Patent ID: 6935262

Claim:
A method for lowering an object to an underwater installation site, wherein use is made of a submersible remotely operated vehicle (ROV) comprising at least one thruster for providing at least lateral thrust, which ROV is interconnectable to the object, which method comprises: a. providing a vessel comprising a winch and an associated suspension cable; b. interconnecting the object and ROV; c. lowering the interconnected object and ROV towards the underwater installation site using the suspension cable, during which the interconnected object and ROV are in a freely suspended state and lateral motion of the interconnected object and ROV is controlled using the thruster of the ROV, which lowering is continued until a holding position is reached in which the interconnected object and ROV are held suspended by the suspension cable at a distance above the installation site; d. providing at least one anchor near the installation site; e. interconnecting each anchor and the ROV with a positioning wire, while the ROV and object are suspended in the holding position; f. tensioning each positioning wire and adjusting the length of each positioning wire such that the interconnected ROV and object are positioned with respect to the installation site; and g. further lowering the interconnected object and ROV which are positioned by the at least one positioning wire onto the installation site while keeping the interconnected object and ROV suspended from the suspension cable.