The Solution
In-order-for our client, DEEPOCEAN to deliver the cable from carousel to seabed, the leading edge of the chute was to be deployed part-submerged while on location due to the MBR of the cable. This presented the designers with some challenges as the vessel could not sail while the chute was in the water. Thus, they needed to design the chute so it could be removed while sailing to and from the field. Therefore, a complex hinge arrangement was designed to allow the chute to be lifted from the water during transit. This hinge encompassed high tolerance machined components which is not easy to achieve on large fabrications that are fixed to a ship's deck.
Daily client inspections were carried out during the fabrication to ensure the mobilisation run smoothly. Particular attention was paid to the inner smoothness of the cute due to past issues of cable damage.