A method for handling of an offshore wind turbine component includes using a vessel having a hull on which a motion compensating crane is mounted. The crane includes a main boom; a main boom luffing assembly; a mobile hoist cable suspension member; and a hoist winch and a hoist cable driven by the hoist winch. An object suspension device is suspended from the hoist cable. The mobile hoist cable suspension member is supported by a motion compensating support device that is fitted to the tip end of the main boom, the motion compensating support device including one or more motor powered motion displacement actuator assemblies and a motion compensating support device controller. The method includes connecting the offshore wind turbine component to the object suspension device; and operating the motion compensating support device to provide motion compensation in at least one direction of the object suspension device and the connected offshore wind turbine component. The crane is provided with one or more nacelle position detectors that are configured and operated to sense at least one of actual position and actual motion of the nacelle or of one or more components in or on the nacelle, and the one or more nacelle position detectors are linked to the motion compensating support device controller.

The invention relates to a transport aid arrangement, comprising at least one support body (100) having at least one inner support surface (110B) and provided with a curved outer support surface (100A) arranged to be attached to a transport object (TO) enabling controlled pivoting of the transport object (TO) along said curved outer support surface (100A) from a vertical position into a horizontal position, wherein the support body (100) creates a distance between said at least one inner support surface (110B) and an outer part of said curved outer support surface (100A), wherein said support body (100) is divided into at least two body parts (110, 120), an inner body part (110) and an outer body part (120) each provided with a portion (110A, 120A) of said curved outer support surface (100A), releasably connectable with each other by means of a coupling (130), wherein the width (W1) of said inner part (110) is substantially less than the total width (W) of said curved outer support surface (100A),

The invention relates to a transport aid arrangement, comprising at least one support body (100) having at least one inner support surface (110B) and provided with a curved outer support surface (100A) arranged to be attached to a transport object (TO) enabling controlled pivoting of the transport object (TO) along said curved outer support surface (100A) from a vertical position into a horizontal position, wherein the support body (100) creates a distance between said at least one inner support surface (110B) and an outer part of said curved outer support surface (100A), wherein said support body (100) is divided into at least two body parts (110, 120), an inner body part (110) and an outer body part (120) each provided with a portion (110A, 120A) of said curved outer support surface (100A), releasably connectable with each other by means of a coupling (130), wherein the width (W1) of said inner part (110) is substantially less than the total width (W) of said curved outer support surface (100A),

A pneumatically adjustable lifting apparatus utilizes inflatable spring devices for lifting and precisely positioning a load at a desired location. Variations in the forces produced by the load cause the inflatable spring devices to expand or compress thereby allowing soft mating between components that need to be connected together, such as assembling or disassembling large threaded connections. Pneumatic pressure in the inflatable spring devices may be adjusted depending upon the particular load. The pneumatically adjustable lifting apparatus provides lightly damped vertical travel with a substantially linear force profile over a relatively wide displacement range. Recirculating linear ball bearings cooperate with the linear loading characteristics of the inflatable spring devices to minimize the vertical motion damping of the pneumatically adjustable lifting apparatus.

A pneumatically adjustable lifting apparatus utilizes inflatable spring devices for lifting and precisely positioning a load at a desired location. Variations in the forces produced by the load cause the inflatable spring devices to expand or compress thereby allowing soft mating between components that need to be connected together, such as assembling or disassembling large threaded connections. Pneumatic pressure in the inflatable spring devices may be adjusted depending upon the particular load. The pneumatically adjustable lifting apparatus provides lightly damped vertical travel with a substantially linear force profile over a relatively wide displacement range. Recirculating linear ball bearings cooperate with the linear loading characteristics of the inflatable spring devices to minimize the vertical motion damping of the pneumatically adjustable lifting apparatus.

Method for lifting a wind turbine component The present invention relates to a method for lifting a wind turbine component, such as a rotor blade (2), gearbox or a rotor, with a lifting yoke (10) comprising a first structural body (20) comprising a crane hook attachment point (21), a first connection point (22) and a second connection point (23), a second structural body (30) comprising a third connection point (31) and a fourth connection point (32). First and second tensional elements (24, 25) such as slings or wires, are connected to the connection points, the length of the second tensional element being variable. An inertial measurement unit (40) determines the angle of the second structural body to the horizontal and the angle of the second tensional element is determined by an angle sensor. The distance (D) from the fourth connection point to the intersection between an axis (V) extending vertically through the center of gravity of the wind turbine component and the lifting plane is determined and provided to a crane operator. The invention also concerns a corresponding yoke.

The present invention relates to an assembly for rotating a suspended load around a substantially vertical axis, the assembly comprising an inner rim configured to have a fixed relationship with the suspended load to be rotated, an outer rim engaging the inner rim in a manner so that the inner and outer rims are configured to perform rotational movements relative to each other during rotation of the suspended load, and a drive unit for performing the relative rotational movement between the inner and outer rims. The assembly of the present invention may be secured to a lifting yoke for lifting wind turbine related components, such as entire wind turbine towers, wind turbine tower sections, nacelles, rotor blades or containers.

The present invention relates to an assembly for rotating a suspended load around a substantially vertical axis, the assembly comprising an inner rim configured to have a fixed relationship with the suspended load to be rotated, an outer rim engaging the inner rim in a manner so that the inner and outer rims are configured to perform rotational movements relative to each other during rotation of the suspended load, and a drive unit for performing the relative rotational movement between the inner and outer rims. The assembly of the present invention may be secured to a lifting yoke for lifting wind turbine related components, such as entire wind turbine towers, wind turbine tower sections, nacelles, rotor blades or containers.

Rotation hoists are disclosed. A disclosed example rotation hoist to support a component includes a platform having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, a body supported by the platform, a rotator supported by the body, the rotator couplable to the component at a first position of the component, and an arm extending from the rotator, the arm couplable to the component at a second position of the component different from the first position, the rotator to rotate the arm to rotate the component.

Rotation hoists are disclosed. A disclosed example rotation hoist to support a component includes a platform having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, a body supported by the platform, a rotator supported by the body, the rotator couplable to the component at a first position of the component, and an arm extending from the rotator, the arm couplable to the component at a second position of the component different from the first position, the rotator to rotate the arm to rotate the component.