Patent ID: 6302049
Filing Date: 2001-10-16
Classification: B63B,F16L

Abstract:
A method for providing a selected offshore construction service from a ship, comprising the steps of:a. providing a ship having a deck between the gunwales that is lower than the gunwales, with the deck between the gunwales having a plurality of docking ports;b. providing a watertight gate at the stem of the ship that is movable between an open and a closed position;c. opening the watertight gate and ballasting the ship such that the deck between the gunwales is below the water surface;d. selecting an offshore construction service to be performed from the ship;e. floating a module having docking probes and being designed to provide the selected offshore construction service above the deck between the gunwales through the open watertight gate and aligning the docking probes on the module with the docking ports on the deck between the gunwales; andf. deballasting the ship such that the docking probes on the module are received in the docking ports.