Ship and Method for Conveying and Setting Up Offshore Structures

Abstract

A ship according to the invention for conveying and setting up offshore structures having: a hull with a U-shaped cross-section having an open stern and projections of the side walls extending at the rear beyond the rear edge of the floor, jack-up leg systems with jack-up legs integrated in the hull that are movable in a vertical direction with their bottom ends in positions below the floor, and a crane that can move on the top edges of the side walls.

1 . A ship for conveying and setting up offshore structures having:
 a hull ( 2 ) with a U-shaped cross-section having an open stern ( 12 ) and projections ( 9 . 1 ,  9 . 2 ) of the side walls ( 4 . 1 ,  4 . 2 ) extending at the rear beyond the rear edge ( 8 ) of the floor ( 3 ),   jack-up leg systems ( 15 . 1 ,  15 . 2 ,  15 . 3 ,  15 . 4 ) integrated in the hull ( 2 ) having jack-up legs ( 16 . 1 ,  16 . 2 ,  16 . 3 ,  16 . 4 ), the bottom ends ( 18 ) of which can be moved in a vertical direction into positions below the floor ( 2 ), and   a crane ( 20 ) movable on the top edges ( 19 . 1 ,  19 . 2 ) of the side walls ( 4 . 1 ,  4 . 2 ).   
     
     
         2 . The ship according to  claim 1 , wherein the crane ( 20 ) has a crane bridge ( 22 ). 
     
     
         3 . The ship according to  claim 2 , wherein the crane is a portal crane ( 20 ) that bears the crane bridge ( 22 ) on supports ( 21 . 1 ,  21 . 2 ) that are movable on the top edges ( 19 . 1 ,  19 . 2 ) of the side walls ( 4 . 1 ,  4 . 2 ). 
     
     
         4 . The ship according to  claim 1 , wherein the side walls ( 4 . 1 ,  4 . 2 ) are cut out in the area of the projections ( 9 . 1 ,  9 . 2 ) on the bottom so that the bottom edge of the projections is disposed above the water line ( 11 ) of the hull ( 2 ) during the trip. 
     
     
         5 . The ship according to  claim 1  that, as a semi-submersible, is provided with ballast tanks integrated in the hull ( 2 ) and pumps to fill the ballast tanks with ballast water and/or pump out the ballast water from the ballast tanks. 
     
     
         6 . The ship according to  claim 1 , having three jack-up leg systems ( 15 . 1 ,  15 . 2 ,  15 . 3 ), wherein a jack-up leg system ( 15 . 1 ) on the mid-axis ( 17 ) is integrated in the front hull ( 2 ), and two additional jack-up leg systems ( 15 . 2 ,  15 . 3 ) are integrated in the rear hull ( 2 ) in the two sidewalls ( 4 . 1 ,  4 . 2 ). 
     
     
         7 . The ship according to  claim 1  having four jack-up leg systems ( 15 . 1 ,  15 . 2 ,  15 . 3 ,  15 . 4 ), wherein two opposing jack-up leg systems ( 15 . 1 ,  15 . 2 ) are integrated in the front in the hull ( 2 ) in the side walls ( 4 . 1 ,  4 . 2 ), and two additional opposing jack-up leg systems ( 15 . 3 ,  15 . 4 ) are integrated in the rear ( 2 ) in the sidewalls ( 4 . 1 ,  4 . 2 ). 
     
     
         8 . The ship according to  claim 1  having a deckhouse ( 6 ) arranged at the front on the hull ( 2 ). 
     
     
         9 . The ship according to  claim 1 , having a marine propeller drive and front and rear maneuvering aids. 
     
     
         10 . The ship according to  claim 1  having a dynamic positioning system. 
     
     
         11 . The ship according to  claim 1 , having devices for fixing foundations ( 23 . 1 ) and/or masts ( 23 . 2 ) of wind turbines ( 23 ) to the hull ( 2 ) in a vertical alignment. 
     
     
         12 . The ship according to  claim 1 , having seats for foundations ( 23 . 1 ) and/or masts ( 23 . 2 ) of wind turbines ( 23 ) and/or fastening devices for lashing systems. 
     
     
         13 . The ship according to  claim 1 , equipped with several foundations ( 23 . 1 ) or masts ( 23 . 2 ) of wind turbines ( 23 ) arranged sequentially in the direction of the ship's longitudinal axis, or alternating masts ( 23 . 2 ) and foundations ( 23 . 1 ) of wind turbines ( 23 ). 
     
     
         14 . The ship according to  claim 1  that is provided with a tailgate for closing the open stern ( 12 ). 
     
     
         15 . A method for conveying and setting up offshore structures with a ship according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the ship ( 1 ) is loaded with the offshore structures ( 23 ),   the loaded ship ( 1 ) is sailed to the setup site for the offshore structures ( 23 ),   the ship ( 1 ) is fixed to the ocean floor at the setup site using jack-up legs ( 16 ),   the offshore structures ( 23 ) are lowered with the crane ( 20 ) between the rear projections ( 9 . 1 ,  9 . 2 ) of the side walls ( 4 . 1 ,  4 . 2 ) at the setup site, and   the jack-up legs ( 16 ) are released from the ocean floor ( 24 ).   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein before loading, the ship ( 1 ) is fixed to the floor ( 27 ) of the harbor by means of jack-up legs ( 16 ), and after loading, the jack-up legs ( 16 ) are released from the floor ( 27 ) of the harbor. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the ship ( 1 ) is immersed more deeply when it is fixed to the floor of the ocean ( 24 ) by flooding the ballast tanks. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the ship ( 1 ) is lifted at least partially out of the water with the hull ( 2 ) by means of the jack-up legs ( 16 ). 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the ship is positioned by means of a dynamic positioning system at the setup site for the offshore structures ( 23 ) until the jack-up legs ( 16 ) are fixed in the ocean floor ( 24 ). 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the ship ( 1 ) is loaded with offshore structures ( 23 ) by moving the rear projections ( 9 . 1 ,  9 . 2 ) of the side walls ( 4 . 1 ,  4 . 2 ) of the ship ( 1 ) over a pier ( 25 ) so that the projections ( 9 . 1 ,  9 . 2 ) encompass a transfer site ( 26 ) for offshore structures ( 23 ), and the offshore structures ( 23 ) placed on the transfer site ( 26 ) can be picked up with the assistance of a crane ( 20 ) and placed on the hull ( 2 ). 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the ship ( 1 ) is loaded with wind turbines ( 23 ), and the wind turbines ( 23 ) are set up at the setup site. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the ship ( 1 ) is loaded with foundations ( 23 . 1 ) and/or masts ( 23 . 2 ) of vertically aligned wind turbines ( 23 ), and the foundations ( 23 . 1 ) and/or masts ( 23 . 2 ) of the wind turbines ( 23 ) are set up at the setup site. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein the ship ( 1 ) is loaded sequentially in a longitudinal direction with several foundations ( 23 . 1 ) of wind turbines ( 23 ) or several masts ( 23 . 2 ) of wind turbines ( 23 ), or alternating masts ( 23 . 2 ) and foundations ( 23 . 1 ) of wind turbines ( 23 ), and the foundations ( 23 . 1 ) are set up at the setup site, or the masts ( 23 . 2 ) of the wind turbines ( 23 ) are placed on foundations ( 23 . 1 ) of wind turbines ( 23 ), or alternatingly, foundations ( 23 . 1 ) are set up and the masts ( 23 . 2 ) are placed on them. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the hold of the ship is closed by a tailgate during the trip.