In the past offshore supply vessels were equipped with low bulwark and open cargo rails, resulting in sea water on deck created the very dangerous situations onboard regarding personnel safety handling deck cargo onboard and between the vessel and platforms. After the high type cargo rail trunk was introduced, the experience shows that the need for deck cargo securing has declined substantially as the sea water very seldom enters deck in an amount big enough to create the most dangerous situations. Floating containers combined with the vessel's rolling and pitching in rough seas is however still a tough challenge for personnel involved.

The safety hooks that are in use today require the depression of a release lever and then lifting the unloaded hook to allow it swing open. This operation is currently done by one of the deck crew while the other member of the team is ready to attach or remove the ring. In this process it is observed that the crew does this task by supporting the hook or ring and rigging against their bodies in addition to using their hands to manipulate the parts. The process takes only a few seconds to accomplish.

The rigging tasks that are required to handle deck cargo today are typically done by two men, who with four hands acquire the hook and load ring and accomplish the load hook-up or disconnect the same.

It is therefore an object for the present invention to eliminate risky operations involving personnel, in other words to replace personnel on deck with mechanical handling means performing the same tasks. This is achieved with the system for safe cargo handling onboard vessels offshore according to the present invention as defined by the features stated in the claims.

The drawing discloses in figure 1 an over all view of a typical vessel deck equipped for the handling system according to the invention, and figure 2 discloses in more detail a gantry crane.

The system for safe cargo handling onboard vessels offshore comprises a system for mechanical handling of especially containers, a system for handling hoses and connections and a system for remote control of manipulator operating said systems, all onboard a vessel offshore.

Regarding deck cargo handling no substantial change to the rigging hardware is required, nor will there be necessary to make major modifications on cargo hose, cargo hose connector, platform hose handling operation, container and container lifting devices.

From a practical standpoint, changes to hooks or placement of rigging in holders should

be considered in order to simplify tooling operations. The responsibilities remain the same for the manipulator system that must perform the same tasks with two hands as previously were performed by two crew members with four hands. A manipulator system will accomplish these tasks with far greater safety and maintain reasonable productivity.

The following vessel modifications and equipment implementation cargo rail modifications, hose connection point, installation of new equipment replacing manual deck handling, platform crane hook and platform crane hook gyro stabilizer.

As the deck conditions and environment, lifting devices, hooks etc are developed and adapted for human handling, it is an object for the present invention remotely to operate the mechanical handling equipment at the same speed and handling quality.

The vessel is equipped with a gantry rail 1 at each side. Each gantry rail 1 comprising a hinged rail section 2. Running on each gantry rail 1 is a gantry crane 5 able to run along the entire length of the gantry rail 1 when the hinged rail section 2 is closed.

Each gantry crane 5 comprises a gantry carriage 3 running on the gantry rails 1. Secured to the gantry carriage 3 is a pivotable gantry boom 4, the two gantry booms 4 on each gantry rail 1 covering together the entire vessel deck.

On each gantry boom 4 run two manipulator carriages 6 to each of which a pivotable manipulator base 7 is secured. Articulated to the manipulator base 7 is an upper manipulator arm 8 which again is articulated to a lower manipulator arm 9 onto which is articulated a manipulator rotary link 10, a manipulator universal link 11 and a manipulator gripper 12. The pivotal gantry booms 4 have the capability of rotating 240°, 30° outside the ship side both ahead and astern.

The manipulator carriages 6 are running along the gantry booms 4. The manipulator base 7 can turn horizontally 360°, the upper manipulator arm 8 can turn vertically 180°, the lower manipulator arm 9 can turn vertically 180°, the manipulator rotary link 10 can turn 360° and the manipulator universal link 11 can turn 30° both in directions around the two perpendicular axes. The manipulator gripper 12 opens 100 mm.

On each gantry boom 4 runs a remotely controlled wire catcher carriage 16 each with a wire catcher 17.

As to the system for handling hoses and hose connection one horse shoe hose chute 14 and one hose securing device 15 are arranged in each hinged rail section 2, being operable when the hinged rail section 2 is turned away from the gantry rail 1.

The system comprises the following main features cargo rail on each side of the vessel with built in rail for gantry crane carriages, mid-ship hose receiver and securing system on each side of the vessel, inwardly hinged gantry rail for access to hose receivers 14 on both sides, two gantry cranes, four remotely operated manipulators; two for each gantry crane 5, two wire catchers; one each gantry crane, 4-8 cargo securing winches 13, remotely released platform crane hook and remotely operated gyro suspension in platform crane wire.

The system for safe cargo handling is intended to be run by two operators during deck cargo handling and during hose receiving, connecting and disconnecting. Two manipulators will normally be operated simultaneously by one trained personnel using a "force feed back"control system. One personnel will be needed for manual operations; connecting and disconnecting hoses from safe spot inside the cargo rail.

On top of the present normal"box"construction cargo rail, pipes arranged section-wise in a square constitute the base guide rail for the gantry cranes 5. A section 2 of approx 1,8 m of the gantry rail, located mid-ships, is hinged inwards for access to below hose receiver. The section 2 is remotely operated. Before operating this hinged section 2, the gantry cranes 5 must be located on either side of the hinged part, and is restricted to operate either ahead or astern of the section 2 when the gantry rail 1 is open.

The hinged part 2 of the gantry rail 1 is hydraulically interlocked with the fixed part.

The cargo hose reception and securing system, cargo hose connectors and connection tool, platform hose handling operation, container design and execution, container lifting device and connection of both gantry cranes for heavier operations.

The hose receiver is formed as a horse-shoe multi-chute bed 14 with hydraulically operated securing devices. A securing device 15 squeeze the hose against the chute 14 and are operated one by one. When all hoses are secured and connected, the securing device 15 will be partly de-tensioned to allow hoses to expand during loading and un-loading.

The wire catcher device contains the wire catcher carriage 16, a rotating base and two wire catcher arms 17.

The wire catcher carriage 16 runs on the upper part of the gantry crane boom 4.

The rotating base has the capability of 360° rotation. The arms 17 open approximately 90° for easy wire catching.

Four or up to eight remotely operated cargo securing winches 13 with brake and wire release are installed in the cargo rails. For securing deck load, the manipulator pulls the wire from one winch 13 around the deck cargo to be secured and to a hook up point in the cargo rail. The wire is tensioned by operating the cargo securing winches 13. The wire tension will be maintained during the journey.

There are several important features that maximize productivity and make the operation of these systems straightforward and instinctive with minimal training.

Force reflection (force feedback) is incorporated so that a portion of the payload weight and the system inertial forces are fed back into the operator's control handle. This is an essential feature, which enables fine hand machine coordination and protects the equipment and the payload from inadvertent excess force. The operator may adjust the force feedback to suit the working conditions.

Dynamic compliance allows the slave to yield to external forces if the operator so desires. By relaxing his grip on the master control, the slave will comply with the load but

remain under the control of the operator. This is important for load placement, alignment and different difficult precision tasks.

The manipulators should be operated from the bridge, ensuring the operator overall view through the window without any technical remedies except desk lights.

Cameras and lights placed on the pivoting manipulator base under the manipulator carriage provides close up vision.

To protect the safe cargo handling system itself, certain safety and limiting devices to be evaluated gantry crane longitudinal movement related to open gantry rail, opening of gantry rail related to gantry crane position, load limiting related to gantry boom direction, load limiting related to manipulator position and orientation and transversal connecting of gantries for higher capacities The manipulator systems including the gantry systems are hydraulically powered.

This power would be provided by the ships central system or from a modular stand alone package for each system.

A typical hose connection operation onboard a vessel offshore may include the following activities. The starboard side of the vessel is aligned along the platform side, the starboard gantry crane are moved from a fore position to a position approx 15 m from mid-ships manifold, the starboard gantry crane boom is moved 90° inward from the ship side, the starboard manipulator close to the rail are pointing inwardly, the PRT manipulator close to gantry end pointing outward, the starboard gantry crane rail mid- section opens inward 90°, the hose end connected in platform crane hook, the platform crane places hose in hose chute in the rail, starboard manipulator swings outward closer to hose chute, starboard gantry runs astern to close up against hose chute, the gantry can not run closer to rail hinge than 1 meter, the starboard manipulator arm helps hose into chute, the hose securing device is activated, the platform crane place cargo hose end on deck, the crane hook is remotely released, the crane hook is lifted away and out of sight, the starboard manipulator arm positions for hose end re-arrangement, the starboard manipulator grips hose end and place hose end towards cargo rail on deck; loop on deck, the starboard manipulator moves forward approx 5 metres, the rail hinge closes and locks, the deck hand connects hose end inside cargo rail base and the cargo pumping can start.

Unloading a container from the vessel to a platform may comprise the following operations. Video shows deck with two containers, different containers sizes, platform crane hook arrives on deck on starboard side of the vessel close to one container, wire loop on deck, the starboard gantry pointing inwards positions close to crane wire, the starboard wire catcher positions and opens to prepare for action, the starboard gantry runs into the crane wire with open wire catcher, the wire catcher closes and limits wire movement, the starboard manipulator catches container lifting device ring, the PRT manipulator catches the crane hook on deck and connect it to the ring, the wire catcher

releases, manipulators and gantry crane moves away from platform crane wire and the container is lifted off deck.

Receipt of deck cargo from a platform may comprise the following operations, container is positioned above deck, the gyro stabilizer rotates container into position, the platform crane places the container on deck, the platform crane hook is released and the crane hook is lifted off deck and disappears into the air.

Disconnecting cargo hoses may comprise the following operations. The starboard gantry moves to a position 10 metres ahead of manifold, the deck hand disconnects the hose, the starboard manipulator connects platform crane hook to cargo hose end, the starboard manipulator moves to safe position at least 15 metres from manifold area, the rail hinge interlock opens and rail hinge swings inward, the hose securing device releases the hose, the hose is lifted off deck by platform crane and hoisted into the air, the rail hinge 2 closes and interlocks and the gantry crane 5 moves to parked position.