The present disclosure generally relates to an apparatus for storing, treating, and making up of various drilling fluids onboard a dynamically positioned vessel, such as a barge, boat, or shop. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a liquid mud plant (LMP) supporting any offshore drilling rig or platform from a vessel in closer proximity to that rig. Additionally, the present disclosure relates to the process by which the liquid mud plant is in closer proximity to the drilling, which is derived from the dynamical positioning capability of the liquid mud plant vessel.

A method for maintaining a marine vessel at a global position and/or heading includes receiving measurements related to vessel attitude and estimating water roughness conditions based on the measurements. A difference between the vessel's actual global position and the target global position and/or a difference between the vessel's actual heading and the target heading are determined. The method includes calculating a desired linear velocity based on the position difference and/or a desired rotational velocity based on the heading difference. The vessel's actual linear velocity and/or actual rotational velocity are filtered based on the roughness conditions. The method includes determining a difference between the desired linear velocity and the filtered actual linear velocity and/or a difference between the desired rotational velocity and the filtered actual rotational velocity. The method also includes calculating vessel movements that will minimize the linear velocity difference and/or rotational velocity difference and carrying out the calculated movements.

A boat basically includes a hull, at least one propulsion unit, a heading sensor, a position sensor and a controller. The at least one propulsion unit is movably mounted to the hull, and has a propulsion axis. The heading sensor is configured to detect a heading of the boat. The position sensor is configured to detect a position of the boat. The controller is programmed to turn the at least one propulsion unit relative to the hull such that the propulsion axis moves away from a center point of the boat to correct the heading of the boat upon determining that the boat is drifting in a drift direction based on detection results of the heading sensor and the position sensor.

A multi-anchor depth control system for a boat or other watercraft having a line for securing anchors to the boat, at least two anchors attached at or near opposing ends of the line, a depth finder, and a controller configured to automatically adjust the amount of line released from the boat to maintain the anchors on the floor of the body of water in which the boat is floating, based upon information obtained from the depth finder.

A multi-anchor depth control system for a boat or other watercraft having a line for securing anchors to the boat, at least two anchors attached at or near opposing ends of the line, a depth finder, and a controller configured to automatically adjust the amount of line released from the boat to maintain the anchors on the floor of the body of water in which the boat is floating, based upon information obtained from the depth finder.

A system dynamically controls position of a mobile offshore drilling unit relative to a subsea operation, an offshore location, or the like. The system has navigation units, acoustic units, and inertial units. The navigation units obtain position from one or more satellite navigation systems, and the acoustic units obtains position from one or more acoustic positioning reference systems. The inertial units obtains position of the unit from one or more inertial navigation systems, and this inertial position for each unit is based at least in part on the positions obtained from respective ones of the navigation and acoustic units. A control unit in operable communication with the inertial units determines dynamic positioning information from the inertial position of at least one of the inertial units. In turn, the control unit then operates equipment on the drilling unit to control its position dynamically.

A system includes an outboard motor including a lift actuator, a pitch angle sensor, a lift position sensor, and a controller configured or programmed to obtain at least either of a pitch angle of a watercraft and an angular velocity of the pitch angle. The controller is configured or programmed to obtain a lift position of the outboard motor, and controller selectively set either a lift-up direction or a lift-down direction as a lift direction based on the lift position of the outboard motor and at least either of the pitch angle of the watercraft and the angular velocity of the pitch angle. The controller is configured or programmed to control the lift actuator to cause the outboard motor to perform a lift motion in the lift direction.

A programmable buoy system having one or more buoys capable of connecting through the internet to a buoy command server. The buoy command server relays commands to each of the one or more buoys in response to user commands sent from a buoys command interface application on a mobile device. The programmable buoy system includes one or more buoys each having a hull with two or more pontoons where the hull has a top side and bottom side. A stationary rudder extends downward from the bottom side of the hull to be positioned in a body of water when the one or more buoys are in use. A motor is pivotably connected on each one or more buoys, wherein the motor has a propeller positioned away from the bottom side of the hull. The propeller and motor move the select one of the one or more buoys in the body of water.

The present invention addresses the problem of providing a ship that can recognize the correct position of itself on the sea. A ship (100) comprises a recognition controller (160) that recognizes the position of the ship on the sea, the recognition controller (160) recognizing the position of the ship on the sea on the basis of relative distances between the ship (100) and a plurality of land-based targets. The recognition controller (160) captures an image (P1) of a structure (S1) and an image (P2) of a structure (S2) by using a first camera (161) and a second camera (162), respectively, and maneuvers the ship such that the sizes of the captured image (P1) and image (P2) do not change and thereby maintains a fixed point on the sea.

Method and system for high-accurate position determination of control devices arranged in connection with instrumented cables towed behind a survey vessel by at least one autonomous surface vessel provided with acoustic communication means, where the control devices are provided with acoustic elements, and where the acoustic communication means and acoustic elements are used for accurate positioning of the surface vessel above the control device.