The present invention relates to an assembly for installing a pile (2) in a seabed (3), the assembly comprising a vessel (23) comprising a positioning system for keeping the vessel (23) at an installation location relative to the seabed, the positioning tem (5) having a positioning stiffness (7); a pile guiding system configured to guide the pile (2) during installation thereof, the pile guiding system comprising a base (9) provided on the vessel; a first guiding device connected to the base, the first guiding device being configured to accommodate the pile during installation thereof; a resilient member (11) for providing a resilient connection between the vessel (23) and the pile during installation thereof for allowing relative motions between the pile (2) and the vessel (23), the resilient member having a connection stiffness, wherein the resilient member (11) is configured and intended to keep a natural period of a pivoting movement of the pile about the seabed caused by waves during installation thereof longer than a dominant wave period of a wave spectrum at the installation location by providing the resilient connection with a low connection stiffness.

A wind turbine foundation structure comprising a hollow structural member having a longitudinally extending circumferential wall, the wall being bounded at the top by a top end face and bounded at the bottom by a bottom end face, wherein the wall is formed from a mineral building material and in that a wall thickness of the wall tapers from the top end face towards the bottom end face.

A method of fixing an offshore structure to a pre-piled foundation pile is provided. A tube is piled into the sea floor and the offshore structure includes a leg inserted into the foundation pile. Grout is applied to a first region between an end portion of the leg and the sea floor within the foundation pile. The grout is allowed to at least partially cure, and then grout is applied to a second region. The second region is an annular region between the leg and the foundation pile.

Method for stabilizing a jack-up platform unit, the unit including a hull, a plurality of legs which are extendible from and/or through the hull and which are arranged to support the platform unit during off-shore operations, and a jacking system arranged to move the legs between a transport position and an operational position, wherein the jacking system is also arranged to move the hull along the plurality of legs between a floating position and an operational position, the method comprising the steps of lowering the plurality of legs until the legs stand on or in the seabed, raising the hull substantially above the sea surface, temporarily applying a preloading on the plurality of legs, further raising the hull to an operational height above the sea surface.

A pile upending and holding system includes a support assembly configured to be mounted on the vessel and to provide compensation for wave-induced motion of the vessel to maintain a predetermined X-Y location of the pile holder independent of said motion, and a pile holder mounted on the support assembly to be tillable about a substantially horizontal tilt axis. The pile holder includes a lower ring and an upper ring, and a pile holder frame supporting the lower ring and upper ring, the upper ring longitudinally spaced from the lower ring. Each of the rings include pile engaging devices distributed about the circumference thereof, each pile engaging device being adapted to engage an exterior of the pile extending through the lower and upper ring. Each of the lower ring and upper ring includes a ring base fixed to the pile holder frame and one or more movable jaws, movable between a closed position for holding and guiding the pile and an opened position for entry of the pile. The pile holder is provided, below the lower ring thereof, with a pile foot end support for engaging a longitudinal end of the pile to limit longitudinal movement thereof.

A deployed L-shaped rack structure interengaged with a self-elevating vessel is used for supporting a feeder transport vessel, such as an ocean or sea barge, to eliminate relative motion or movement between the vessels. Some of the proposed rack structures are movable between a stowed position and a deployed position. The method of use for the movable rack structures includes the self-elevating vessel arriving at a predetermined location, elevating the hull of the self-elevating to a suitable height above the sea surface at a desired still water line (SWL) to create an air gap, and then deploying the rack structure. A feeder transport vessel, with its cargo and/or components, can then be floated over the deployed rack structure. The self-elevating vessel then uses its jacking system including a plurality of legs supported on the seabed to raise the feeder transport vessel and its cargo and/or components to a desired height above the SWL. From this position relative motion between the self-elevating vessel and transport vessel is eliminated so that the self-elevating vessel lifting device, such as a crane, can be more safely used to install energy components, such as wind turbine components. A bottom supported tower/column section could also be assembled and installed in seabed using the self-elevating vessel and rack structure along with the lifting device. A fixed rack structure system and its method can also be advantageously used with a self-elevating vessel. The systems and methods could be used in reversing the method or steps for deinstallation of the energy components installed in the sea.

Described is a device for providing a sizeable, slender object having a longitudinal direction into an underwater bottom from a deck of a vessel. The device includes a lifting means configured to take up the object at a lifting point thereof and position it on the underwater bottom; an upending tool connected to an edge of the vessel and configured to engage a first circumferential part of the object suspended from the lifting means and provide a pivot around which the object can be upended; and a gripping tool connected to an edge of the vessel and configured to engage a second circumferential part of the object suspended from the lifting means, whereby the first and second circumferential parts are optionally spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the object. The gripping tool includes an actuator system configured to act on at least one of the upending tool and the gripping tool and control movements of at least one of the first and the second circumferential parts, relative to the vessel. A method using the device is also described.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a building structure over a swimming pool, man-made lagoon, or any other man-made body of water to produce the tropical, exotic resort experience of being surrounded by water in a building. This invention is new because of the use of the invention over a pool or man-made lagoon/body of water, instead of an ocean, lake, or other natural body of water.

Disclosed is a system for the temporary holding, during pile driving operations, of a foundation pile intended to receive the mast of an offshore wind turbine. The temporary holding system includes a sleeve intended to receive a section of the foundation pile and a support frame intended to be secured to a floating device. The support frame includes a slide and an actuator, arranged to generate displacements of the sleeve according to the two translational degrees of freedom. The slide includes at least one rolling element including a cylindrical roller.

An offshore platform with at least one pile of a pile foundation with an outer wall having an external diameter and with a tube (8, 12) with an inner wall having an internal diameter which is greater than the external diameter, on the exterior of which attachments are arranged, and which is slid over the pile (2, 3) driven into the seabed (4), wherein at least one spacer (20) is provided between the outer wall of the pile (2, 3) and the inner wall of the tube (8, 12).