A mooring frame (26, 27) for mooring of a floating unit (10), the mooring frame (26, 27) being adapted for mounting on the floating unit (10) or a floating or non-floating structure and comprising an attachment unit (30) for attachment to the floating unit (10) or the floating or non-floating structure. The mooring frame (26, 27) further comprises a first mooring unit (40) for transferring forces and/or absorbing energy in a first direction, and a second mooring unit (50) for transferring forces and/or absorbing energy in a second direction which is at least partially perpendicular to the first direction, whereinthe first mooring unit (40) and the second mooring unit (50) are attached to each other with a joint element (51) which allows relative rotation about two or three independent axes, the attachment unit (30) is attached to the mooring frame (26, 27) with a joint element (41) which allows relative rotation about three independent axes, the first mooring unit (40) is adapted to be attached to the floating unit (10) or the floating or non-floating structure with a joint element (20) which allows relative rotation about two or three independent axes, and the second mooring unit (50) is adapted to be attached to the floating unit (10) or the floating or non-floating structure with a joint element (22) which allows relative rotation about two or three independent axes. At least one of the joint element (20) and the joint element (41) or joint element (51) allows torsional movement of the first mooring unit (40) relative to the floating unit (10) or the floating or non-floating structure, or torsional movement is allowed within the first mooring unit (40) itself, and at least one of the joint element (22) and the joint element (51) or joint element (41) allows torsional movement of the second mooring unit (50) relative to the floating unit (10) or the floating or non-floating structure, or torsional movement is allowed within the second mooring unit (50) itself.

The present invention discloses a mooring device and operating method thereof. Specifically, the mooring device mainly comprises engaging module and a pressure control module. The engaging module comprises at least one actuator, at least one piston unit and at least one vacuum cup. Moreover, when a mooring object contacts the at least one actuator and actuates the at least one piston unit, the pressure control module may control the vacuum level therebetween the at least one vacuum cup and the mooring object. Therefore, the mooring device and its operating method of the present invention use the force which is provided by the mooring object per se to determine whether to moor the mooring object or not.

A positioning apparatus and system for keeping a floatation device from moving that includes at least one surface coupling apparatus to couple the positioning apparatus to a surface adjacent to a body of water, wherein the surface coupling apparatus locks into a flat surface securely, at least one non-slip floatation coupler to grasp to a floatation device, the non-slip flotation coupler grasps to any floatation device securely by gripping to any portion of the floatation device, and at least one extension line coupled to the surface coupling apparatus and the non-slip floatation coupler, the at least one extension line maintains drifting of the floatation device to unwanted location.

A watercraft mooring system comprising a plurality of interchangeable mooring components for the temporary mooring of one watercraft to another watercraft or one watercraft to a stationary object such as a dock. The interchangeable mooring components comprising a connecting rod member, a vacuum-handle member, and a cleat connector member. The connector rod member has an adjustable length. The vacuum handle member includes a pair of vacuum cup assemblies and is pivotally and detachably connected to the first or second end of the connecting rod member. The vacuum handle member and the cleat connector member are interchangeable. At least one vacuum means provides vacuum to the vacuum cup assemblies.

A mooring device, mechanism, system and method for automatic boat docking. The automated boat docking system has a mooring device installed at a marina or at a boat ramp. The mooring device will have a rod installed, with a suction valve at the end of an arm connected to the rod. The suction valve is used to hold the boat in place. Once the suction valve is connected to the boat, the rod will move, and the arm will rotate the boat to where the boat will be docked or lifted safely.

A mooring apparatus using a submerged pontoon that does not interfere with floaters and sailing vessels, is not affected by oceanic weather conditions by being submerged at a constant depth, easily separates the floater such as FPSO from the submerged pontoon, in order to cope with an emergency such as stormy weather and avoids collision, and, upon the emergency being terminated, enables the floater such as FPSO to return to the operation area and moor to the submerged pontoon and start the operation. An apparatus for mooring a floater using a submerged pontoon including a submerged pontoon that is placed and fixed at a constant depth below the bottom of the floater, wherein the submerged pontoon is fabricated with buoyant pipes, assumes a planar polygon, is lashed by ropes that are connected to weights or anchors on the seabed and is lashed by ropes that are connected to the floater.

A mechanism suitable to moor and/or connect, engage, fender, or couple a vessel to a terminal such a dock, wharf, pier, pontoon, floating structure, off-shore structure, or another vessel. Typically, mechanism is used in a mooring robot or fender and will comprises a base, the mechanism dependent from the base and supporting an element remote the base. The element may be configured as a fender element or attachment element. The extension mechanism forms part of sarrus mechanism formed of the base, extension mechanism, and attachment element. The sarrus mechanism allows the attachment element to extend linearly transversely from the base in the sway direction. The use of a sarrus mechanism allows for a compact footprint design, that is also very stable in the surge and heave directions.

A watercraft mooring system comprising a plurality of interchangeable mooring members for the temporary mooring of one watercraft to another watercraft or one watercraft to a stationary object such as a dock. The interchangeable mooring members comprising connecting rod member embodiments with adjustable lengths and connecting rod members without adjustable lengths, vacuum-handle member embodiments that provide an initial vacuum and a continuous vacuum to one or more vacuum cup assemblies, and a cleat connector member embodiment that is interchangeable with a vacuum-handle member. Embodiments of vacuum-handle member providing up to three points of omni-directional pivot functionality between the present invention and a temporarily moored watercraft.

The present invention discloses a mooring device and operating method thereof. Specifically, the mooring device mainly comprises engaging module and a pressure control module. The engaging module comprises at least one actuator, at least one piston unit and at least one vacuum cup. Moreover, when a mooring object contacts the at least one actuator and actuates the at least one piston unit, the pressure control module may control the vacuum level therebetween the at least one vacuum cup and the mooring object. Therefore, the mooring device and its operating method of the present invention use the force which is provided by the mooring object per se to determine whether to moor the mooring object or not.

The invention relates to a mooring device for mooring a ship, the mooring device having a moored state, in which it engages the ship, and a non-moored state in which it does not engage the ship, the mooring device comprising a base, a movable arm, which is extendable and retractable, a connector carried by the arm for engaging e.g. a ship, a winch, a tensile element having a first end engaged by the winch and a second, opposite end fixed with respect to the second end of the arm and/or the connector, and a distance keeping system configured for keeping a minimum and non-zero distance between the base and the object engaged by the connector. According to the invention, the distance keeping system is integrated with the movable arm. The invention also concerns a mooring system comprising two such mooring devices.