An observation platform device, including a platform deck, an observation mechanism disposed on the platform deck, a primary swing reduction and self-righting mechanism, and a secondary swing reduction mechanism. The primary swing reduction and self-righting mechanism includes a hollow upper support rod, a solid lower support rod, a buoyant cabin, and a counter weight cabin. The lower support rod includes a lower end fixedly connected to the counter weight cabin, and an upper end fixedly connected to the buoyant cabin. The secondary swing reduction mechanism includes a water pond, a plurality of wing-type supports, and a plurality of spaced fan-shaped floating cabins. The plurality of wing-type supports each includes an upper end fixedly connected to a lower plane of the platform deck, and a lower end fixedly connected to an upper plane of the fan-shaped floating cabins.

Structures are provided with rigid elements connected together by interconnecting elements in such a way to form a statically determined or statically over-determined structure. The structure includes at least one tension element formed of polymeric fibers having a stabilizing creep of at least 0.3% and at most 10% and a minimum creep rate lower than 110.sup.5% per second, wherein the said stabilizing creep and minimum creep are measured at a tension of 900 MPa and a temperature of 30 C. The structures may include, for example, framing structures (e.g., a space frame), suspended bodies, platforms, (e.g., a marine platform), or spoked wheels.

A method of maintaining a power generating apparatus includes a separation step of separating a mooring line and a cable from a floating body of a first floating-body type wind turbine power generating apparatus including a maintenance-target section; a retention step of retaining the mooring line and the cable by a floating-body structure, after the separation step; a first transfer step of transferring the first floating-body type wind turbine power generating apparatus from the mooring position, after the separation step; a second transfer step of transferring a second floating-body type wind turbine power generating apparatus having no maintenance-target section to the mooring position; and a connection step of detaching the mooring line and the cable from the floating-body structure and connecting the mooring line and the cable to the second floating-body type wind turbine power generating apparatus, after the second transfer step.

There is disclosed a subsea connector (100), e.g. a mooring connector, and a method of mooring a subsea structure to a line, e.g. a mooring chain, with the subsea connector. The subsea connector comprises a first portion (105) and a second portion (110), means for connecting (120) the first portion and the second portion, and means for rotationally aligning the first portion and the second portion. The first and second portions are connectable to a respective line, such as a respective mooring chain. The means for rotationally aligning comprise a first alignment member at least partly spanning across a bore, such as an internal bore, of the first or second portion. The means for rotationally aligning comprise a second alignment member provided by the other of the first or second portion. The first and second alignment members co-act when the first and second portions are brought together or mated.

There is disclosed an apparatus (100) for mooring a structure and/or tensioning a mooring line. The apparatus (100) comprises: a guide portion (105) for guiding a portion of a first mooring line (110), and a lock arrangement (115), wherein the apparatus (100) provides a mooring line path (120), the lock arrangement (115) being provided on an opposite side of the mooring line path (120) from the guide portion (105), at least when the lock arrangement (115) is in an unlocked configuration. When in a locked configuration at least a portion of the lock arrangement (115) is provided in the mooring path (120).

Techniques are disclosed herein for minimizing movement of an offshore wind turbine. Using the technologies described, a wind turbine may be mounted on a marine platform that is constructed and deployed to reduce environmental loads (e.g., wind, waves, . . . ) on the platform in both shallow and deep water. In some configurations, a fully restrained platform (FRP) is configured to support a wind turbine. According to some examples, moorings are attached to the FRP and/or the structure of the wind turbine structure to reduce movement in six degrees of freedom.

The floating apparatus for wave power generation according to the present invention includes; a floating unit floating on a sea surface; an energy unit configured to convert a kinetic energy of the floating unit to an electric or hydraulic energy; and a transfer unit configured to transfer the kinetic energy of the floating unit to the energy unit.

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.

The present invention describes a floating yawing spar buoy current/tidal turbine. The spar includes a spreader above the rotor(s) with the spreader tips connected to fore and aft cable yokes that transition to opposing mooring lines connected to anchors on the seabed. The spreader comprises a yaw motor, which drives gears that engage with a ring gear fixed to the outer perimeter of the spar.

An offshore floating structure such as a wind turbine includes a number of improvements. The floating structure can include a chain engaging system configured to prevent any lengthwise movement of a mooring chain. The floating structure can also include a mooring fixture pivotally coupled to the hull to prevent shock loads from being transmitted directly from the mooring line to the hull. The floating structure can also include installation aid structures that provide additional water plane area and/or buoyancy to the structure. The floating structure can also have a hull that is optimized for use as an offshore wind turbine.