An electromagnetic-released, multi-disc, enclosed safety brake for primary use in offshore marine winch applications includes a stationary coil housing that encompasses springs that apply pressure to an armature, a pair of separator plates, three friction plates and a stationary endplate. The multi-disc brake is released by means of a DC voltage applied to the brake coil. The excited coil generates an electromagnetic force that attracts the armature across an air-gap thus reducing the spring force applied to the disc pack. The brake is applied when the DC voltage is removed from the brake coil. Various structures and methodologies for reducing vibrations in the brake are also provided.

A recessed and retractable mooring line device includes a housing having a mooring head that is configured for projecting through an opening or recess of a mounting structure so that an upper surface of the mooring head does not project from an outer surface of the mounting structure. A reel assembly is coupled to the housing and positioned below the mooring head to take up a flexible mooring line. The reel assembly includes a rotatable spool for winding the line. A ratchet wheel and spool that is engaged by a pawl prevents rotation of the ratchet wheel and spool when engaged. A moor head assembly that includes a pawl actuator actuates the pawl. An actuator lock of the moor head assembly engages the pawl actuator to keep it engaged with the pawl. A line anchor is used for securing to an end of the mooring line.

A mooring assembly comprises a mooring base, a yoke, a ballast box and a pendulum which suspends from a vessel. The yoke has a mooring base connection part which is pivotally mounted to the base and a pendulum connection part which is spaced apart from the base connection part and pivotally mounted to the pendulum. The ballast box is mounted to one of the pendulum and the yoke such that it creates a restoring force when the vessel moves away from a neutral position relative to the base. The mooring assembly is provided with a de-coupling device for de-coupling at least the yoke and the ballast box together from the vessel. The ballast box is provided with a compartment for containing a liquid and the mooring assembly is provided with a fluid transport system for removing a liquid and introducing a gas into the compartment or vice versa.

A mooring assembly comprises a mooring base, a yoke, a ballast box and a pendulum which suspends from a vessel. The yoke has a mooring base connection part which is pivotally mounted to the base and a pendulum connection part which is spaced apart from the base connection part and pivotally mounted to the pendulum. The ballast box is mounted to one of the pendulum and the yoke such that it creates a restoring force when the vessel moves away from a neutral position relative to the base. The mooring assembly is provided with a de-coupling device for de-coupling at least the yoke and the ballast box together from the vessel. The ballast box is provided with a compartment for containing a liquid and the mooring assembly is provided with a fluid transport system for removing a liquid and introducing a gas into the compartment or vice versa.

The invention relates to a system and to a method for the transfer of a line or a heaving line for a line, wherein the system comprises at least a flying vehicle, provided with a connection provision adapted for releasably connecting a line or heaving line to said flying vehicle

A winder cable guard includes a generally flat plate that is attached to an inwardly facing surface of the outer support bearing in a winder mechanism. The plate is sized and configured to fit within and seal the clearance gap between the outer end of the winder drum and the outer support bearing. This prevents a cable being wound onto the winder drum from slipping or falling into the gap. The potential for jamming and/or breakage of the lift cable is thereby reduced.

The invention notably relates to a water surface autonomous vessel having a hull and configured to be connected, through a lead-in cable having a negative buoyancy, to an end of a seismic cable having a neutral buoyancy and adapted for midwater data acquisition, wherein the water surface autonomous vessel comprises a winch for varying the deployed length of the lead-in cable, and the hull of the autonomous vessel forms a conduct at the back of the autonomous vessel in the direction of deployment of the lead-in cable. This provides an improved solution for seismic prospecting in aquatic mediums.

The invention notably relates to a water surface autonomous vessel having a hull and configured to be connected, through a lead-in cable having a negative buoyancy, to an end of a seismic cable having a neutral buoyancy and adapted for midwater data acquisition, wherein the water surface autonomous vessel comprises a winch for varying the deployed length of the lead-in cable, and the hull of the autonomous vessel forms a conduct at the back of the autonomous vessel in the direction of deployment of the lead-in cable. This provides an improved solution for seismic prospecting in aquatic mediums.

An anchoring system for floating platform which eliminates the pitch and roll movements of the floating platform using anchoring lines (200) attached to the seabed (5), which are supported by several pulleys or rotary fixing means (2, 3) of the floating platform (100) and are all joined in a common counterweight (1) hanging from the floating platform (100). Each anchoring line (200) comprises a direct subline (200d) and a cross subline (200c), which maintain the counterweight (1) always located in correspondence with the central axis (300) of the floating platform (100). It also describes a novel method for installing the floating platform at its destination without the aid of special ships.

An unmanned seismic vessel system can include a hull system configured to provide buoyancy and a storage apparatus configured for storing one or more seismic nodes, each seismic node having at least one seismic sensor configured to acquire seismic data. A deployment system can be configured for deploying the seismic nodes from the storage apparatus to the water column, where the seismic data are responsive to a seismic wavefield, with a controller configured to operate the deployment system so that the seismic nodes are automatically deployed in a seismic array.