Patent ID: 9457874
Filing Date: 2016-10-04
CPC Classification: B63B,B66C,Y10T

Claim Text:
1. A method of overboarding and lowering a load from a vessel in an offshore environment using a vessel-mounted slewing crane, wherein the method comprises placing first and second crane-mounted guide members between respective spaced locations on the load and a supporting structure of the crane upstanding above a deck of the vessel and, while the guide members act in compression between the load and the supporting structure of the crane to restrain horizontal movement of the load toward a slewing axis of the crane: using the crane to lift the load above the deck; slewing a boom of the crane to move the load from above the deck into an outboard over-water position while moving the guide members with the boom; extending the guide members differentially to control orientation of the load relative to the boom of the crane; and using the crane to lower the load from the outboard position into the water while lowering the guide members with the load.