Patent ID: 7316192

Claim:
A method for mounting a heavy equipment on a floating ship's hull for assembly as an integral unit therewith, comprising the following steps: A—detachably securing the equipment to lifting units adapted to bear on the seabed, and arranging the lifting units on either side of the equipment, wherein each of the lifting units includes a vertical leg, a guidance and driving unit operable to lift and lower the vertical leg, and a temporary connector operable to removably connect the guidance and driving unit to the equipment; the step of detachably securing the equipment comprises removably connecting the guidance and driving unit of each lifting unit to the equipment using the temporary connector; B—applying the lifting units onto the sea floor; C—lifting the equipment to allow the ship's hull to pass under the equipment; D—engaging the ship's hull beneath the equipment in a space defined between the lifting units; E—lowering the equipment to place it such that it is bearing on the ship's hull; F—dismantling and removing the equipment lifting units comprising removing the temporary connector of each lifting unit and disconnecting the guidance and driving unit from the equipment; G—attaching the equipment to the ship's hull to form the integral unit therewith; and H—securing a set of equipment rigidifying elements to form a rigid structure between the lifting units, the securing being at least during the lifting and the lowering of the equipment, and releasing the rigidifying elements in order to provide the equipment with increased flexibility after the depositing of the equipment on the ship's hull.