Sea chest maintenance access trunk

Abstract

The embodiments disclosed herein provide a sea chest maintenance access trunk to a sea chest positioned within a vessel. The access trunk is in fluid communication with the sea chest. A watertight closure is selectively opened or closed and is positioned above the waterline to prevent fluid from entering the vessel when in an open configuration. It also permits diver or ROV access to the sea chest when in an open configuration.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sea chest maintenance access trunk, comprising:
 a sea chest positioned within a vessel;   an access trunk in fluid communication with the sea chest;   
       a watertight closure is selectively opened or closed and is positioned above the waterline to prevent fluid from entering the vessel when in an open configuration. It also permits diver or ROV access to the sea chest when in an open configuration. 
     
     
         2 . The sea chest maintenance access trunk of  claim 1 , wherein watertight closure is configured as a door. 
     
     
         3 . The sea chest maintenance access trunk of  claim 1 , wherein watertight closure is configured as an access plate. 
     
     
         4 . The sea chest maintenance access trunk of  claim 2 , wherein the watertight closure permits the selective opening and closing of the door for use by a diver. 
     
     
         5 . The sea chest maintenance access trunk of  claim 1 , wherein the watertight closure permits the selective opening and closing of the door for use by an ROV. 
     
     
         6 . The sea chest maintenance access trunk of  claim 1 , wherein the watertight closure permits the utilization of an umbilical for the diver or the ROV. 
     
     
         7 . The sea chest maintenance access trunk of  claim 1 , wherein the umbilical is utilized to provide services to the diver or the ROV. 
     
     
         8 . The sea chest maintenance access trunk of  claim 1 , wherein the sea chest maintenance access trunk facilitates cleaning, pipe plugging, repair of flushing and blowing arrangements, and renewal of anodes. 
     
     
         9 . The sea chest maintenance access trunk of  claim 1 , by using the sea chest maintenance access trunk to gain access to the inside of the sea chest for maintenance activities it allows for physical protection of the diver or the ROV. 
     
     
         10 . The sea chest maintenance access trunk of  claim 1 , by using the sea chest maintenance access trunk to gain access to the inside of the sea chest for maintenance activities it allows for protection of the diver or the ROV from currents. 
     
     
         11 . A sea chest maintenance access trunk, comprising:
 one or more sea chests positioned within a vessel;   an access trunk associated with each of the one or more sea chests, the access trunk in fluid communication with the sea chest;   
     
     
         12 . a watertight closure is selectively opened or closed and is positioned above the waterline to prevent fluid from entering the vessel when in an open configuration. It also permits diver or ROV access to the sea chest when in an open configuration. The sea chest maintenance access trunk of  claim 11 , wherein watertight closure is configured as a door. 
     
     
         13 . The sea chest maintenance access trunk of  claim 12 , wherein watertight closure is configured as an access plate. 
     
     
         14 . The sea chest maintenance access trunk of  claim 13 , wherein the watertight closure permits the selective opening and closing of the door for use by a diver. 
     
     
         15 . The sea chest maintenance access trunk of  claim 14 , wherein the watertight closure permits the selective opening and closing of the door for use by an ROV. 
     
     
         16 . The sea chest maintenance access trunk of  claim 15 , wherein the watertight closure permits the utilization of an umbilical for the diver or the ROV. 
     
     
         17 . The sea chest maintenance access trunk of  claim 16 , wherein the umbilical is utilized to provide services to the diver or the ROV. 
     
     
         18 . The sea chest maintenance access trunk of  claim 17 , wherein the watertight closure permits the selective opening and closing of the door for use by a diver.