Single buoy mooring

They are capable of handling any tonnage ship, even very large crude carriers (VLCC) where no alternative facility is available.

In shallow water SPMs are used to load and unload crude oil and refined products from inshore and offshore oilfields or refineries, usually through some form of storage system.

The buoy body may be supported on static legs attached to the seabed, with a rotating part above water level connected to the (off)loading tanker.

The moored tanker can freely weather vane around the buoy and find a stable position due to this arrangement.

The hawser arrangement usually consist of nylon rope, which is shackled to an integrated mooring uni-joint on the buoy deck.

The basic product transfer system components are: The risers are flexible hoses that connect the subsea piping to the buoy.

Configuration of these risers can vary depending on water depth, sea conditions, buoy motions, etc.

Other possible components of SPMs are: A commonly used configuration is the catenary anchor leg mooring (CALM), which can be capable of handling very large crude carriers.

The flexible hose riser may be in one of three basic configurations, all designed to accommodate tidal depth variation and lateral displacement due to mooring loads.