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All About Dynamic Positioning.
By Captain Charles Stuart
This book is available online only, as a commitment to lowering the carbon footprint, easy to update and to give access to anyone, anywhere, anytime.
This book contains practical DP Knowledge for all Deck Officers, Engineering and Technical Officers, Shore-based staff, and contractors working on DP vessels and others who wish to sharpen their DP skills!
DP Course Support
Online book “All About DP” is the main reference for DP course conducted by Capt. Charles Stuart
This online knowledge-based book is for all those, who are:
- Keen to gain basic of DP.
- Studying for Any level of study for a DPO Certificate.
- DP-CPD training support for DPO and DPVM
- Studying for DP Vessel Maintainer certificate.
- Shore-based Management staff.
- DP Supervisors and Training captain for DP vessels
All About DP is supplied via a LMS Learning management system using a Question and Answers knowledge-based system with easy to find menu system. (full menu below)
The site also has multiple choice questions and answers section for each subject if you want to test your knowledge and gain confidence.
Main Index
1.00.00 Layout of All About DP online Book
1.01.00 About online book and LMS
1.02.00 Complete index
1.03.00 Abbreviations and Terms
2.00.00 Chapter 2 – Continuing Professional Development
2.01.00 What is CPD
2.02.00 CPD – For All – Nautical Institute Standard
2.03.00 CPD – For Deck Officers and Practice exams
2.04.00 CPD – For Technical Staff and Practice exams
3.00.00 Chapter 3 – Dynamic Positioning
3.00.01 What is DP and History of development
3.01.00 Reasons why DP is used.
3.01.05 Safe Operation
3.01.10 Charterer requirements
3.01.15 Quick to Setup at new location
3.02.00 Six degree of freedom
3.03.00 Types of DP Vessels and Tasks
3.04.00 DP modes of operation
3.04.05 Follow target – Hold Relative
3.04.10 Follow ROV
3.04.15 Joystick auto heading
3.04.20 Track Follow
3.04.25 Center of Rotation
3.04.30 weather vane
3.04.35 Auto heading minimum thrust
3.04.40 Eco or Green mode
3.04.45 Auto surge, swap and Yaw
3.04.50 Fire monitor compensation mode
3.04.55 DP system standby mode / Joystick Bias
3.05.00 Classes of DP Vessels 0,1,2 and 3
3.05.05 IMO Class 1, Class 2 and Class 3
3.05.10 Worse Case Failure (WCF) & Design Intent (WCFDI)
3.05.15 Open / Closed Bus-tie req. of IMO/Class/ FMEA
3.05.20 Cross connection – Risk, managing risk
3.05.25 Configuration of switchboard and FMEA
3.06.00 DP Comparison
4.00.00 Chapter 4 – Hardware – DP system
4.01.00 Typical elements of all DP system
4.01.05 All DP system have the many components
4.01.10 DP Operator Station
4.01.15 DP Control Processors – (see Chapter 10)
4.01.20 Interconnection – overview
4.01.50 Lessons learnt from DP events
4.01.60 Change for Auto / Manual / IJS
4.02.00 Independent joystick system (IJS)
4.02.05 Overview, rules and guidance – IJS
4.02.10 Power Supplies and redundancy philosophy
4.02.15 Location of controller stations
4.02.20 Exercise and Drills
4.02.25 Lessons learnt from DP events
4.04.00 Data recorder and Printer
5.00.00 Chapter 5 – Position References System
5.00.04 Common to all Position reference system
5.00.05 Different Principles – overview and UTM
5.00.10 Relative & Absolute – Fixed & Mobile
5.00.15 Considerations for selection of PRS for DP
5.00.20 Blocking PRS signals
5.00.25 PRS interaction and Calibration PRS
5.00.20 PRS lessons learnt from DP incidents
5.00.25 Fitting new PRS system
5.01.00 DGNSS
5.01.05 Overview
5.01.10 Advantages
5.01.15 disadvantages
5.01.20 Operational and Failure considerations
5.01.25 Lessons learnt from DP events
5.01.30 New development in last 5 year
5.01.40 Corrections for DGNSS
5.01.45 Fugro 9205
5.01.50 Fugro 9410
5.01.55 Veripos LD900
5.02.00 Laser
5.02.05 Overview
5.02.10 Advantages
5.02.15 disadvantages
5.02.20 Operational and Failure considerations
5.02.25 Lessons learnt from DP events
5.02.30 New development in last 5 year
5.02.40 Laser – SceneScan
5.02.45 Overview
5.02.50 Advantages
5.02.55 disadvantages
5.02.60 Operational and Failure considerations
5.02.65 Lessons learnt from DP events
5.02.70 New development in last 5 year
5.02.80 Laser – CyScan
5.02.85 Laser – Fanbeam
5.02.90 Laser – Spot Track
5.03.00 Microwave
5.03.05 Overview
5.03.10 Advantages
5.03.15 disadvantages
5.03.20 Operational and Failure considerations
5.03.25 Lessons learnt from DP events
5.03.30 New development in last 5 year
5.03.35 Microwave – RadaScan
5.03.40 Microwave – Rada Scene
5.03.45 Microwave – Radius
5.03.50 Microwave – Artemis
5.04.00 Acoustic
5.04.05 Overview
5.04.10 Advantages
5.04.15 disadvantages
5.04.20 Operational and Failure considerations
5.04.25 Lessons learnt from DP events
5.04.30 New development in last 5 year
5.04.35 Riser angle
5.05.00 Taut wire
5.05.05 Overview
5.05.10 Advantages
5.05.15 disadvantages
5.05.20 Operational and Failure considerations
5.05.25 Lessons learnt from DP events
5.05.30 New development in last 5 year
5.06.00 Inertial Navigation Systems
5.06.05 Overview
5.06.10 Advantages
5.06.15 disadvantages
5.06.20 Operational and Failure considerations
5.06.25 Lessons learnt from DP events
5.06.30 New development in last 5 year
5.07.00 Range Guard
5.07.05 Overview
5.07.10 Advantages
5.07.15 disadvantages
5.07.20 Operational and Failure considerations
5.07.25 Lessons learnt from DP events
5.07.30 New development in last 5 year
5.08.00 Gangway sensor
5.08.05 Overview
5.08.10 Advantages
5.08.15 disadvantages
5.08.20 Operational and Failure considerations
5.08.25 Lessons learnt from DP events
5.08.30 New development in last 5 year
6.00.00 Chapter 6 – Sensors- Environmental
6.00.05 Overview DP systems needs enviro sensors
6.01.00 Gyro
6.01.05 Overview
6.01.10 Advantages
6.01.15 disadvantages
6.01.20 Operational and Failure considerations
6.01.25 Lessons learnt from DP events
6.01.30 New development in last 5 year
6.02.00 Wind Sensor
6.02.05 Overview
6.02.10 Advantages
6.02.15 disadvantages
6.02.20 Operational and Failure considerations
6.02.25 Lessons learnt from DP events
6.02.30 New development in last 5 year
6.03.00 MRU/VRU/VRS
6.03.05 Overview
6.03.10 Advantages
6.03.15 disadvantages
6.03.20 Operational and Failure considerations
6.03.25 Lessons learnt from DP events
6.03.30 New development in last 5 year
6.04.00 Tension sensor
6.04.05 Overview
6.04.10 Advantages
6.04.15 disadvantages
6.04.20 Operational and Failure considerations
6.04.25 Lessons learnt from DP events
6.04.30 New development in last 5 year
6.05.00 Current sensor
6.05.05 Overview
6.05.10 Advantages
6.05.15 disadvantages
6.05.20 Operational and Failure considerations
6.05.25 Lessons learnt from DP events
6.05.30 New development in last 5 year
6.06.00 Draft sensor
6.06.05 Overview
6.06.10 Advantages
6.06.15 disadvantages
6.06.20 Operational and Failure considerations
6.06.25 Lessons learnt from DP events
6.06.30 New developments in last 5 year
7.00.00 Chapter 7 – Thruster
7.01.00 Azimuth, Tunnel thrusters, Propellers
7.01.05 Overview thrusters, advantage and disadvantage
7.01.10 Thruster allocation logic
7.01.15 Thruster power supplies
7.01.20 Thruster bias, Barring zone, Fixed modes
7.01.25 Thruster new developments in last 5 years
7.03.00 Thruster controls, backup and Failure modes
7.03.05 Thruster controls and Emergency / Backup
7.03.05 Emergency stops
7.03.10 Thruster failure modes
7.03.15 Thruster bias modes after loss of generator
7.03.20 Thruster phase back,
7.03.50 Thruster lesson learnt
8.00.00 Chapter 8 – Power System
8.00.01 Types of power systems
8.01.00 Generators
8.01.05 Constant RPM and Variable speed generators
8.01.05 Power factor and reactive loads
8.01.10 Frequency and Voltage control
8.02.00 Switchboards
8.02.05 DC supplies
8.02.10 AC supplies
8.02.15 Open / Closed Bus-tie req. of IMO/Class/ FMEA
8.02.20 DC Grids and variable speed generators
8.02.25 Cross connection – Risk, managing risk
8.02.30 Configuration of switchboard and FMEA
8.02.35 Short circuit testing
8.02.40 Breaker selective study
8.02.45 Breaker selective – Current based study
8.02.50 Breaker selective – Time based study
8.03.00 Power Management System
8.03.05 Power limits as per IMO 1580
8.03.10 Overview, general requirements, operating
8.03.15 Blackout prevention and Spinning Reserve
8.03.20 Loan dependent start and stopping
8.03.35 Load sharing and Load shedding
8.03.30 Loan balance study – Load analysis’s
8.03.35 Thermal imaging
8.03.40 Importance of cooling system
8.03.45 Failure modes and lesson learnt
8.03.50 Extra loads on switchboard with Industry Mission
8.03.55 Lessons Learnt (switchboard, PMS, UPS)
8.04.00 ESS – Energy storage system (Batteries) Hybrid
8.04.05 Overview
8.04.10 Risks, Safety and Monitoring
8.04.15 Integration with power management system
8.04.20 Peak shaving and harbour mode
8.04.25 Redundancy backup
8.04.30 Time and charge left in ESS for operation
8.04.35 Recharge at installation
8.05.00 UPS
8.05.05 UPS overview and redundancy
8.05.10 220v to 24v
8.05.15 220v to 220v
9.00.00 Chapter 9 – Ship systems
9.01.00 Electrical Cabling and Communications
9.01.05 Digital interface
9.01.10 Serial interface
9.01.15 Analogue interface
9.02.00 Fuel systems
9.02.05 LNG
9.03.00 Lubrication System
9.04.00 Cooling systems
9.04.05 Fresh water
9.04.10 Salt sea
9.05.00 Compressed Air System
9.06.00 HVAC
9.06.05 Ventilation system
9.06.10 Air conditioning
9.07.00 Networks, Remote Access and Cyber Security
9.07.05 DP Network – overview & the risks, guidance
9.07.10 DP Network – Operational & Failure
9.07.15 Network – Lessons learnt from DP Net system
9.07.20 Network cross connections
9.07.25 Possible effects of remote access
10.00.00 Chapter 10 – DP Controller & Operator Software
10.01.00 DP Software and command displays
10.02.00 DP model, DP current
10.03.00 Position reference system interaction (50030)
10.04.00 Alarms
10.05.00 Alarm – CA
10.06.00 Heading and position feedback
10.07.00 UTM
11.00.00 Chapter 11 – Logical fault finding
11.01.00 Thruster system
11.02.00 Position reference system and Sensors
11.02.05 All position reference system
11.02.10 DGNSS
11.02.15 Laser
11.02.20 Microwave
11.02.25 HPR
11.03.00 DP Position holding
11.03.05 Lost of position
11.03.10 Unstable positioning
12.00.00 Chapter 12 – DP Vessel Operation
12.01.00 Planning DP Operations
12.01.05 List of planning tasks
12.01.10 Information required from Charterer
12.01.15 Area of operations
12.01.20 Environment conditions
12.01.25 Corrections for DGNSS
12.02.00 Inside and outside safety Zones
12.02.05 Operating in open water
12.02.10 Possible effects of subsea operation on DP vessels.
12.02.15 SIMOPS – DP and non DP vessel,
12.02.20 Operating inside 500 meter
12.02.25 Safe working distance
12.03.00 ASOG / CAMO / TAM / TAGOS
12.03.05 ASOG / CAMO
12.03.10 TAM –Lay out of Task Appropriate Mode
12.03.15 TAGOS
12.03.20 DP Alert light system
12.04.00 Communications
12.05.00 DP Watch keeping procedures
12.05.05 DP Setup procedures
12.05.10 During a DP watch
13.00.00 Chapter 13 – Manning and Responsibility
13.01.00 IMCA 117 Manning
13.02.00 IMCA 182 Manning
13.03.00 Responsibility’s
13.04.00 Task specific – Industry Missions crew manning
14.00.00 Chapter 14 – Training and Drills
14.01.00 Onboard training
14.02.00 Emergency drill and procedures
14.02.05 DP Emergency Drills, IMCA guidelines
14.03.00 Proof of Competency and Competency assessments
14.04.00 DP Training and guidance for shore based staff
14.05.00 Shore based Operational staff
14.06.00 Shore based Technical staff
14.06.00 Task specific – Industry Missions crew training
14.07.00 Shore based Commercial Staff
14.08.00 Shore based DP Supervisors
14.09.00 Shore based Safety Captains
15.00.00 Chapter 15 – Incident and Investigations
15.01.00 Information required and investigation
15.01.10 Downloading log files
15.02.00 Lessons Learnt
15.02.10 Lessons learnt from incident reporting scheme
15.03.00 Incident Reporting – IMCA, MTS
15.03.05 IMCA incident reporting scheme
15.03.10 Nautical Institute incident reporting Scheme
15.03.15 MTS incident reporting Scheme
16.00.00 Chapter 16 – Documents – Ship
16.01.00 DP Operations and DP Equipment Manual
16.01.05 Company DP operation Manual & Procedures
16.01.10 Vessel Specific DP Manual & Procedures
16.01.15 System and Equipment Manuals
16.01.20 DP system maintenance Manual
16.02.00 Capability Plots and Foot print plots
16.02.05 DP Cap plots – Purpose, IMO / Class req.
16.02.10 DNV Capability Plots
16.02.15 Possible errors in Capability plots
16.02.20 Footprint Plots
16.03.00 Checklists and DP log
16.03.05 What checklist are required by IMO 1580
16.03.10 Purpose, overview of expectations / req.
16.03.15 What should checklist contain?
16.04.00 DP Risk Assessment
16.05.00 Management of Change Procedures
16.05.05 Overview of Management of Change (MoC)
16.05.10 What need to be in a Management of change
16.05.15 Lesson leaned for incident stopped by MoC
16.06.00 DP Emergency Procedures
16.06.05 What Emergency procedures are needed
17.00.00 Ch 17 – Industries Guidelines and Organisations
17.00.05 Regulatory update in last 5 years and Planned
17.00.10 New or updated publications and Bulletins
17.01.00 IMO
17.01.05 Introduction, overview of IMO DP documents
17.01.10 IMO 645 and 1580
17.01.15 IMO 738 and IMCA 117
17.01.20 IMO STCW Part B – DP training
17.02.00 Flag state, port state and Classification Society.
17.02.05 Flag State Introduction, purpose and highlights
17.02.10 Port State Introduction, purpose and highlights
17.02.15 Regulatory update in last 5 years and Planned
17.03.00 IMCA Documents
17.03.05 Intro. Overview about IMCA and IMCA Publication
17.03.10 List of all IMCA Marine Documents
17.03.15 Contents of each IMCA Marine document
17.03.20 New and updated IMCA documents
17.04.00 MTS Documents available and what they contain
17.04.05 Introduction, overview of MTS documents
17.04.15 MTS tech ops
17.04.20 What is in each MTS documents
17.05.00 MSF – GOMO
17.05.05 Introduction, overview of MSF GOMO
17.05.10 Problems with GOMO
17.05.15 MSF – GOMO and IMCA 182
17.06.00 MASS
17.06.05 Maritime Autonomous Ship Systems (MASS)
17.06.10 Maritime Autonomous Ship Systems (MASS)
17.07.00 Nautical Institute
17.07.05 Overview of NI DP Standard and DP-TEGs
17.07.10 Current NI Standard
17.07.15 Changes to NI Standard last 12 months
17.07.20 NI DP courses – Overview
17.08.00 OCIMF – Oil Companies International Marine Forum
17.08.05 Overview of OCIMF and OCIMF documents
17.08.10 Offshore (OVMSA)
17.08.15 Offshore Vessel Inspection Database (OVID)
17.08.20 DP-Failure-Mode-Effects-Analysis-Assurance
17.08.25 Dynamic-Positioning-Assurance-Framework
18.00.00 Ch 18 – Testing, Trials, FMEA, Annual, Audits
18.01.00 DP Annual Trials
18.01.05 IMO 1580, IMCA M190, Class and Flag State
18.01.10 Guidance, purpose, requirements, objectives
18.01.15 MTS and IMCA DP Practitioner Accreditation
18.02.00 FMEA and FMEA proving trial
18.02.05 IMO 1580, IMCA M190, Class and Flag State
18.02.10 FMEA Study and Gap analysis
18.02.15 Guidance, failure (single, common, hidden, etc)
18.02.20 FMEA trials – purpose, req. guidance, objectives
18.02.20 Redundancy concept, protective functions,
18.02.25 What should be demonstrated
18.03.00 FMEA 5 year proving trials
18.03.05 IMO 1580, IMCA M190, Class and Flag State
18.03.10 FMEA 5y trials – purpose, requirements, guidance.
18.03.15 What should be demonstrated
18.04.00 Field Arrival trials
18.04.05 IMO 1580, IMCA M103, Class, Flag State
18.04.10 What should be demonstrated
18.05.00 Charterers DP Audit and Assurance
18.06.00 Company DP Audit
18.07.00 OVID
18.08.00 FAT – Factory acceptance trials
19.00.00 Ch 19 – Planned Maintenance System and DP Spare
19.01.00 Planned Maintenance tasks
19.02.00 Remote access and lessons learnt
20.00.00 Ch 20 – Remote control and Auto. DP Vess
20.01.00 Remote control DP vessels
20.02.00 Autonomous DP vessels
21.00.00 Ch 21 – Industry Mission Specific Operations
21.01.05 All Industry missions
21.01.10 Mobilization and testing
21.01.15 3rd Party – emergency procedures and Alert lights
21.01.20 Redundancy if sharing Power, water, fuel, air
21.01.25 PRS blocking
21.01.30 Wind profile
21.01.35 Stability and draft change
21.02.00 Accommodation
21.02.05 General description / Consideration
21.02.10 Reference System & Sensors
21.02.15 Operational considerations & Planning
21.03.00 Autonomous Vessel and remote control vessel
21.03.05 General description / Consideration
21.03.10 Reference System & Sensors
21.03.15 Operational considerations & Planning
21.04.00 Crane and A Frame operations
21.04.05 General description / Consideration
21.04.10 Reference System & Sensors
21.04.15 Operational considerations & Planning
21.05.00 Dive Support Vessel
21.05.05 General description / Consideration
21.05.10 Reference System & Sensors
21.05.15 Operational considerations & Planning
21.06.00 Dredging
21.06.05 General description / Consideration
21.06.10 Reference System & Sensors
21.06.15 Operational considerations & Planning
21.07.00 Drilling
21.07.05 General description / Consideration
21.07.10 Reference System & Sensors
21.07.15 Operational considerations & Planning
21.08.00 Drilling core sample
21.08.05 General description / Consideration
21.08.10 Reference System & Sensors
21.08.15 Operational considerations & Planning
21.09.00 Float Over
21.09.05 General description / Consideration
21.09.10 Reference System & Sensors
21.09.15 Operational considerations & Planning
21.10.00 FPSO – working other DP vessels and FPSO
21.10.05 General description / Consideration
21.10.10 Reference System & Sensors
21.10.15 Operational considerations & Planning
21.11.00 FPSO Floating Production Storage and offloading
21.11.05 General description / Consideration
21.11.10 Reference System & Sensors
21.11.15 Operational considerations & Planning
21.12.00 Gangway operation
21.12.05 General description / Consideration
21.12.10 Reference System & Sensors
21.12.15 Operational considerations & Planning
21.13.00 Heavy lift
21.13.05 General description / Consideration
21.13.10 Reference System & Sensors
21.13.15 Operational considerations & Planning
21.14.00 Heavy lift from DP vessels
21.14.05 General description / Consideration
21.14.10 Reference System & Sensors
21.14.15 Operational considerations & Planning
21.15.00 Jack up (self elevating)
21.15.05 General description / Consideration
21.15.10 Reference System & Sensors
21.15.15 Operational considerations & Planning
21.16.00 Passenger Vessels
21.16.05 General description / Consideration
21.16.10 Reference System & Sensors
21.16.15 Operational considerations & Planning
21.17.00 Personal transfer by basket
21.17.05 General description / Consideration
21.17.10 Reference System & Sensors
21.17.15 Operational considerations & Planning
21.18.00 Pipe lay / Cable lay
21.18.05 General description / Consideration
21.18.10 Reference System & Sensors
21.18.15 Operational considerations & Planning
21.19.00 Pipe laying – discharge to a pipe layer
21.19.05 General description / Consideration
21.19.10 Reference System & Sensors
21.19.15 Operational considerations & Planning
21.20.00 Rock Placement
21.20.05 General description / Consideration
21.20.10 Reference System & Sensors
21.20.15 Operational considerations & Planning
21.21.00 ROV
21.21.05 General description / Consideration
21.21.10 Reference System & Sensors
21.21.15 Operational considerations & Planning
21.22.00 Shuttle Tanker
21.22.05 General description / Consideration
21.22.10 Reference System & Sensors
21.22.15 Operational considerations & Planning
21.23.00 Submarine rescue – DSRV
21.23.05 General description / Consideration
21.23.10 Reference System & Sensors
21.23.15 Operational considerations & Planning
21.24.00 Supply Operation and Anchor handling
21.24.05 General description / Consideration
21.24.10 Reference System & Sensors
21.24.15 Operational considerations & Planning
21.25.00 Trenching
21.25.05 General description / Consideration
21.25.10 Reference System & Sensors
21.25.15 Operational considerations & Planning
21.26.00 Well stimulation
21.26.05 General description / Consideration
21.26.10 Reference System & Sensors
21.26.15 Operational considerations & Planning
21.27.00 Wind Farm walk to work – SOV
21.27.05 General description / Consideration
21.27.10 Reference System & Sensors
21.27.15 Operational considerations & Planning
22.00.00 Chapter 22 – Practical exercise onboard
22.00.00 Practical exercises
22.00.10 Testing position reference offsets
22.00.15 Testing WCF – Worst case failure
22.00.20 Review power avaible after loss of a generator
22.00.25 Power usage with and without thruster bias
22.00.25 General description – Loss of ready signal
22.01.00 DP Drills as per IMCA
22.01.05 DP Drills matrix