Grzegorz Rutkowski Akademia Morska w Gdyni NUMERICAL ANALYSIS OF THE CONTACT FORCES GENERATED ON A „HILOAD DP1” PROTOTYPE ATTACHMENT SYSTEM AT CALM SEA In this paper author describes the characteristics of a Hiload Technology installed on board „Hiload DP1” unit, known as the next-generation offshore loading solution (i.e. transferred buoy) for crude oil. The core technology was built up around the patented Remora Attachment System, which is similar to the Remora fish and equipped with a „suction cup”, known as „a based attachment system”, capable of transferring several thousand tons between the „Hiload DP1” unit and the connected object i.e. the bottom of a conventional tanker. In this paper author depicts the basic characteristics of a „Hiload DP1” prototype attachment system with the operational tests and the numerical analysis of a contact forces generated on such system at calm sea. Keywords: Hiload Technology, contact forces (static and dynamic), hydrostatic pressure, fiction forces, attachment system, offshore installations, DP systems. INTRODUCTION As the oil and gas industry moves into deeper and deeper waters, the need for an efficient system to offload crude oil from FPSOs to tankers is steadily increasing. Traditionally, offloading of crude oil from FPSOs to tankers is carried out either in tandem configuration or via a remote Single Point Mooring (SPM) buoy solution. Tandem operations are normally carried out by use of specially built Dynamically Positioned (DP) tankers or with conventional tankers along with the use of several tugs in order to keep the tanker at a safe distance from the FPSO. Furthermore, oil transportation and trading are becoming more international, where oil companies tend to seek solutions that allow for conventional oil tankers to offload directly from FPSOs and transport the crude oil directly to the market. The ideas behind the DP vessel is to use the features and experience gained from using purpose-built shuttle tankers in the North Sea and basically incorporate these on any conventional tanker during offloading operations. North Sea shuttle tankers are all equipped with dynamic positioning, specialized equipment for mooring and hose connection and extensive safety systems. Unfortunately, most of the conventional tankers referred to are not equipped with any special means for offshore loading, other than mooring brackets on the bow and a hose handling crane amidships. All these tankers are therefore