News in Brief from the DP Committee
- DP Event
- Published on 16 January 2025
- Generated on 26 September 2026
- DPE 01/25
- 2 minute read
Revised Documents
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M140 rev. 2 – Recommended Practice for Specification and Use of Capability Plots
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M149 Issue 14 – eCMID Vessel Inspection (≥500gt) – formerly the Common Marine Inspection Document
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M189 Issue 7 – eCMID Small Vessel Inspection (<500gt) – formerly known as eMISW, applicable to small workboats and other vessels
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M167 rev. 5 – Guidance on the IMCA eCMID System
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M220 rev.3 – Recommended Practice on Operational Activity Planning
New Marine Documents
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M268 – Recommended Practice for the operation of Class 1 DP vessels
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M269 – Dynamic Positioning Station Keeping Review – Incidents and events reported in 2024
Station Keeping Events STATS
2024 saw a record number of event forms being submitted in to IMCA, with 217 forms from 56 companies submitted. This month each of those companies received their certificate of participation, to show our appreciation for them taking the time to complete and report their events, whether big (incident) or small (observation).
Figure 3 – A decade of reports
The secondary failures recorded (the trigger behind the event) continues to be same top three as previously years, namely electrical, mechanical and human and though still higher than precovid, the percentage of DP incidents appears to be on a downward trend.
Figure 4 – Secondary Failure Trends
Figure 5– Percentage of DP Event Reports received resulting in DP Incidents
(loss of position/heading)
To see the report in full the Dynamic Positioning Station Keeping Review – Incidents and Events Reported for 2024 can be downloaded from our website. here.
The IMCA DP reporting form is currently available upon request from [email protected]. Please complete and forward to the same address [email protected].
Latest DP incidents
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Know your equipment, or at least where to find the answers
During an update in the Follow Target Mode, the crew noticed an anomaly with joystick control.
DPE 02/26
1 September 2026
Observation
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New equipment, unexpected consequences
During the operation, a loss of DGNSS correction signals was experienced across multiple vessel DGNSS units.
DPE 02/26
1 September 2026
Incident
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A chain of small failures leads to a major consequence
While conducting cargo operations on DP a vessel experienced a partial blackout caused by an unexpected shutdown of generator 3
DPE 02/26
1 September 2026
Incident
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Holding position, losing references
While approaching a turret-moored, weather-vaning offshore installation (FPSO), in preparation for cargo operations, a DP equipment class 2 vessel experienced significant rolling of up to 15–20° due to a long-period swell close to the vessel’s natural roll period, resulting in a resonance effect
DPE 02/26
1 September 2026
Observation
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DP drill scenario – Loss of seawater cooling pump redundancy
Exercise scenario – Loss of seawater cooling pump redundancy
DPE 02/26
1 September 2026
Drill Scenario
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.
Any queries should be directed to DP team at IMCA. Share your DP incidents with IMCA online. Sign-up to receive DP event bulletins straight to your email.