Patent ID: 8608406

Claim:
An arrangement for lifting and landing a pipe reel loaded with pipe on a reeled pipe lay vessel, comprising: a. the pipe reel comprised of a drum, flanges, and a central shaft that extends beyond both sides of the flanges, with each end of the central shaft having an outer segment for connection to a lifting apparatus, a middle segment to be received on rotational bearings on the lay vessel, and an inner segment to be received on a landing mechanism; b. the landing mechanism being separate from rotational bearings on the vessel for the pipe reel and that absorbs a landing load of the pipe reel loaded with pipe and that prevents contact of the reel central shaft with rotational bearings on the vessel during landing of the pipe reel; c. means for selective vertical motion of the landing mechanism during lifting or landing of the pipe reel; and d. a reel bearing support apparatus for supporting the pipe reel during pipe laying operations.