Method of and system for hauling a marine equipment unit, a marine equipment unit and a carrier

Abstract

The present document describes a method of hauling an equipment unit from the water onto a carrier. The carrier comprises a hauling ramp, which is arranged for being extended from a loading area into the water. The carrier further includes a first winch, and a suspension structure arranged for being extended outside the carrier over the water and over the hauling ramp. The suspension structure comprises a second winch. The method comprising the steps of: releasing, by the equipment unit, a hauling buoy. The hauling buoy is connected to a tow line extending from the equipment unit, and to a lift line extending from a lifting point on the unit. The method comprises a further step of recovering the hauling buoy from the water, connecting the tow line to the first winch and connecting the lift line to the second winch. Then, the equipment unit is hauled by towing it onto the hauling ramp using the first winch, while simultaneously guiding the equipment unit using the second winch. The method is in particular useful for hauling of an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) during bad weather conditions at sea. The document also describes the equipment unit and a system for hauling that can be installed on a carrier, as well as a carrier comprising such a system.

1 . A method of hauling an equipment unit from water onto a carrier, the carrier including a first winch configured to tow the equipment unit towards the carrier, and a suspension structure including a second winch and configured to extend outside the carrier,
 releasing, a hauling buoy from the equipment unit, wherein the hauling buoy is connected to a tow line extending from the equipment unit and connected to a lift line extending from a lifting point on the equipment unit;   connecting the tow line to the first winch and connecting the lift line to the second winch; and   hauling the equipment unit by towing the equipment unit towards the carrier using the first winch, and by guiding the equipment unit using the second winch.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the guiding of the equipment unit is performed by operating the second winch to maintain tension in the lift line exerted onto the lift point. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the guiding of the equipment unit further comprising:
 aligning, by a guiding structure, the equipment unit in a preferred alignment direction, wherein the guiding structure is suspended from the suspension structure.   
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the guiding structure is suspended from the suspension structure by an extendable and retractable arm, the guiding structure being fixed to an end of the extendable and retractable arm. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the carrier comprises a hauling ramp extended or configured to be extended from a loading area on the carrier into the water, wherein the guiding of the equipment unit is performed by operating the second winch to lift at least a part of the equipment unit to a level above a loading plane of the hauling ramp. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the second winch is operated to lift the equipment unit out of the water during the towing. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the equipment unit is at least one element of a group comprising: an autonomous underwater vehicle, a para vane, water kite, an autonomous surface vehicle, a towed vehicle or an air gun array. 
     
     
         8 . A marine equipment unit comprising:
 a front part and a housing, the equipment unit comprising hauling buoy, a tow line and a lift line, wherein the hauling buoy is launchable for releasing thereof by the equipment unit, the marine equipment unit further comprising a control unit for operating said launching of the hauling buoy, and wherein one end of the tow line and one end of the lift line is connected to the hauling buoy for being releasable with the hauling buoy, and wherein the tow line is further connected to the front part of the equipment unit, and the lift line is further connected to a lifting point on the equipment unit.   
     
     
         9 . The marine equipment unit according to  claim 8 , wherein the lifting point is located at the front part of the marine equipment unit. 
     
     
         10 . The marine equipment unit according to  claim 8 , wherein the lifting point is located approximately at the mass center of the marine equipment unit. 
     
     
         11 . The marine equipment unit according to  claim 8 , wherein the hauling buoy is formed to close an opening in the housing, the opening providing access to a line storage cabinet inside the marine equipment unit or external tow storage pouch wherein the tow line and the lift line are stored prior to release of the hauling buoy. 
     
     
         12 . The marine equipment unit according to  claim 11 , wherein the hauling buoy at least partly defines an outer shape of the front part of the marine equipment unit for complementing a shape defined by the housing. 
     
     
         13 . The marine equipment unit according to  claim 8 , wherein the marine equipment unit is at least one element of a group comprising: an autonomous underwater vehicle, a para vane, water kite, an autonomous surface vehicle, a towed vehicle or an air gun array unit. 
     
     
         14 . A marine equipment hauling system for use on a carrier and configured to haul a marine equipment unit onboard the carrier, the system comprising:
 a first winch connected to a tow line of the marine equipment unit and being configured to tow the marine equipment unit towards a hauling ramp,   a suspension structure configured to extend over water,   a second winch located on the suspension structure and connected to a lift line of the marine equipment unit, and   a control unit configured to operate the first winch and the second winch in a cooperative manner to haul the marine equipment unit by towing the marine equipment unit towards the carrier using the first winch and guiding the marine equipment unit using the second winch.   
     
     
         15 . The marine equipment hauling system according to  claim 14 , wherein the suspension structure comprises an extendable and retractable arm, configured to suspend from an in use upper part of the suspension structure, and a guiding structure connected to an end of the extendable and retractable arm, and configured to receive the marine equipment unit for aligning thereof in a preferred alignment direction during hauling. 
     
     
         16 . The marine equipment hauling system according to  claim 14 , wherein the second winch is installed on a slidable beam or trolley system of the suspension structure. 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . The marine equipment hauling system according to  claim 15 , wherein the extendable and retractable arm comprising at least one of: a telescopic arm, a sliding boom, or a crane arm.