MacGregor Advances Floating-to-Floating Transfer and LCO2 Systems

MacGregor has expanded its offshore technology portfolio with a certified floating-to-floating personnel transfer capability for its Horizon gangway and a new bow transfer system designed for direct ship-to-well transfer of LCO2.

The Horizon gangway has received DNV certification under DNV-ST-0358 for floating-to-floating personnel transfers following a successful sea acceptance test. The certification enables motion-compensated connections between two vessels moving independently, allowing personnel to transfer between floating assets without a fixed landing point.

The capability is designed for applications including FPSOs, floating rigs, floating wind arrays and offshore service fleets. It can allow crew changes and service operations to be carried out at sea rather than being scheduled around port calls.

The system uses a purpose-designed flap at the gangway tip instead of the conventional docking head used for fixed structures. LiDAR-based relative-motion tracking provides real-time input to the gangway's motion-compensation system to maintain the connection as both vessels move.

Floating-to-floating capability is an extension of MacGregor's existing Horizon gangway family and can be retrofitted or upgraded on units already in operation.

Separately, MacGregor has developed a Liquid Carbon Dioxide (LCO2) Bow Transfer System (BTS) designed to enable direct ship-to-well and ship-to-rig transfer of LCO2 between carriers and offshore injection facilities.