Design Issues for Connecting Two Floating Structures

The proposed paper shall list and present the issues from a mooring and hydrodynamic point of view relative to the design of a floating structure connected to another floating structure in surface and to the seabed with traditional anchoring legs, such as a Flotel with an F(P)SO. The paper will propose tentative ways to properly design the connections between the two floating structures which will limit their relative excursions in order to allow the setting of a gangway between them. In addition, the design should forbid at any time any potential contact between the two structures in intact and damage conditions, and should trigger at any time acceptable tensions in the various anchoring and mooring systems. The paper will address the appropriate mooring and hydrodynamic analysis to be used for such exercise. Safety issues such as quick disconnection in case of fire are investigated. Operational issues are to be discussed as well.