A submersible habitat for the repair of subsea cable

摘要

A submarine habitat 10 for the repair of subsea cables 11, has a cable maintenance environment 12 that is preferably a pressurised (45 figures 1-4), open bottom enclosure to give an air pocket in to which a portion of the subsea cable under repair 13 is lifted from the seabed, preferably by arms 14 having clamps 16 as the cutaway figure shows. The advantage is that repair work can be done on an integral part of the subsea cable without lifting it above the sea surface, the work instead done near the seabed but above the water level 22 in the enclosure. Preferably the enclosure can receive humans. The enclosure may movable over the seabed on tracks 32,33 and may have four legs 25, 26 to allow the enclosure to be lifted and lowered (see also figures 1-4). The legs may be connected with actuators and rail guide means 28, 30 so that the enclosure can move laterally relative to the elongate cable and tracks (see figures 10-11). The cable can enter the enclosure via apertures 35 in the enclosure sidewalls 27 that may have tapering channels 36 with an open bottom (see also .