A substantially hollow wingsail is configured to enable electrical components to be situated within the wingsail. In particular, the wingsail may be configured to contain the solar panels used to power the other electrical components of the vessel, as well as other items that are conventionally situated on the exterior of the vessel, such as antennas, navigation lights, and so on. The surface of the wingsail may include transparent or translucent areas to provide light to the solar panels, as well as optical and electromagnetic reflective areas within the wingsail to enhance the performance of the solar panels and antennas. The wingsail may also include an internal light that illuminates the translucent areas of the wingsail for enhanced visibility to other vessels.

A method for installation of an elongate element in a stretch of water, the method including reversible fastening of a connecting member (34) at a first end (16) of the elongate element (10); arranging the elongate element (10) in a substantially horizontal configuration; reversibly engaging the connecting member (34) in a retaining member (36); pivoting the elongate element (10) about a substantially horizontal axis to move the elongate element (10) into a substantially vertical configuration, while the connecting member (34) remains engaged in the retaining member (36); joint lowering of the retaining member (36), the connecting member (34) and the elongate element (10) in the stretch of water (12) with the help of a lowering line (152); detaching the connecting member (34) of the first end (16) of the elongate element (10), and joint raising of the retaining member (36) and the connecting member (34).

A multifunctional carrying device for a tidal stream generator and a using method thereof, the multifunctional carrying device for a tidal stream generator comprises: an elongated main floating body; carrying frames, horizontally extending towards the left side and the right side from the center part of the elongated main floating body, an end part of the carrying frames being used for carrying the tidal stream generator; the elongated main floating body being a central floating control pipe (100) with two ends sealed, cable tying locations being positioned at the two ends of the central floating control pipe (100), a pipe air inlet/outlet (702) being disposed above one end of the central floating control pipe (100) and a pipe water inlet/outlet (704) being disposed below the other end of the central floating control pipe (100); a remote air pipe (700), having one end connected to the pipe air inlet/outlet (702) and the other end connected to a control switch (707); the central floating control pipe (100) being connected to the carrying frames using orthogonal node components; and automatic depth-fixing and stabilizing parts (400), evenly disposed, along a vertical bisection plane of the orthogonal node components, on rigid parts that are directly connected to the orthogonal node components. The device has an efficient floating and sinking control function and an automatic depth-fixing and stabilizing function.

A multifunctional carrying device for a tidal stream generator and a using method thereof, the multifunctional carrying device for a tidal stream generator comprises: an elongated main floating body; carrying frames, horizontally extending towards the left side and the right side from the center part of the elongated main floating body, an end part of the carrying frames being used for carrying the tidal stream generator; the elongated main floating body being a central floating control pipe (100) with two ends sealed, cable tying locations being positioned at the two ends of the central floating control pipe (100), a pipe air inlet/outlet (702) being disposed above one end of the central floating control pipe (100) and a pipe water inlet/outlet (704) being disposed below the other end of the central floating control pipe (100); a remote air pipe (700), having one end connected to the pipe air inlet/outlet (702) and the other end connected to a control switch (707); the central floating control pipe (100) being connected to the carrying frames using orthogonal node components; and automatic depth-fixing and stabilizing parts (400), evenly disposed, along a vertical bisection plane of the orthogonal node components, on rigid parts that are directly connected to the orthogonal node components. The device has an efficient floating and sinking control function and an automatic depth-fixing and stabilizing function.

A ship and associated methods of operation. In an example embodiment, a method of transporting includes providing multiple vessels each having a hull defining an air cavity over a water surface. Different ones of the vessels are loaded with material destined for different end locations. The vessels are connected to one another with rigid couplings to effect tandem movement of the multiple vessels over water as one ship while permitting each vessel to undergo changes in pitch. The vessels are transported to a first destination and one or more of the vessels are disconnected from the ship.

A hierarchical data acquisition system and method applied to a marine information network are provided. Multiple sensor nodes are arranged in clusters, each of the clusters includes a cluster head node and multiple ordinary nodes. The multiple ordinary nodes acquire data information of a seafloor and transmit the acquired data information to the cluster head node, and the cluster head node aggregate the data and transmits the aggregated data to an autonomous underwater vehicle, reducing energy consumption of each of the sensor nodes, prolonging service lives of sensors of a data acquisition layer, and improving data acquisition efficiency of a data acquisition layer. In addition, after each of data acquisition periods, a sensor node in each of the clusters is selected as a cluster head node in a next data acquisition cycle. Cluster head nodes are continuously updated in cycles.

A hierarchical data acquisition system and method applied to a marine information network are provided. Multiple sensor nodes are arranged in clusters, each of the clusters includes a cluster head node and multiple ordinary nodes. The multiple ordinary nodes acquire data information of a seafloor and transmit the acquired data information to the cluster head node, and the cluster head node aggregate the data and transmits the aggregated data to an autonomous underwater vehicle, reducing energy consumption of each of the sensor nodes, prolonging service lives of sensors of a data acquisition layer, and improving data acquisition efficiency of a data acquisition layer. In addition, after each of data acquisition periods, a sensor node in each of the clusters is selected as a cluster head node in a next data acquisition cycle. Cluster head nodes are continuously updated in cycles.

A maintenance facility includes: a first barge; a first connection portion disposed on the first barge and configured to connect the first barge to a second barge mounted with a device including a maintenance target portion; and a building disposed on the first barge and including a wall portion and a roof portion. On the first barge, a temporary placing space in which the maintenance target portion can be placed is disposed between the first connection portion and the building.

A maintenance facility includes: a first barge; a first connection portion disposed on the first barge and configured to connect the first barge to a second barge mounted with a device including a maintenance target portion; and a building disposed on the first barge and including a wall portion and a roof portion. On the first barge, a temporary placing space in which the maintenance target portion can be placed is disposed between the first connection portion and the building.

The invention relates to an operations vessel for the maintenance, installation and/or disassembly of offshore structures, comprising: a hull equipped with ballast means connected to a control system; at least one working platform supported on the hull by means of one or more support elements; and at least one system for coupling to an offshore structure, wherein said coupling system can adopt, at least, a state in which it is coupled to said offshore structure and a state in which it is not coupled to said offshore structure. Advantageously, the control system and the coupling system are configured in a cooperating manner, in order to adopt at least two working positions of the vessel, wherein the hull adopts an above-water state with the coupling system decoupled, and at least a second working position wherein the hull adopts a submerged state in which the coupling system is coupled to the offshore structure.