Patent ID: 9499240
Filing Date: 2016-11-22
CPC Classification: B63B,E02B,Y02E

Claim Text:
1. A floating marine structure comprising: a sub-structure having only one leg having at least one first buoyancy chamber arranged in a lower part of the leg to provide a first buoyancy, wherein the first buoyancy is sufficient to keep the sub-structure afloat, and wherein the at least one first buoyancy chamber is ballastable to decrease buoyancy of the leg; and a float element having at least one second buoyancy chamber to provide a second buoyancy, wherein the second buoyancy is sufficient to keep the float element afloat, and wherein the at least one second buoyancy chamber is ballastable to decrease buoyancy of the float element, wherein the float element comprises a substantially vertically orientated passage extending through the float element and enclosing the leg in a substantially horizontal plane to form a linear guide to guide linear movement of the float element with respect to the sub-structure in the substantially vertical direction to allow relative wave induced motion with respect to each other in a substantially vertical direction, wherein the leg is movable from a pre-installation position to an installation position by a substantially downwards movement of the leg with respect to the float element, wherein during at least a second part of the downwards movement of the leg towards the installation position and/or in the installation position the at least one first buoyancy chamber is substantially located below a wave zone to substantially decrease heave action on the at least one first buoyancy chamber, and wherein during the at least a second part of the downwards movement of the leg, the weight of the complete sub-structure is carried by the leg.