Manoeuvring system for a vessel

Abstract

According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided a manoeuvring system comprising at least one unit comprising a channel having a longitudinal axis and comprising at least one water intake opening, at least one water nozzle arranged within the channel and configured to guide a water flow through the at least one water intake opening at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis and in a plane perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the Earth’s normal, at least one piping connected to the channel at a first end and connected to the at least one water nozzle at a second end, and at least one pump arranged between the first end and the second end and configured to control a water flow through the at least one water nozzle.

Description

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. An arrangement comprising a vessel and a manoeuvring system, wherein the manoeuvring system comprises a first unit fixedly attached to a hull of the vessel at the port side in the proximity of a stern of the vessel,a second unit fixedly attached to the hull of the vessel at the starboard side in the proximity of the stern of the vessel,a third unit fixedly attached to the hull of the vessel at the port side in the proximity of a bow of the vessel, anda fourth unit fixedly attached to the hull of the vessel at the starboard side in the proximity of the bow of the vessel, and wherein each unit comprises: a recess in the hull having only one water intake opening,a water nozzle arranged within the recess and configured to guide a water flow through the water intake opening at an angle greater or less than 90 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis of the vessel in a horizontal plane,a piping connected to the recess at a first end and connected to the water nozzle at a second end, anda pump arranged between the first end and the second end and configured to control a water flow through the water nozzle.

17. The arrangement according to claim 16, wherein the manoeuvring system comprises a processing unit comprising at least one processing core and at least one memory including computer program code.

18. The arrangement according to claim 16, wherein the manoeuvring system comprises a user interface.

19. The arrangement according to claim 16, wherein the manoeuvring system comprises a receiver configured to wirelessly receive data from a node.

20. The arrangement according to claim 16, wherein the manoeuvring system comprises a receiver configured to receive a position indication from an external positioning system.

21. The arrangement according to claim 16, wherein the manoeuvring system comprises a transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit data to a node.

22. The arrangement according to claim 16, wherein the manoeuvring system comprises at least one first sensor configured to determine a direction of movement of a vessel.

23. The arrangement according to claim 16, wherein the manoeuvring system comprises at least one second sensor configured to monitor a state of motion of a vessel.

24. The arrangement according to claim 16, wherein the manoeuvring system comprises at least one of the following: a magnetometer, a gyroscope, an accelerometer, a three-dimensional mapping sensor, a LIDAR, a LASER sensor, an ultrasound sensor, a three-dimensional video sensor, a two-dimensional video sensor, a location sensor, a GPS, an AGPS, a parking radar, a docking radar, an acceleration sensor, a wind sensor, and a water pressure sensor.

25. The arrangement according to claim 16, wherein the manoeuvring system is capable of moving the vessel: forwards,backwards,to the starboard sideto the port side,forwards and to the starboard side,forwards and to the port side,backwards and to the starboard side, orbackwards and to the port side.

26. The arrangement according to claim 16, wherein the manoeuvring system is capable of clockwise or anti-clockwise rotating the vessel around a vertical axis.

27. Use of the arrangement according to claim 16 in connection with mooring of the vessel, compensating a motion of the vessel caused by an external force, keeping position of the vessel, moving the vessel into a required direction, or preventing collision of the vessel with an object.

28. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a set of computer implementable instructions capable of causing a processor, in connection with the arrangement according to claim 16, to: receive a user input from a user via a user interface, receive a signal from at least one sensor and/or receive a signal from an external positioning system,calculate a required water flow through at least one water nozzle of the manoeuvring system, andtransmit a control signal to at least one pump of the units.