Compact Underwater Fairlead (CUF)

Benefits

The compact under water fairlead was designed to be mounted on a top loaded suction pile thus enabling all tensioning operations to be carried out away from the vessel. The vessel connection can therefore be simplified to a BTC or similar. This both simplifies the vessel geometry and allows the deck space to be fully utilised for the vessel’s main purpose. It also minimises the risk of collision between the  vessel to be moored and the tensioning/installation vessels.

Because the tensioning is done at the anchor using the anchor chain, the rest of the mooring line design has very little restrictions. The excess chain created after tensioning can be laid down on the seabed. Therefore there is no need to cut excess links and the excess links do not create an unwanted clump weight effect in the mooring line.

If used in combination with a BTC or similar then the entire mooring line can be replaced easily whilst keeping the anchors in place.

There are multiple variations of what can be achieved. The example shown is from Bangladesh where water depth is so shallow that the only location to tension is at the suction pile. The dual axis joint at the interface with the anchor accommodates motions in horizontal and vertical planes.

Features

• The CUF can be split at the anchor using an SMC (as shown), or drop in trunnion mounts.
• It has a dual axis joint to accommodate any mooring line motions.
• The Fairlead can be supplied with a pocketed or plain chain wheel.
• Simple and robust chain stopper.
• Optional Mudmat.

Specifications

The CUF is a scalable and configurable connection solution. Please contact us with your MBL and Anchor requirements.