A guided lifting system, including: a lifting unit, installable on a loading deck and configured to exert a lifting force that has at least one vertically directed component; a pick-up module, associated with the lifting unit and configured to hook a vehicle to be lifted; characterised in that: it includes a guide device, connected to the pick-up module and configured to move the pick-up module in space in a guided manner; the guide device can be actuated and controlled autonomously from the lifting unit.

The invention is directed towards a passive heave compensation arrangement for compensating for heave events in the open water, when loading or offloading/launching objects. The arrangement is part of a system that includes a water vessel that is operating on open water, a davit, and an object to be loaded/offloaded. The davit includes a stanchion, a boom, and a capture head for capturing objects within the head. The arrangement includes first and second winches, as well as a gas spring that applies forces to the boom in response to heave events, the gas spring as a part of the arrangement, passively compensating for every heave event.

The invention is directed towards a passive heave compensation arrangement for compensating for heave events in the open water, when loading or offloading/launching objects. The arrangement is part of a system that includes a water vessel that is operating on open water, a davit, and an object to be loaded/offloaded. The davit includes a stanchion, a boom, and a capture head for capturing objects within the head. The arrangement includes first and second winches, as well as a gas spring that applies forces to the boom in response to heave events, the gas spring as a part of the arrangement, passively compensating for every heave event.

A handling apparatus (10) for supporting and deploying an object (12), such as a marine craft, comprises a support frame (18) and a cradle (20) upon which the object (12) to be deployed is disposed. A retaining flap (24) forms a first portion of the cradle (20) and is coupled to a deployment ramp (26) which forms a second portion of the cradle (20), the retaining flap (24) being movable between a first position which retains the object (12) on the cradle (20) and a second position in which the object (12) is released for movement relative to the cradle (20). The handling apparatus (10) is movable from a first, storage, position to a second, deployment, position in which the object (12) can be deployed.