4 ms·

They plan to use high-speed ferries, not helicopters.

• beerandt 6y ago
  Re-read his comment. Boat to rig personnel xfer is usually done by a crane/basket lift. In this case, the helipad is just where they drop the basket, since it's already a designated clear zone.
  • rtkwe 6y ago
    For a passenger port though they'll probably come up with something different. Not sure if there's anything preventing a fairly normal dock from being added to the rig at water level with an elevator to take people to the main levels along on of the legs.
    • beerandt 6y ago
      Among other reasons, waves. The boat moves, the rig doesn't. If docks were feasible, they'd use them on existing floaters. They don't.
      • rtkwe 6y ago
        Most rigs don't receive large amounts of visitors either so the high cost and low volume of helicopter rides makes sense. A rig working as a rocket port needs to move more people through it so the economics of figuring out a dock makes more sense. Also they have the tech with actively stabilized gangplanks to make the link between the more stable rig and the docks.
  • jessriedel 6y ago
    The point still stands. If you're handling a thousand passengers per day, you will obviously have more efficient transfers options than if you're operating an oil rig doing occasional personnel transfers. It's not a serious objection.