Apparatus and method for reducing motion of a floating vessel

An apparatus for reducing vessel motion comprising a first stabilizer assembly and a second stabilizer assembly, each stabilizer assembly comprising:

• at least one submergible at least partially hollow body including at least one closed ballast tank of adjustable ballast;
• and
• suspending means for suspending the or each body such that the or each body is fully submerged below the water line of the vessel and above the seabed and is movable vertically relative to the seabed,
• the first and second stabilizer assemblies being suitable for locating at substantially opposite portions of the vessel, wherein a top of the suspending means of the first stabilizer assembly is connected to a top of the suspending means of the second stabilizer assembly, the suspending means supported by at least one saddle for attaching to a hull of the vessel for supporting the suspending means and transferring loads from the suspending means to the vessel.

In combination, a vessel, a first stabilizer assembly and a second stabilizer assembly, each stabilizer assembly comprising:

• at least one submergible at least partially hollow body comprising at least one closed space of adjustable ballast;
• saddles which increase the width of the vessel;
• and
• elongate flexible suspending means extendable beneath a water line of the vessel such that the or each body is fully submerged below the water line and is vertically movable relative to the seabed, the elongate flexible suspending means being capable of bearing tension loads of more than one hundred times the loads it is capable of bearing in compression,
• each stabilizer assembly being arranged to apply via its suspending means a downwardly directed force on a side of the vessel from which it is suspended when the side of the vessel moves upwards,
• the first and second stabilizer assemblies being suspended from substantially opposite sides of the vessel in association with the saddles, wherein the saddles are arranged to transfer the downwardly directed forces from the elongate flexible suspending means to the vessel.

In combination, a vessel, a first stabilizer assembly and a second stabilizer assembly, each stabilizer assembly comprising:

• at least one submergible at least partially hollow body with a volume of more than 50 m3, the hollow body comprising at least one closed ballast tank of adjustable ballast;
• and
• suspending means extendable below a water line of the vessel for suspending the or each body from the vessel such that the or each body is fully submerged below the water line and is vertically movable relative to the seabed, the suspending means being capable of bearing tension loads of more than one hundred times the loads it is capable of bearing in compression,
• the first and second stabilizer assemblies being suspended from substantially opposite sides of the vessel,
• the vessel further comprising one or more saddles for attaching to a hull of the vessel such that a width of the vessel is increased, the saddles arranged to support the suspending means such that the saddles transfer loads from the suspending means to the hull.