Cargo Transfer from Offshore Supply Vessels to Large Deck Vessels

There is a range of hydraulic extending-boom and knuckle-boom cranes in use on marine vessels. These cranes are often used in dynamic motion environments for cargo transfer and small boat handling. The purpose of this research is to improve the performance of hydraulic marine cranes in the dynamic offshore environment. The effort will begin with the analysis and a design process for implementing pendulation and motion control on any crane. This will include the development of a Modular Crane Control System (MCCS)"kit"including refinement of the key subsystems (sensors, actuation and algorithms). At the conclusion, the objective is to have a fully functioning MCCS system demonstrating ship motion cancellation, active payload damping on an articulated crane similar to those currently deployed on numerous U.S. Navy and civilian ships.