Offshore tanker loading and unloading apparatus

Claim 1

IN APPARATUS FOR TRANSFER OF FLUID BETWEEN A MARINE TANKER MOORED AT A PREDETERMINED OFFSHORE LOCATION AND A SHORE STATION HAVING SUBMARINE PIPING DIRECTED TOWARD SAID OFFSHORE LOCATION, IN COMBINATION, AN INTERMEDIATE CONNECTING STATION RETAINED OFFSHORE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO SAID TANKER LOCATION INCLUDING A HULL WITH A VERTICAL SIDE STRUCTURE ADAPTED TO OPERATIONALLY ABUT A SIDE OF SAID TANKER IN VERTICALLY AND HORIZONTALLY GUIDED RELATION THROUGHOUT A SUBSTANTIAL AREA OF SAID TANKER SIDE AND FURTHER INCLUDING A PIPING SYSTEM SECURED TO SAID HULL, MEANS TO RAISE AND LOWER SAID INTERMEDIATE STATION IN OPERATIVE CONCERT WITH CHANGES IN DRAFT OF SAID TANKER, MEANS TO SECURE SAID HULL TO SAID TANKER SIDE IN SAID ABUTTED GUIDED RELATION, YIELDABLE SUBMARINE TRANSFER MEANS CONNECTING SAID SUBMARINE PIPING TO SAID PIPING SYSTEM OF SAID INTERMEDIATE STATION, AND FLEXIBLE HOSE MEANS CARRIED ABOVE WATER BY SAID INTERMEDIATE STATION AND ADAPTED TO BE ATTACHED TO THE PIPING SYSTEM OF SAID TANKER FOR CONNECTING THE SAME TO SAID PIPING SYSTEM OF SAID INTERMEDIATE STATION, WHEREBY FLUID TRANSFER COMMUNICATION MAY BE COMPLETED BETWEEN SAID TANKER AND SHORE ESTABLISHMENT THROUGH SAID INTERMEDIATE STATION.