Self propelled dynamically positioned reel pipe laying ship

Abstract

A self propelled reel pipelaying ship, having forward, midship, and stern sections, and baseline, tank top, and main deck levels, comprising substantially longitudinal outer hull members and port and starboard side inner longitudinal bulkheads, each extending substantially the length of the ship, the hull members and bulkheads extending from the baseline to the main deck level in the forward and stern sections and, in the midship section, substantially above the main deck level, substantially horizontal transverse midship structural members extending between the top portions of the raised midship sections of the outer hull members and inner longitudinal bulkheads, intermediate substantially horizontal transverse members extending between the outer hull members and inner longitudinal bulkheads and vertically spaced between the tank top and midship structural members wherein the midship portions of the outer hull members and inner longitudinal bulkheads, the transverse midship structural members and the intermediate transverse members together comprise a reel support structure, and means for rotatably mounting a pipe-carrying reel to the reel support structure such that the load of the reel is distributed downwardly and outwardly, both longitudinally and transversely through the ship to maintain the stress on primary structural members of the ship within allowable stress limits for the materials used in the construction of said primary structural members.