate the rigid arm relative to the first structure about a substantially vertical axis in use, position monitoring means to monitor the separation of a point on the arm and the floating vessel and a control system operable to actuate the thrust means if the separation is outside a predetermined range, so as to move the arm relative to the floating vessel thereby to restore the separation to within the predetermined range;
• mooring means to moor the floating vessel to the first structure means to monitor whether the mooring means is attached to the floating vessel and means to automatically disconnect the loading device from the floating vessel if the mooring means becomes detached from the floating vessel.