DP event investigation and testing inside the 500m zone

  • DP Event
  • Published on 29 March 2017
  • Generated on 26 September 2026
  • DPE 01/17
  • 1 minute read

Incident

The vessel should have proceeded out of the 500m zone to a safe area prior to investigating the fault and conducting tests.

DPE 17.01 – DP event investigation and testing inside the 500m zone – DP Incident – Flowchart

Comments

The report concluded that the vessel should have proceeded out of the 500m zone to a safe area prior to investigating the fault and conducting tests.

Considerations

  • There is no doubt that in circumstances such as this, where investigation and testing is required following a DP event, it should be conducted in a safe location and as a minimum outside the 500m zone.
  • The DP system’s level of redundancy always needs to be considered during investigation and testing.
  • It is not evident from the report, but it is wondered whether complacency contributed to this bad practice.
  • The original reported DP alarm should have resulted in a DP yellow alert.
  • The vessel might have considered using the independent joystick (IJS) rather than individual levers.
  • Emergency handling of the vessel should be practised on a regular basis.

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The case studies and observations above have been compiled from information received by IMCA. All vessel, client, and operational data has been removed from the narrative to ensure anonymity. Case studies are not intended as guidance on the safe conduct of operations, but rather to assist vessel managers, DP operators, and technical crew.

IMCA makes every effort to ensure both the accuracy and reliability of the information, but it is not liable for any guidance and/or recommendation and/or statement herein contained.

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