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A disconnectable mooring system for connecting an LNG carrier vessel to a permanently moored LNG liquefaction process vessel in combination with an LNG offloading system. One end of a mooring yoke is suspended from a frame at the stern of the LNG process vessel. A male coupler is mounted to an oppos

A disconnectable mooring system for connecting an LNG carrier vessel to a permanently moored LNG liquefaction process vessel in combination with an LNG offloading system. One end of a mooring yoke is suspended from a frame at the stern of the LNG process vessel. A male coupler is mounted to an opposite end of the mooring yoke via a universal joint. A female coupler is mounted on the LNG carrier vessel, with pull-in arrangements for pulling the LNG carrier vessel into position and the male coupler into selective coupling with the female coupler.

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1. A combined mooring and fluid transfer arrangement between an LNG process vessel (1) and an LNG carrier (2) wherein,said mooring arrangement includes, a yoke (3) selectively disconnectably coupled between said LNG process vessel (1) and said LNG carrier (2) and having first and second ends with a

1. A combined mooring and fluid transfer arrangement between an LNG process vessel (1) and an LNG carrier (2) wherein,said mooring arrangement includes, a yoke (3) selectively disconnectably coupled between said LNG process vessel (1) and said LNG carrier (2) and having first and second ends with a non-disconnectable coupling arrangement at said first end, and a disconnectable coupling arrangement at said second end, and said fluid transfer arrangement includes, a boom (4) rotatably mounted on said LNG process vessel (1), a pantograph pipe arrangement (6) including a coupling head (30) carried by said boom, a first fluid conduit (40) running from said LNG process vessel via said boom to said pantograph pipe arrangement to said coupling head, an LNG pipe disconnectable coupler (5) mounted on said LNG carrier (2) which is arranged and designed to be selectively connected or disconnected with said coupling head (30), and a second fluid conduit (16) running from said disconnectable coupler to a second fluid conduit on said LNG carrier. 2. The combined mooring and fluid transfer arrangement of claim 1 wherein,said disconnectable coupling arrangement includes a first coupling member (25) mounted on said yoke (3) and a second coupling member (11) mounted on said LNG carrier (2); said first and second coupling members arranged and designed for selective connection with each other and disconnection from each other. 3. The combined mooring and fluid transfer arrangement of claim 2, wherein,said yoke (3) has two yoke arms (27) each having first and second ends, with said second ends of said yoke arms (27) connected to each other and coupled to said first coupling member (25) via a universal joint, with said first ends of said arms connected by a loading pipe (16), and said non-disconnectable coupling arrangement includes first and second suspension members (23) coupled between said LNG process vessel (1) and said first and second yoke arms (27) at locations of said first and second arms (27) which are between said loading pipe (16) and said first coupling member (25). 4. The arrangement of claim 3 wherein,said first and second suspension members (23) are respective first and second compression member links each connected at their top and bottom ends respectively to said LNG carrier (1) and to said first and second yoke arms (27) by universal joints (18, 17). 5. The arrangement of claim 3 wherein,said first and second suspension members (23) are connected at said locations on said first and second yoke arms (27) which are generally inward of a center of gravity line (26) of said yoke (3) so that said second ends of said yoke arms rotate toward sea surface when said first coupling member (25) is disconnected from said second coupling member (11). 6. The arrangement of claim 3 wherein,said first and second suspension members (23) are coupled to said LNG process vessel (1) via a frame (19) extending outwardly from said LNG process vessel (1). 7. The arrangement of claim 2 wherein,said first coupling member (25) is a male connection member, said second coupling member (11) is a female connection member and said disconnectable coupling arrangement further includes a winch (13) mounted on said LNG carrier (2) and a line (12) which extends from said winch (13) through said female connection member and is selectively coupled to said male connection member, wherein said winch (13), line (12) and female connection member are cooperatively designed so that said male connection member can be pulled into said female connection member for selective connection or disconnection. 8. The arrangement of claim 7 wherein,said second end of said yoke is arranged and designed to float on a sea surface when said first coupling member (25) is disconnected from said second coupling member (11). 9. A mooring arrangement between a first vessel (1) and a second vessel (2) comprising,a yoke (3) selectively disconnectably coupled between said first and second vessels, each designed to navigate on water said yoke (3) having first and second ends with a non-disconnectable coupling arrangement at said first end and a disconnectable coupling arrangement at said second, wherein said disconnectable coupling arrangement includes a first coupling member (25) mounted on said yoke (3) and a second coupling member (11) mounted on said second vessel (2), said first and second coupling members arranged and designed for selective connection with each other and for disconnection from each other, wherein said first coupling member (25) is connected to said yoke (3) by a universal joint, and wherein said first coupling member (25) is a male connection member, said second coupling member (11) is a female connection member and said disconnectable coupling arrangement further includes a winch (13) mounted on said second vessel (2) and a line (12) extends from said winch (13) through said female connection member and is selectively coupled to said male connection member, wherein said winch (13), line (12) and female connection member are cooperatively designed so that said male connection member can be pulled into said female connection member for selective coupling. 10. A mooring arrangement between a first vessel (1) and a second vessel (2) comprising,a yoke (3) selectively disconnectably coupled between said first and second vessels, each designed to navigate on water said yoke (3) having first and second ends with a non-disconnectable coupling arrangement at said first end and a disconnectable coupling arrangement at said second, wherein said disconnectable coupling arrangement includes a first coupling member (25) mounted on said yoke (3) and a second coupling member (11) mounted on said second vessel (2), said first and second coupling members arranged and designed for selective connection with each other and for disconnection from each other, wherein said first vessel is an LNG process vessel and, said second vessel is an LNG carrier, and wherein said yoke (3) has two yoke arms (27) each having first and second ends, with said second ends of said yoke arms (27) connected to each other and coupled to said first coupling member (25) via a universal joint, with said first ends of said arms connected by a loading pipe (16), and, said non-disconnectable coupling arrangement includes first and second suspension members (23) coupled between said LNG process vessel (1) and said first and second yoke arms (27) at locations of said first and second arms (27) which are between said loading pipe (16) and said first coupling member (25). 11. The mooring arrangement of claim 10 wherein,said first and second suspension members (23) are respective first and second compression member links each connected at their top and bottom ends respectively to said LNG carrier (1) and to said first and second yoke arms (27) by universal joints (18, 17). 12. The mooring arrangement of claim 10 wherein,said first and second suspension members (23) are connected at said locations on said first and second yoke arms (27) at a position longitudinally inward of a lateral center of gravity line (26) that passes through said first and second yoke arms (27), such that when said first coupling member (25) is disconnected from said second coupling member (11) said second ends of said yoke rotate toward sea surface. 13. The mooring arrangement of claim 12 wherein said second ends of said yoke arms include a floatation member.14. The mooring arrangement of claim 13 wherein said floatation member is integral with said first coupling member (25).15. A mooring arrangement between a first vessel (1) and a second vessel (2) comprising,a yoke (3) selectively disconnectably coupled between said first and second vessels, each designed to navigate on water said yoke (3) having first and second ends with a non-disconnectable coupling arrangement at said first end and a disconnectable coupling arrangement at said second, wherein said disconnectable coupling arrangement includes a first coupling member (25) mounted on said yoke (3) and a second coupling member (11) mounted on said second vessel (2), said first and second coupling members arranged and designed for selective connection with each other and for disconnection from each other, wherein said first vessel is an LNG process vessel and, said second vessel is an LNG carrier, and where said mooring arrangement further comprises a fluid transfer arrangement which includes, a boom (4) mounted on said LNG process vessel (1), a pantograph pipe arrangement (6) including a coupling head (30) carried by said boom, a first fluid conduit (40) running from said LNG process vessel via said boom to said pantograph pipe arrangement to said coupling head, an LNG pipe disconnectable coupler (5) mounted on said LNG carrier (2) which is arranged and designed to be selectively connected or disconnected with said coupling head (30), and a second fluid conduit (42) running from said disconnectable coupler to a second fluid conduit on said LNG carrier. 16. A method of mooring an LNG carrier (2) to an LNG process vessel (1) comprising the steps of,installing a yoke (3) which has yoke arms (27) each having first and second ends with said second ends of said yoke arms (27) connected to each other at a second yoke end and coupled to a first coupling member (25), with first and second suspension members (23) pivotably coupled with said LNG process vessel (1) and with said first ends of said yoke arms (27) at a first yoke end and installing a second coupling member (11) mounted on said LNG carrier (2), where said second end of said yoke is arranged and designed to float on a sea surface when said first coupling member (25) is disconnected from said second coupling member, connecting a hawser line (20) between said LNG process vessel (1) and said LNG carrier (2), providing a pull-in cable between said LNG carrier (2) and said first coupling member (25) on said yoke (3), and pulling said LNG carrier (2) into mooring position with said hawser line (20) while pulling said first coupling member (25) into selective connection with said second coupling member (11) while simultaneously pivoting said second yoke end with respect to said LNG process vessel (1), whereby said LNG process vessel (1) is disconnectably connected to said LNG carrier vessel (2) via said yoke (3). 17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the steps of,disconnecting one end of said hawser line (20), and providing a pick-up line (21) with a float device to said one end of said hawser line (20), and slacking said hawser line (20) so that said pick-up line (21) can be identified on said sea surface. 18. The method of claim 16 further comprising the steps of,disconnecting said first coupling member (25) from said second coupling member (11); and pivoting said second yoke end with respect to said LNG process vessel (1) until said second yoke end floats on said sea surface. 19. The method of claim 16 further comprising the steps of,establishing an LNG fluid conduit between said LNG process vessel (1) and said LNG carrier (2) after said first coupling member (25) has been pulled into selective connection with said second coupling member (11).