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 retained, preferably lifted from the seabed by arms 14 having clamps 16 as the cutaway figure shows. The cable may thus be repaired out of the water by being in the air pocket. Preferably the enclosure can receive humans and may have multiple chambers separated by doors (figure 17) The enclosure may movable over the seabed by tracks 32,33 and/or may have four support 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 may enter the enclosure via apertures 35 in the enclosure sidewalls 27 that may have tapering channels 36 with an open bottom (figures 1-11) or alternatively via seal means (figures 12-24) fitting in the apertures.