Patent ID: 7927041

Claim:
A flexible riser system for a loading system for transferring hydrocarbons between a sea bed installation and a vessel floating at a sea surface, comprising: a flexible riser; and protection means configured to protect the riser from impact when the riser is connected to the vessel, the protection means being submerged below the vessel and covering at least an upper part of the riser and terminating above the sea bed when the riser is submerged and connected to the vessel, the protection means being formed of a plurality of separate units suspended from each other such that they are movable with respect to each other in a lateral and axial direction, the separate units arranged to be movable in transverse direction with respect to the riser, the protection means further being provided with a stretching means or a tensioning means attached to a lower end of the protection means, wherein the riser in the vicinity of the stretching or tensioning means is provided with a collar designed to reduce detrimental impact of the stretching or tensioning means on the riser caused by relative movement of the stretching or tensioning means with respect to the riser.