A deepwater hoisting system includes a synthetic fibre rope winch assembly including a motor driven first winch and a length of synthetic fibre rope driven by said first winch. The synthetic fibre rope has an end remote from the first winch. The system further includes a steel wire winch assembly including a motor driven second winch and a length of steel wire driven by said second winch. The steel wire has an end remote from the second winch. At least the second winch is an active heave compensation motor driven winch. The system further includes a lifting block having a lifting block sheave, through which the synthetic fibre rope is run. The end of the synthetic fibre rope is connected to the end of the steel wire, so that the lifting block is suspended in a double-fall arrangement.

A method and device to balance a tiltable arm comprising a free extremity and having a pivot point on a mounting structure which is supported by a floating object, by providing the arm with suspension and/or support means for controlling the arm's inclination with respect to the horizon, and by providing said suspension and/or support means with at least one spring, wherein the spring connects to the arm and to said mounting structure, and embodying the spring as a passive spring which is arranged to balance the arm so as to stabilize a position of a free extremity of the arm during movements of the floating object.

Systems and method for compensation of motions of a floating structure, which includes a lifting system with a working platform supported by its actuators driven along vertical axis, where the foremost and the aft-most units are paired with each other providing a self-leveling movement; and a balance system, which can freely deviate from its position relative to the deck, with its own actuators and which is arranged to at least one side of the working platform, providing an even distribution of weight enabling the working platform to remain upright and steady, regardless of the floating structure. The lifting system is associated with the balance system by the plurality of arrangements of motion units, which assure the substantially constant angle between the working platform and the working frame, providing free linear movement relative to the working frame regardless of the base structure and the floating structure.

Described is a device for lifting an elongated object from a deck of a vessel subject to movements in a heave direction. The device comprises rigid supports provided on the deck of the vessel for supporting the object at a first height relative to the deck, and retractable supports provided on the deck of the vessel for supporting the object at a second height relative to the deck, which second height is larger than the first height. A lifting crane is configured to take up the object from the retractable supports at the second height. An actuator system is configured to lower the retractable supports in the heave direction to a third height relative to the deck at the instant in time the object is lifted from the retractable supports, the third height being smaller than the second height. A method using the device is also described.

Described is a device for lifting an elongated object from a deck of a vessel subject to movements in a heave direction. The device comprises rigid supports provided on the deck of the vessel for supporting the object at a first height relative to the deck, and retractable supports provided on the deck of the vessel for supporting the object at a second height relative to the deck, which second height is larger than the first height. A lifting crane is configured to take up the object from the retractable supports at the second height. An actuator system is configured to lower the retractable supports in the heave direction to a third height relative to the deck at the instant in time the object is lifted from the retractable supports, the third height being smaller than the second height. A method using the device is also described.

Described is a device for lifting an object from a deck of a vessel subject to movements in a heave direction. The device comprises a support surface (6a) for the object provided at a first height (11) in the heave direction relative to the deck. A lifting crane (5) is configured to take up the object from the support surface (6a) at a lifting point thereof at a lifting speed. An actuator system (16) is configured to lower the support surface (6a) relative to the deck at the instant in time at which the object is lifted from the surface to a second height in the heave direction at a lowering speed. A method using the device is also described.

A vessel including a boom construction, especially a gangway construction, for transferring persons and/or cargo from said vessel to an offshore object or vice versa. The boom construction includes an elongated mast structure extending in a direction substantially upwards from a deck of said vessel. Said mast structure is pivotally mounted with respect to a hull of the vessel in a manner such as to be pivotable with respect to said hull about a single pivot axis only. The boom construction further includes a boom, especially a gangway, which is connected to the mast structure and which extends from the mast structure in a substantially sideward direction. Furthermore, the boom construction includes at least one actuator for pivoting the mast structure such as to compensate for at least a part of a roll movement of the hull of the vessel.

A suspension system for a marine vessel, the marine vessel including a body portion at least partially supported relative to at least a left hull and a right hull by the suspension system, the left and right hulls being moveable relative to each other and the body, the suspension system including resilient supports between the body portion and the left and right hulls. The suspension system providing at least a roll stiffness being arranged to provide a roll moment distribution (RMD) of the suspension system wherein roll forces effectively act at a position disposed within a longitudinal distance along the marine vessel from a steady state position of the resultant pressure forces acting on the left and right hulls when the marine vessel is operating in a planing or semi-planing mode. The longitudinal distance can be 20% or less of a waterline length of one of the at least a left and a right hull at design load in displacement mode.

A system to transfer people and/or cargo during offshore operations includes a base with a stationary part and a moveable part that is rotatable relative to the stationary part about a substantially vertical first axis; a support arm having a first free end and a second free end opposite the first free end of the support arm; a boom having a first free end and a second free end opposite the first free end of the boom; a load support element; a measurement system; an actuator system; and a control system. The support arm at a location in between the first and second free end of the support arm is mounted to the moveable part of the base such that the support arm is rotatable relative to the moveable part about a substantially horizontal second axis.

A spotlight apparatus is provided have an illumination element rotationally and pivotally mounted to a pedestal. A vertical control motor urges the illumination housing up and down. A lateral control motor urges the illumination element left or right. A joystick input provides manual directional control of the vertical motor and lateral motor. A MEMS gyroscope or similar microelectronic controller provides an automated control input that, when activated, provides a continuous control signal for providing vertical and lateral motor control based upon a target set point selected by the user.