A supporting system for a floating unit in shallow water exerts controlled stresses on the floating unit hull and includes supporting structure for the hull. An extendable supporting device operatively connects to the supporting structure and is suitable to support a predetermined weight of the floating unit and load when entirely supported by the extendable supporting device and when the extendable supporting device rests on a bed of a water body. An actuator device connects to the supporting structure and operatively connects to the extendable supporting device for extension or contraction. A control device operatively connects to the actuator device to control the extraction or contraction movement of the extendable supporting device. The system includes at least one hull stress monitoring device operatively connected to the control device. A device to monitor the stress, or load, on the extendable supporting device operatively connects to the control device.

A mooring assembly for a vessel includes a turret with a lower receptacle cone receiving a buoy, mooring lines attached to the buoy, and risers. The buoy includes a plurality of pivot legs positioned on a lower part of the buoy, wherein the legs are pivotably connected to the buoy through a horizontally extending pivot axis to pivot in a radial plane with respect to the buoy between a first position with the buoy in the cone of the turret, in which the legs extend mainly vertically downwards and engage an inner surface of the cone, and a second position with the buoy outside of the cone, in which the legs extend mainly horizontally outwards. The lines are attached to the legs and each leg has such a length that in the first position its end is located at a level below the lowermost end of the cone.

Disclosed is a connector apparatus for connecting a mooring line to a floating vessel, in which connector assemblies are cooperatively engaged and rotationally constrained. A pre-tensioning arrangement may be provided to apply a pre-tensioning force between the connector assemblies, and pivotable connection may be provided by way of pins which rotationally constrain the assemblies to one another. Methods of connecting and pre-tensioning connector assemblies are also disclosed.

Disclosed is a connector apparatus for connecting a mooring line to a floating vessel, in which connector assemblies are cooperatively engaged and rotationally constrained. A pre-tensioning arrangement may be provided to apply a pre-tensioning force between the connector assemblies, and pivotable connection may be provided by way of pins which rotationally constrain the assemblies to one another. Methods of connecting and pre-tensioning connector assemblies are also disclosed.

Disclosed herein is a turret mooring system for a tidal turbine assembly 150, which increases the ratio of the torque exerted by the turret 100 relative to frictional forces between the turret 100 and the assembly 150 moored to the turret 100. In some examples, the frictional forces are reduced by the turret providing an upward force to the assembly, which also resists pitching moments. In other examples, the torque exerted by the turret 100 is increased by the use of a bifurcated mooring line 106, 108 which couples to two spaced apart attachment points 128 on a chain table 104 of the turret 100 and to a single point 114 on the water bed.

An anchor device for anchoring a floating structure to the seabed with an anchor chain having a shackle at one end of the chain. The anchor device includes a mooring bolt for being inserted into a borehole drilled in the seabed and a support plate having a lower face for resting on the seabed and an upper face with a through hole through which the mooring bolt passes through the support plate for being inserted into the borehole. The upper face of the support plate has a connection point for coupling the shackle of the end of the chain, such that when the floating structure is anchored to the seabed, the chain is subjected to tensile stresses causing a force to be applied at the connection point and not directly to the mooring bolt.

An anchor device for anchoring a floating structure to the seabed with an anchor chain having a shackle at one end of the chain. The anchor device includes a mooring bolt for being inserted into a borehole drilled in the seabed and a support plate having a lower face for resting on the seabed and an upper face with a through hole through which the mooring bolt passes through the support plate for being inserted into the borehole. The upper face of the support plate has a connection point for coupling the shackle of the end of the chain, such that when the floating structure is anchored to the seabed, the chain is subjected to tensile stresses causing a force to be applied at the connection point and not directly to the mooring bolt.

A mooring line connector assembly (1) and a corresponding tensioner (28) are described. The mooring line connector assembly (1) comprises complementary male (2) and female (3) connectors, wherein the male connector (2) is rigid and the female connector (3) is connectable to the male connector (2) at a plurality of points along its length, so as to vary the tension applied to the mooring line. Locking balls engageable with grooves disposed along the length of the male connector (2) can allow the female connector to connect at different points along the male connector. A tensioner (28) allows the tension to be adjusted. The tensioner includes a first part (29) arranged to engage with the male connector (2) and a second part (29) arranged to engage with the female connector (3). The first part (29) reciprocates relative to the second part so as to move the male connector (2) relative to the female connector and thereby change the point at which the female connector is connected to the male connector.

The present invention relates to a solution for a floating wind platform made of reinforced concrete for mass production, characterized by a geometric design providing a hydrostatic natural prestressing to the concrete, causing it to work under compression. The structural response of the platform for working in the most effective mode is improved, and the occurrence of fractures or cracks in the concrete is prevented, which reduces permeability and allows for reducing the rebar to be contained in the structure, also increasing operational safety. Furthermore, the invention has a system for anchoring the mooring lines to the structure in the form of a truss made of reinforced concrete which evenly distributes mooring stresses, minimizing prestressing in the high area of the platform, and increasing the area for distributing shear forces due to the change in section between the platform and the tower of the wind turbine. The geometric design furthermore confers the versatility of being able to adopt low draft SPAR, semi-submersible, barge, or buoy solutions, with the wind turbine being installed such that it is centered or off-center on the structure, thereby being adapted to different draft requirements or environmental and logistics conditions.

The present invention relates to a solution for a floating wind platform made of reinforced concrete for mass production, characterized by a geometric design providing a hydrostatic natural prestressing to the concrete, causing it to work under compression. The structural response of the platform for working in the most effective mode is improved, and the occurrence of fractures or cracks in the concrete is prevented, which reduces permeability and allows for reducing the rebar to be contained in the structure, also increasing operational safety. Furthermore, the invention has a system for anchoring the mooring lines to the structure in the form of a truss made of reinforced concrete which evenly distributes mooring stresses, minimizing prestressing in the high area of the platform, and increasing the area for distributing shear forces due to the change in section between the platform and the tower of the wind turbine. The geometric design furthermore confers the versatility of being able to adopt low draft SPAR, semi-submersible, barge, or buoy solutions, with the wind turbine being installed such that it is centered or off-center on the structure, thereby being adapted to different draft requirements or environmental and logistics conditions.