How It Works
The concept is essentially the combination of four known and well proven technologies, brought together to provide a packaged highly stable and inherently safe solution.
A combination of known elements
A brief description
The Spar Element:
A Spar is a long tubular structure, that extends deep below the ocean’s surface and is weighted at its bottom end (like a fishing float). They are well known for their extreme stability in all sea states and are commonly used for buoys and oil platforms.
The Gimbal Element:
A Gimble frame is a mount made up of concentric rings, with two opposing fixing / pivot points connecting each ring to the next at a 90-degree angle. These mounts, are commonly used to mount ships composes and to steady movie film cameras, allowing the free movement of the mounted object (roll and pitch), independent of its supporting structure.
The Telescopic Element:
"Telescopic" describes things that can be extended or retracted, it refers to objects with parts that slide into each other, like a telescope. In this case, the Spar tube is telescopic and retracts into the crane supporting column.
The Moonpool Element:
A moonpool is an open hole that goes through a hull of a ship and can go from the top deck all the way through to the bottom of the hull. As it is sealed from the rest of the ship, it does not affect the vessels buoyancy but enables access through the ship from the upper deck to the sea below the hull.
By installing a crane on the top of a hollow column, the telescopic Spar, when not in use, can be retracted from below the vessel into the column and locked in place, enabling the ship to navigate in shallow waters. By mounting the crane support column and its retracted spar in a Gimbal frame through a Moonpool of the vessel, once in deep water, enables the telescopic Spar to be unlocked, lowered and ballasted, so providing a stable platform for the crane to operate from, whilst keeping it independent from the vessel’s movement on the surface of the sea.
As the crane is supported by the Spar, which is able to move independently of the supporting vessel, its stability is not reliant on complex hydraulics, the vessels ballast water tanks, high powered fast acting pumps and computer controls, making it inherently safe.
In Harbor or Shallow Waters
The crane jib is lowered, the Telescopic Spar Buoy is retracted into the support column of the crane, and the Gimble frame is locked.
On Station in Work Position
Once the vessel has arrived at its station or working position, the Telescopic Spar Buoy is extended, the Gimble frame unlocked, and the crane jib raised, ready for operation.
During Crane Operations
When fully deployed, the Spar Buoy provides the stability and buoyancy required for the safe operation of the crane, whilst the Gimble support frame allows the independent movement of the supporting vessel.
