The disclosed method measures a line angle of a mooring line connected to a floating object floating in a body of water, the mooring line being connected between the floating object and an anchoring body disposed in a bed of the body of water, in which the floating object is coupled to the mooring line by a line connector. The method includes: defining at least three data points each associated with a respective location on the mooring line; on the data points obtaining a value associated with the location on the mooring line; determining parameters of an equation describing an anchor line curve from the values associated with the location on the mooring line for the data points; calculating at a predetermined position on the mooring line a line angle of the mooring line from a derivative of the equation at the predetermined position based on the parameters.

The invention relates to floating platform mooring and involves an improved platform mounted tendon tension monitoring system with porch-mounted variable reluctance measurement technology sensors configured. The variable reluctance measurement technology sensors of this system are optimized for porch mounting. The porch-mounted tendon tension monitoring system can also be configured such that the porch-mounted optimized variable reluctance measurement technology sensors are replaceable. Sensors may be replaced to extend the desired useful lifetime of a tendon tension monitoring system or in the event that a sensor happens to malfunction. A plurality of variable reluctance measurement technology sensors can be configured in sensor packs at the corners or at other locations where tendon tension monitoring can be useful for a floating platform.

A control unit for automatically controlling at least part of an anchoring function of a marine vessel is arranged to obtain a predetermined relationship between keel depth and preferred distance from land for dropping anchor from the storage medium, to receive first sensor data indicative of a current distance between the marine vessel and land, to receive second sensor data indicative of a current keel depth of the marine vessel, to determine a suitable location and/or time period for dropping anchor based on the first sensor data, the second sensor data, and the predetermined relationship between keel depth and preferred distance from land for dropping anchor, and to control at least part of the anchoring function of the marine vessel based on the determined suitable location and/or time period for dropping anchor.

The present invention provides a mooring apparatus for an offshore construction that makes it easy to install a mooring chain and can moor an offshore construction stably against external force such as waves and wind. The mooring apparatus for an offshore construction includes; a floating member generating buoyancy; and fixing frames coupled to a side of the floating member and combined with a plurality of fixing arms radially extending and being stretchable and retractable, in which mooring chains which are connected to the bottom of the sea are fixed to free ends of the fixing arms respectively, so that as the fixing arms stretches/retracts on the fixing frame, the positions of the mooring chains change.

A technique of managing an anchor in a surface vessel includes receiving, by a computerized apparatus aboard the surface vessel, a geographical bounding box within which an anchor of the surface vessel is to be dropped, and applying, by the computerized apparatus, a plurality of filters to the geographical bounding box, the plurality of filters excluding regions within the geographical bounding box at which conditions are unsuitable for anchoring. After the surface vessel has navigated to a region within the geographical bounding box that is not excluded by the plurality of filters, the technique further includes electronically initiating a drop-anchor procedure to drop the anchor automatically within said region.

The present disclosure is a control system configured to: collect a strain distribution of an underwater structure connected to an above-water structure; and control at least one of the underwater structure and the above-water structure in accordance with the strain distribution.

The present invention provides an anchor alarm device which is a manually deployed weighted device attached to or near the anchor which signals to device equipment at water-level. The device detects the movement of, or physical force generated by, a dislodged anchor. When deployed, a component of the anchor alarm device rests adjacent to or as part of a seated anchor at a distance predetermined by the tolerance of the secondary rode. The secondary rode connects the device directly to the anchor, or near the anchor on the primary rode. Upon displacement of the set anchor, in excess of the secondary rode, the device alerts the user. The device utilizes sensor monitoring inside of a housing component to detect a force indicative of anchor displacement. This detection triggers a signals emission which alerts the user of the change in position. In cases wherein the anchor is not immediately retrieved, device re-arms autonomously and stops emission of the alarm signal until the next anchor displacement. The system communicates with signal devices on board or deployed near the anchoring vessel in order to alert the user.

A sensing device or apparatus (110) for inserting into a hole, cavity or receptacle (120), such as a hole, cavity or receptacle in a shaft, locking device or load pin (20) for a connector (5), the sensing device or apparatus (110) having an elongate member (125) such as a beam or rod; one or more sensing elements (180a, 180b, 180c, 180d, 180b, 180c, 180d) for sensing load, strain, deformation or force in or on the elongate member (125); wherein the elongate member (125) is provided with at least one engaging portion (130) for engaging an inner wall of the hole, cavity or the receptacle (120). A corresponding shaft, load pin or locking device, connector and methods of using, measuring and assembling are also provided herein.

Mooring unit for mooring a ship comprising a base, an arm mounted on the base, and a hook supported by the arm for connecting a mooring line of the ship, wherein the arm is movable between a retracted position and an extended position, and wherein the unit comprises an actuating device for moving the arm from the extended position to the retracted position, wherein the arm is mounted on a first part of the base and wherein the first part of the base is rotatably mounted on a second part of the base that is rotationally fixed, to enable rotation of the first part of the base around a vertical axis perpendicular to the horizon.

The present disclosure provides a system and method of monitoring a mooring system for a floating vessel using the time of the natural period independent of environmental conditions. The natural period can be calculated and/or established experientially over time by measuring movement of the vessel to establish the natural period at given geographical positions of a secure and intact mooring system. The natural period can be monitored based on the time to complete a natural period. A change in a mooring line stiffness, whether by a failure, stretching, a degradation of the mooring line integrity, or a significant displacement of the anchoring point, will be translated into a different natural period with a different time. By monitoring the natural period for a given geographical position (and corresponding heading) to be compared to the theoretical values (and/or previous recorded values) it is then possible to assess that at least a portion of the mooring system has failed or that a significant damage has occurred.