News in Brief from the DP Committee
- DP Event
- Published on 16 January 2025
- Generated on 11 November 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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Watch what you are pressing
While transiting away from a wind farm, the Master of a DP equipment class 2 vessel observed that the vessel was operating in Backup Mode and queried this with the bridge team and attending electrician
DPE 03/26
19 October 2026
Incident
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The domino effect
The event demonstrates the importance of maintaining the approved DP power configuration, addressing known defects before equipment is relied upon during DP operations, and ensuring DP personnel understand how changes to the generating arrangement can affect redundancy and failure propagation
DPE 03/26
19 October 2026
Incident
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Lost in calibration
During activity associated with calibration of a vessel Vertical Reference Unit (VRU), the DP control system experienced degradation of its attitude reference arrangement. Shortly afterwards, the vessel generated an Off Position Warning followed by an Off Position Alarm
DPE 03/26
19 October 2026
Incident
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The UPS and downs
While a vessel was transiting in DP mode, the DPO observed the loss of Gyros 2 and 3 together with alarms from a 230V backup power supply. The telephone system remained powered but was inoperable.
DPE 03/26
19 October 2026
Incident
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DP drill scenario – Consequence Analysis Class DP2 & DP3
DP drill scenario – Consequence Analysis Class DP2 & DP3
DPE 03/26
19 October 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.