Patent ID: 6485343
Filing Date: 2002-11-26
Classification: B63B,B63H

Abstract:
A loading device for marine transfer of fluids via a flexible hose from a petroleum production platform to an ordinary tanker vessel, the tanker vessel including a hull having a bottom surface and longship bulkheads and athwartship bulkheads, the loading device comprising:a main hull including a submerged hull and a structure rising above the waterline and resting on the submerged hull, the submerged hull including an inner athwartships hull arranged for being pushed in under the bottom surface of the tanker vessel hull, and including upwards directed contact surfaces, the submerged hull being arranged for being ballasted and deballasted for docking towards the bottom surface of the tanker vessel hull using direct contact friction; a loading hose arranged in a crane boom supported by the main hull, the loading hose being connected upstream to the flexible hose and arranged for transferring fluid to the tanker vessel; power devices arranged for moving the loading device into and out of a catching position with the tanker vessel, and arranged to control the tanker vessel's position during the operation of fluid transfer; and ballast controlled pontoons supporting the submerged hull, wherein the ballast controlled pontoons include: a longship bulkhead pontoon arranged for being placed under and along a baseline of one of the tanker vessel's longship bulkheads, and an athwartship bulkhead pontoon arranged for being placed under and along a baseline of one of the tanker vessel's athwartships bulkheads.