Patent ID: 8469633

Claim:
A vessel for laying a pipeline, comprising a tower which comprises a firing line and is connected to the vessel by a hinge assembly comprising a tower pivot axis, wherein: the tower is pivotable relative to the vessel about the tower pivot axis, during pipelaying the tower comprises an upper end and a lower end and the pipeline moves relative to the vessel along the firing line in a laying direction from the upper end towards the lower end, and the tower pivot axis is located at a distance D 1 from said upper end as viewed in the laying direction, an abandonment and recovery system for abandoning and recovering the pipeline, wherein: the abandonment and recovery system comprises at least one abandonment and recovery line for lowering and raising an abandonment and recovery member configured to be connected to the pipeline, and the at least one abandonment and recovery line is supported by the tower pivot axis of the hinge assembly at the distance D 1 from said upper end as viewed in the laying direction.