IMCA Marine Division

Publication Details

International Guidelines for the Safe Operation of DP Offshore Supply Vessels

An international cross-industry workgroup, facilitated by IMCA, has developed international guidelines on the safe operation of dynamically positioned (DP) offshore supply vessels (OSVs). The guidelines set out good practice as developed by a list of over seventy interests including vessel operators and related organisations based and operating around the world.

The guidelines are available for free download - click on the cover image to the right or the icon at the foot of this page.

The intention is that the guidelines will be reviewed in the light of experience - please send any feedback to the cross-industry workgroup via IMCA, as secretariat for the workgroup.

Preface

Reliable and robust methods of positioning are required for safe supply vessel operations at offshore installations. In the early days of the industry anchors and ropes were used to moor vessels. This was followed by joystick/manual control. Increasingly, offshore supply vessels (OSVs) are now being fitted with dynamic positioning (DP) systems, further widening the available options. This process of evolution has been gradual and has taken more than 30 years and, today, all methods and various combinations are available and used all over the world.

In other sectors of the offshore industry, DP has long since been accepted as a primary method of vessel positioning, such as in the diving and drilling sectors as well as the construction, accommodation and shuttle tanker sectors, and it is especially suitable for offshore developments in deeper waters. This widespread acceptance of DP is also the result of improved DP management and improved DP technology.

This growth in the use of DP has been accompanied by the development of internationally recognised rules and standards against which DP vessels are designed, constructed and operated. These include IMO MSC Circ.645, "Guidelines for Vessels with Dynamic Positioning Systems", DP rules of the main classification societies and IMCA M 103, "Guidelines for the Design and Operation of Dynamically Positioned Vessels". Such rules and guidelines are focused principally on design, construction and operation of DP vessels and, in particular, apply the principles of redundancy in creating a hierarchy of DP equipment classes. They also set generic requirements for the verification of DP systems, including DP failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) survey and testing procedures, as well as requiring vessel owners to develop appropriate operating instructions.

There are also internationally recognised standards for DP training, which are set out in IMO MSC Circ.738, "Guidelines for Dynamic Positioning System (DP) Operator Training". That document recommends the use of IMCA M 117, "The Training and Experience of Key DP Personnel". Other training guidance is to be found in the Nautical Institute's certification programme. All of these documents are augmented by a range of DP related guidance from IMCA.

In addition to these industry rules and guidelines, the day to day operation of DP vessels is considered a critical operation and is therefore being managed by vessel owners as part of their safety management system. In addition, individual charterers have specified their own requirements to ensure the integrity of their own offshore installations. National and regional requirements are also in force. Whilst complying with the existing industry framework, the guidelines contained in this document provide vessel owners and operators, charterers, masters and officers with sector-specific methods for the safe operation of DP OSVs.

These guidelines have been drawn up by an international cross-industry workgroup, as indicated by the circulation list on the following page. The composition of the workgroup can be seen to be from around the world, from independent companies, organisations and trade associations. The intention is that this document will provide guidance, clearly only relevant when DP is to be used on an OSV, which is suitable for international application.

Contents

• Preface
• Introduction
• Existing rules and guidance
• International rules and guidance
• Regional rules and guidance
• Flag state verification and acceptance document
• IMCA guidance
• DP system certification and verification
• Key DP personnel competence - training and certification
• Guidance on procedures
• Loss of position
• Vessel positioning matrix
• DP operational procedures
• DP alert level responses
• Operational risk assessment
• DP incident reporting
• Appendices
• Relevant IMCA publications
• DP FMEA
• Annual DP trials
• DP capability plot
• DP footprint plot
• Sample arrival checks checklist
• Sample DP watchkeeping handover checklist
• DP incident reporting

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