A marine pipelaying friction clamp device for frictionally retaining an offshore subsea pipeline to be launched into the sea includes a frame which includes a main frame structure that is adapted to be supported by the pipelaying vessel. The frame supports multiple annular arrays of clamping units adapted to simultaneously engage separate portions of the pipeline. The frame further includes one or more mobile subframes for one or more of said annular arrays of clamping units. Each of said one or more mobile subframes is movably supported by the main frame structure so as to be mobile relative to said main frame structure in said longitudinal direction of the clamp device, and each of said one or more mobile subframes is supported by a spring assembly.