A method of installing a wind turbine generator onto a floating foundation. The floating foundation has variable buoyancy and is pre-ballasted to float at a predetermined vertical position before installation of a wind turbine generator component onto the floating foundation. A wind turbine generator component supported by lifting equipment is brought towards the floating foundation until contact is made with the floating foundation. Ballast is removed from the floating foundation to increase the buoyancy of the floating foundation such that weight of the wind turbine generator component supported by the floating foundation is increased from substantially zero to substantially the entire weight of the wind turbine generator component. The vertical position of the floating foundation is substantially unchanged during transferring weight of the wind turbine generator component onto the floating foundation.

A wave energy converter (1) has: a buoyant structure (2) which, in use, floats on water; a generator (18); a generator drive mechanism (38) on board the buoyant structure (2), the generator drive mechanism (38) having an rotational input drive shaft (20) and a rotational output drive shaft (36); a drive member (22) operably connected to the input drive shaft (20), the drive member (22) being moveable back and forth between a first position and a second position; a biasing arrangement (23, 26) for example a buoyant block acting on the drive member; and, a submerged element 4, 4′ which, in use, moves below the surface of the water out of phase with the buoyant structure (2), the drive member (22) being attached by a tether (28) to the submerged element (4). In use, when the buoyant structure (2) encounters a wave crest, the spacing between the buoyant structure (2) and the submerged element (4, 4′) increases and the drive member (22) is pulled towards the second position by the tether (28), and, when the buoyant structure (2) encounters a wave trough, the spacing between the buoyant structure (2) and the submerged element (4, 4′) decreases and the drive member (22) is urged towards the first position by the biasing arrangement (23, 26). The back and forth movement of the drive member (22) between the first and second positions causes the input drive shaft (20) to rotate and, thereby, causes the output drive shaft (36) to rotate. The submerged element (4, 4′) is preferably a heave plate. The invention also comprises a heave plate for a submerged, partly submerged or floating structure.

Hull with variable geometry for a vessel (11), comprising a completely immersed part (12), configured to provide part of the buoyancy thrust and integral with an emerged part (13) of the hull by means of one or more uprights (14), and one or more immersed wing surfaces (15) which, in a situation in which the vessel travels at a sufficiently high speed, are configured to provide the remaining part of the vertical thrust required to keep the vessel (11) above the surface of the water at a predetermined height; the hull comprises one or more supports (16a, 16b, 16c) connected to the wing surfaces (15) and associated with floating elements (17a, 17b, 17c) which are mobile with respect to the completely immersed part (12); the floating elements (17a, 17b, 17c) are fixed to the supports (16a, 16b, 16c) or mobile with respect to the supports (16a, 16b, 16c), therefore the floating elements (17a, 17b, 17c) are substantially cooperating with the completely immersed part (12) and with the wing surfaces (15); the wing surfaces (15) are configured to move with respect to the completely immersed part (12) or to remain fixed with respect thereto and the floating elements (17a, 17b, 17c) are configured to increase their immersion as the speed of the vessel decreases, and therefore provide the vertical thrust to maintain or adjust the distance of the vessel from the water in a manner that is optimal and functional for the use of the vessel, even at reduced speeds or when the vessel is stationary.

Various embodiments of a submerged submersible sailing vessel are disclosed. Such a submerged sailing vessel may comprise a submersible hull assembly, a keel coupled to and extending upwards from hull assembly towards a water surface, and a wind-catching assembly coupled to and extending upwards into the air from the keel for propelling the submerged sailing vessel. The hull assembly and the keel are submerged below the water surface as the vessel is propelled by the wind-catching assembly above the water surface.

The present application provides a semi-submersible immersed tube transportation and installation integrated ship and a construction process; the integrated ship includes: a deck structure; two floating structures, ballast water being able to be injected therein; and upper portions or top surfaces of the two floating structures are connected by the deck structure; and two support mechanisms, disposed on opposite sides of the two floating structures respectively; and each support mechanism is disposed at a lower portion or a bottom of the floating structure. The integrated ship can reduce the draught of the integrated ship carrying an immersed tube and realize the transportation requirements of shallow waterway.

A vessel is provided herein which comprises a primary hull and at least two hull members capable of being deployed from or retracted into tunnels or underneath overhangs in the primary hull. In various embodiments, the vessel comprises a means for controllably deploying and retracting the hull members. These members may further comprise a propulsion means capable of propelling the vessel. In other embodiments the vessel comprises a failsafe mode allowing the hull members to fully retract into the vessel during times of destress. In various embodiments, the vessel is a landing craft capable of loading and unloading cargo without the burden of an overhang cross beam.

A structure of a floating, semi-submersible wind turbine platform is provided. The floating wind turbine platform includes three elongate stabilizing columns, each having a top end, a keel end, and an outer shell containing an inner shaft. Each stabilizing column further includes a water entrapment plate at its keel cantilevered in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the stabilizing column. The floating wind turbine platform also includes three truss members, each truss member including two horizontal main tubular members and two diagonal tubular members. The truss members connect the stabilizing columns to form a triangular cross-section. An elongate wind turbine tower is disposed over the top end of one of the three stabilizing columns such that the longitudinal axis of the tower is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the stabilizing column.

According to the invention a semi-submersible vessel including a semi-submersible platform body is provided. The semi-submersible platform body is adapted to float in a body of water wherein the platform body comprising a plurality of pontoons arranged together to form a triangular structure, a plurality of columns having a lower portion and an upper portion, the columns extending outwardly from each corner of the triangular structure, wherein each column is triangular. Further, the semi-submersible vessel includes a deck supported by the upper portion of the columns.

A porous-structure device includes a semi-submersible platform consisting of four columns, two pontoons, two horizontal supports and a deck. Fillets on middle portions of the columns have a square section, a radius of the fillets, close to the deck and the pontoons, of the columns is gradually decreased to 0, a porous device is disposed outside each column and is formed by combining and connecting four single components, and each single component is formed by combining and connecting a plurality of porous laminated plates and a plurality of connecting pieces. The parameters, such as the pore type, porosity, number of layers, interlayer spacing and installation height, of the porous laminated plates are set according to the wave characteristics in different sea areas.

A hydrofoil device for a mobile offshore apparatus, in particular, a watercraft. The hydrofoil device includes at least one base body with at least one connection unit which is arranged for connecting the hydrofoil device to the mobile offshore apparatus. At least one hydrofoil is arranged on the base body. At least one flow generator is arranged to generate a flow around the hydrofoil. The hydrofoil device in its intended use is rotatable at least about a substantially vertical axis of rotation depending on at least one control data set that can be provided.