6degrees ° News,Views and Reviews from the International Dynamic Positioning Operators Association News,Views and Reviews from the International Dynamic Positioning Operators Asso- Issue5: Issue12: Summer2012 IDPOA On Tour GLOBAL CONFERENCES Incident Reports ONLINE SURVEY The Right Track SEATIME REDUCTION Branching Out GLOBAL & LOCAL Going Green THE FUTURE New World Order Love & Hate NEW CERTIFICATION WHAT WE FEEL WELCOME Welcome once again to another issue of the IDPOA e-journal, 6degrees. The past couple of months have seen the DP conference circuit start up, with the annual events in London and Singapore. IDPOA was represented at both, and as you can read inside there was much of interest discussed at both events. The European DP Conference held in London by Riveira Maritime Media, has really become a landmark even on the conference calendar – and this year they delivered another excellent event. There has been a tendency in the past for the conferences to become a little preoccupied with the kit over people, but we are pleased to note that once again the focus has shifted onto the DPOs. Their training, certification and the implications if the human side of the DP equation are not given the attention they need and deserve. That is not to say it was all good news – indeed, as people become the biggest challenge, then the Status Quo surrounding them is at risk. There could well be benefits to the enforced evolution, but there will also be some casualties (both physical and metaphorical) along the way. The biggest issue under discussion was the move from a compliance culture to one of true competence! It may not look much on paper, but it is truly a massive leap. It is a change that the industry may struggle with for a while. It may struggle, for many reasons – and high on the list of threats is that of certification fraud! Sadly the Nautical Institute (NI) had to deliver some bad news about the state of the industry, and of the problems they are experiencing, as DPOs, Masters and even some companies look to take short cuts and liberties. IN THIS ISSUE Inside this issue we explore the latest conference goings on across Asia and Europe, and feedback the views of industry. One of the areas constantly under debate is the issue of incident reporting – and as IMCA has spoken extensively on the topic “Learning the Lesson: DP Incident reporting” there is still a real concern that the industry does not seem to learn lessons from the failure incidents. We are pleased to support Tron Resnes, as he studies this in more depth, and so we ask you to take a few moments out to assist him by answering an online survey. A major focus at the conferences was the need for an ever evolving professional focus for DPOs – we take this matter extremely seriously, and have been looking for answers on how to best engage and promote professionalism. As you will see inside, this is our new global vision, and we look forward to being there for you at sea, and at home. Inside the last issue we looked at Sea Time Reduction courses, and this time round Captain Sandhu takes an alternative view of whether we are “on track”. There is news on the latest legal developments, some development of new technology and our new series “LOVE & HATE” – where DPOs tell us what they love and hate about working with DP. Speaking for the NI, Regina Bindao ran through a number of damning case studies – DPOs who have never been to sea, DPOs who have never been on a particular vessel, and of Masters who are willing to sign logbooks when they should be logging the culprits. We also take a look at the developments of a completely new DP certification scheme from DNV. While rumours of the demise of the NI scheme may be premature, these guys mean business and the ideas and clout to really shake things up. Not everyone agrees on the scale of fraudulent activity, or of where the blame should sit – but this is a serious issue and one which if allowed to continue unchecked could damage the reputation of the NI, the DP training scheme and of DPOs. We would encourage members to share your thoughts on the matter. Email [email protected] and we will treat any of your views anonymously. We also have features on the latest technology, and jobs. We hope you enjoy 6degrees To find out more, to join or upgrade your membership visit www.dpoperators.org IDPOA On The Circuit The highlight of European conference was the unveiling of a training capsule on DP by Videotel in conjunctions with C-MAR. The capsule is very interactive and has a bank of questions at every stage of the programme which can help the training assess his or her learning performance. The capsule is a very good training aid for the basic DP course. The Global Conference Season in Full Swing Two DP conferences were in quick succession recently, the European DP conference was held in London on 24th – 25th May and the Asia DP conference in Singapore on 27th – 28th Jun 2012. Both deliberated on issues concerning DP industry and the technological advancements being made in the field. The conferences were well attended by most of the players of the DP industry. The Asia DP conference had a good mix of people this year attending the conference and was much better organised than the launch event. This augurs well for its future on the conference calendar. days is too short and should be increased to 60 days, the idea that was supported by Capt. KS Sandhu on the premise that not much can be seen or learnt by a prospective DPO in 30 days especially when ‘On-DP’ time may be very minimal. He also expressed serious concern regarding the concept of ‘Sea Time Reduction’ courses which aims to substitute half of actual sea time required for DP certification. Though he agreed that such simulation courses are good for refresher training they should not become escape route for actual sea time. IDPOA was represented in both the conferences. Steven Jones, Executive Director IDPOA attended the European conference, whereas Capt. Mark Bragg, a senior Fellow of IDPOA attended the Asia conference. Regina Bindao, accreditation & service manager Nautical Institute attended both the conferences where she made the presentation on ‘NI DP Certification, Frauds and Urgent Action’. She supported her observations by giving few cases wherein some DPOs had obtaining NI certificate without doing the NI programme and faking the sea time. The issue of fraud is serious and there are real concerns that this is eroding the credibility of the NI certificate and affecting the work culture onboard DP vessels. On the issue of competence she floated the idea of independent practical assessment and sought the views of the delegates through a questionnaire. Regina stated her avowed aim was to “shake up the DP industry” – while this caused some raised eyebrows, it is clear that changes are needed. DPO competency and training related issues were discussed by other speakers also. Capt. KS Sandhu, associate member of IDPOA as a panellist member at London conference brought out that the industry seriously needs to look for solutions to the problem of non availability of sea time. At Singapore he presented a paper “DPO’s Competence Concerns; Reasons and Way Ahead” he emphasised the need for good instructors and good training. He brought out that if the attitude of a person opting for DP career is right and if he turns out to be an incompetent DPO after going through DP training scheme then it is the failure of the DP industry as a whole and not of the DPO. He emphasised that good training at the DP centres followed by on-the-job-training and proper mentoring by the master on board is the key to making competent DPOs. In his paper he even articulated the idea of ‘Floating DP Centre’ which can help overcome the sea time problem, however farfetched it may look to be at this point of time! At the European Conference Capt. Jim Simpson of Lowestoft College recommended that the familiarization time of 30 In the technical section of the conferences the problem of “scintillation” which is going to affect DGPS position reference systems this year and in 2013 mainly in equatorial and polar regions formed the topic of presentation. Combination of INS with DGPS was seen as one of the available solutions to overcome the problem. There was an interesting paper on ‘Use of DC as Electric Power Distribution Media in DP Vessels’ presented by Mr. Alf Kare Adnanes of Wartsila. The presentation described the fundamentals of the concept of the on board DC grid, its comparison to the AC distribution system and the opportunity to enhance the energy efficiency and reduce fuel consumption while avoiding to compromise on availability of the station keeping ability of DP vessels. At the London conference Capt. Ian Giddings, Technical Advisor, IMCA spoke on the topic ‘Learning the Lesson: DP Incident reporting’. He expressed the concern that we don’t seem to learn lessons from the failure incidents. He emphasised the need for reporting the incident and reporting them accurately. This will help IMCA in analysing them correctly and making the whole exercise more meaningful. As you will see in this issue of 6degrees, there is currently an ongoing study of DP reporting , and your views are sought through an online survey. From operation’s point of view Capt. Matti Westerlund of Arctia Offshore gave a very informative insight of challenges of DP operation in ice. While Dr Jim Millan of National Research Council, Canada presented a paper on how current model testing has been conducted at the NRC’s ice tank. Both conferences addressed and debated the issues concerning the DP industry, it is to be seen now how much of the recommendations and ideas articulated at these conferences will be acted upon by the industry!! HAVE YOUR SAY... IMCA has spoken extensively on the topic “Learning the Lesson: DP Incident reporting”. Yet despite their concerns, and the concerted efforts of Ian Giddings, their Technical Advisor there is real concern that the industry does not seem to learn lessons from the failure incidents. There is a need for reporting the incident and reporting them accurately. This will help IMCA to analyse reports, and for analysing them correctly and making the whole exercise more meaningful and useful. IDPOA RepComm: Hi Gianna here, I am secretary to the IDPOA RepComm. Thank you for all your feedback for the NI DPTEG if you would like to receive a copy of the minutes from the May meeting please email me for details. This issiue we offer you a different way to get your voice heard - a good friend of IDPOA is studying for his Masters degree and needs your help and input. So now if your chance to share your views on incident reporting. The survey is live now, and results will be expected in the Fall, Please lend a hand, and once again, make yourself heard. Any membership issues you may have or things you would like to let IDPOA know, just drop me a line. [email protected] Sharing ‘near misses’ with others raises awareness of some of the inherent perils and problems association with DP, and with a “Just Culture” of caring and sharing information, this will ensure timely dissemination of lessons learned without undue censure to the individuals concerned. It is very worrying if IMCA can’t get the information it needs from its own membership, but it seems this paints a picture of how serious the issue of non-reporting is. The companies feel that admitting problems is likely to bring a black mark against their name, and their appears to be a fear that charterers will punish hit them in the pocket if they admit any problems. So we have a dilemma, and it is a serious one. We are not reporting, so we are not learning lessons and we unable to improve as a consequence. The tools exist in the toolbox, but we don’t seem to be using them. Tron Resnes, is concerned about this issue, and as part of his MSc work at Cranfield University UK, he is looking to explore the problems of reporting or not. Below is a link to a online DP incident survey questionnaire. The survey is completely anonymous, and the answers you provide cannot be traced to individuals, shipping companies or vessels. Your contribution to this survey is important and to optimise the quality of the survey, it is important that as many as possible take part in the survey. http://www.esurveyspro. com/s/199146/DP Branching Out Goi n g Tr u l y G lobal IDPOA – as the name suggests is a truly international organisation – we have over 4000 members across over 30 countries…but sometimes we all appear be more citizens of the internet than our actual home nations. as well as earnings and to social interact in one roof wherein a one ‘stop-stop-shop’ to process documents. A family time is valuable time for a seaman but don’t forget these men at sea had been away living independently keeping his patience and high degree of tolerance needed to re-orient his self on a relative yet familiar environment and company of people from time to time to take a break from chaos of family problems that he’ll took in-charge for a month or two, so before he joined much needed ‘therapy’ kind of seminars for him to evaluate, motivate and boost up morale. In order to really make the global presence felt, we have long harboured ambitions to get a real footprint across the international DP hotspots. Across the world we have Ambassadors for the DP profession and for IDPOA, and we are moving closer to finding ways of using their influence to best effect – which is good for us, them and more importantly for you. And so on to the rest of the members aspiring to become an ‘On-Call DPO’ must be professionally motivated to sustain the chain of calls for offshore or ashore duties and responsibilities with corresponding compensation. There the relevancy of redundancy on DPO’s vocabulary becomes reality by ‘Dual Tasking’ as OOW-DPO Offshore, DPO-OnCall –Educator Ashore. So whether you are in Australia, Canada, India, Europe, the Philippines, Middle East or Brazil we look forward to making sure that your local network is engaged and working well, and that on the international stage you are represented and have a platform to get your views heard. In this issue, one of our global Ambassadors, Jun Montilla, currently serving on the “CSV REM FORZA” with Abojeb Philippines has written of his vision for promoting the profession of DPO within his national maritime community: Importance of professionalism and developing the local Philippine group, to share knowledge - but also how important it is to ensure that they are linked through IDPOA to the global picture. agencies are there to call for a job, on contractual basis there was no security of tenure that they may have the rotation to plan his future but always and often times employed onboard as reliever to supply the demand. Professionalism is not inborn but practiced and was honed by practicing proper attitudes while keeping oneself at par of relevant knowledge and information, acquired or ‘spoon-feed’, better if it was there before an interest drives him to stand above the rest to keep abreast on the fast pace development in his field that he wanted to excel while maintaining his feet firmly grounded. The tanker experienced one would hardly be able to crossed unto offshore for their trainings withheld them of going to for they are sponsored and so dependent on the crewing managers where he could be line-up. Trainings becomes necessity to make ones’ marketability but not all ever willing to spent from their own pockets for family’s welfare was their priority. Adding the social outlets he may needed on what he misses while onboard was taking much of his savings, now in a hurry to board a vessel? Professionalism is not alone the degree that you’ve achieved in university but the dedication that constantly anchored with virtues on having a legacy to administer to the next generation on seafaring world where it can be use as your vehicle to channel your charity and advocacy at the same time exploring the potential as a future profession for a living. Filipino seafarers was honed on skills yet unbalanced when it comes to dedication on his/her profession for he/she has two worlds to serve as seafarer at sea and a responsible man/ woman at home with his/her family. These play the ‘tug-o-war’ of interest that is hindrance to one’s interest. Besides that no dedicated institution ever there to guide them on their field to motivate and upgrade to level up his potential. Manning What a Filipino seafarer’s needed is an institution to provide them the much needed Information drive to remind them the choice that they have chosen and not to be dictated by his required trainings for the class of vessel he may employed according to the crewing managers (which most are not seafarers but there only to pool and dispatch crew). Poor seafarer spent most of his vacation time on his national and class trainings so neglected his professional development. What they needed is an Institution-cum HUB center in which exclusively for Maritime Personnel only wherein they can freely appreciated his profession, a place to value learning Numbers of Filipino Officers who enrolled on DP trainings are sponsored by an agency and requiring them to served his ‘Memorandum of Agreement’ on number of years while serving on his vessel in order to gain his much needed sea-time experience and cannot be hired by other offshore agency unless he pay the agreed amount on his trainings. By forming a group of Filipino DPO’s under the IDPOA umbrella organization will enhance their marketability and recognition. Will encourage others to invest on their own trainings and through the ‘DPOP GROUP’ ( Dynamic Positioning Operators of the Philippines) will find ways to assist them on DP and other offshore trainings, will recommend and endorse to local agencies and foreign principals through the assistance and cooperation of IDPOA as the mother of all DPO group of organization. Will Assess and regularly conduct in-house trainings relevant to different disciplines they may engage. Members will conduct and participate in any in-house trainings, CBT or Instructors course before and finally become a ‘DPO ON CALL’ once an agreement reached with certain offshore company for certain candidate member, priority are those company who engaged them on their familiarization and advance scheme. In this case we can assure to the employers that the standard of knowledge and skills are par above than those of an independent or free lancers DPO’s. Under the IDPOA will work independently to promote professionalism in the seafaring world by constantly attending IDPOA Meetings and Convention to represent our views and development to other members of the IDPOA. And through the international effort Filipino DPO’s are not constantly be the subject of ‘less regarded as third world professionals’ caused by some government and unscrupulous individuals and agencies that derailed the reputations of the majority hardworking Filipino seafarer. I wish the Filipino Group to be a breakthrough to the international market through the recognition of IDPOA and to have each member the same supplement level of proficiency under one syllabus of STCW and IMO that we may changed the courage of our constituents to be a part and meet your members vis-à-vis on international meetings as you and me enjoyed on our respective respect of disciplines under one roof. And someday will be your host for a future convention or meetings. With due respect and appreciations. Jun Montilla CSV REM FORZA DP JOBS BOARD At IDPOA we work hard to bring you the latest DP job opportunites from across the world. We actively engage directly with employers and careers agencies to find permanent vacancies and contract roles at all levels on the DP career ladder. You can use your membership of IDPOA in order to access and apply for all the jobs we advertise, upload CV’s and give recruiters direct access to their careers information in the jobs section of the IDPOA website. We are working hard to become the only industry jobs board worth visiting. So keep watching as the jobs grow and grow. The ‘Get a Job’ lisitng in our careers section brings you the latest vacancies we find online and is open to all. Here we give you a flavour of current vacancies, find more DP jobs at www.dpoperators.org CHIEF OFFICER / SDPO – DP2 VESSEL A leading provider of subsea construction services globally requires a Chief Officer / SDPO to join them immediately onboard one of their DP2 Subsea construction vessels operating in the Persian Gulf. The vessel is currently engaged in Seismic Survey work for a leading operator. This is an excellent opportunity to join a leading firm on a permanent contract. As Chief Officer / SDPO you will oversee all DP Operations onboard. 2 x UK MASTERS & 2 x CHIEF ENGINEERS WRS's client are expecting delivery of a New Multi Purpose vessel within 2 weeks. The vessel is expected to sail, and candidates required to join onboard at the end of July / Early August. All candidates must be holding UK COC/CEC Documentation. The Vessel is operating in DP2, so DP experience is essential. http://goo.gl/OO233 http://goo.gl/3USsY IMMEDIATE VACANCY FOR DPO 2nd OFFICER 6 months or more DSV DP2 experience and a valid OPITO approved BOSIET required. AUSTRALIAN OPPORTUNITY FOR DPO 2nd OFFICER A leader in the offshore supply sector is looking to hire and develop a Second Officer DPO for their offshore vessels. http://goo.gl/VqY0H STCW II/1 certificate as watchkeeping officer unlimited and Unlimited Dynamic Positioning certificate required. DP MARINE CONSULTANT - USA This is a great opportunity to build a career in one of the forerunners in the industry. Successful candidates will expect to gain more teachnical and practical skills. Trainings will also be provided. The location for operations will be in Australia with a 5 week rotation. A world class organisation offering specialist expertise to the offshore service industry have a requirement for a Master Mariner with a background on DP Vessels to work as Dynamic Position Surveyor in Houston. http://goo.gl/QOr2k http://goo.gl/0PaSu If you have DP positions to fill... Email us to find out more about promotional opportunities: [email protected] PLEASE REMEMBER: - If you want to apply for a role advertised on our website please follow the links to the relevant recruiter website on the advert - Please do not send applications to IDPOA as unfortunately we cannot forward these on to employers or respond to individual applications. ON THE RIGHT TRACK? Capt. KS Sandhu, a Fellow of IDPOA, and MD of KulSan DP Consultants shares his thoughts on Seatime Reduction. Change is part of life and evolution a natural process of progression for any system that is put in place to achieve a specific objective. Change can have positive effect on the system if thought out and implemented properly or have negative effect if the converse is true. For the last fifty years DP has been evolving in all the spheres, be it technology, regulations, audits / inspections, procedures or training. Before 1984 there was hardly any established system for training the DPOs. Generally the ship owners trained their own DPOs through onthe-job training to meet the manpower requirements. There were no formal programmes and training centres to conduct this training. Once the baton of DP training was taken up by Nautical Institute (UK), the present pattern of DPO training scheme evolved. It is to the credit of NI to bring about qualitative standardisation in DP training all over the world which meets the requirement of oil and gas industry. IMCA, training institutes and industry too played an important role of a catalyst in this evolution. Where are we today? There are more than 60 accredited DP training centres worldwide which are implementing the NI programme for class room theory and practical simulation DP training and about 14,000 DPOs (may be more) have been certified so far. The present training scheme which evolved over the years has stood the test of time and NI has been constantly making efforts to improve the scheme. I believe, the present training programme if implemented diligently by competent people is capable of producing competent DPOs. So why is DPO’s competence in question today? There are several reasons for this, Eg. Improper training during ‘Basic’ and ‘Advance’ courses, lack of experienced instructors, insufficient or non operational equipment, non availability of training aids, insufficient mentoring of Jr DPOs onboard, non availability DP sea time (‘On DP’ exposure), personal ability and attitude of some DPOs etc. etc. These aspects have been discussed in my earlier articles; I would therefore confine myself to examining the impact of the changes ‘STCW 2010 Manila Amendment’ and ‘Reduction of Sea Time’ courses are likely to have on the DP training? STCW 2010 Manila Amendment Before 01 Jan 2012 any person could do DP ‘Basic’ course and follow the rest of the programme to qualify as DPO. The Manila Amendment has changed this. Henceforth persons with marine background ‘deck’ and ‘engine room’ can enter the DP training scheme. What is going to be the effect of this? Firstly, less number of enrolments may take place in DP courses due to the new eligibility criteria and secondly people who enter the DP programme would have overall better knowledge of ship and ship handling aspects. To overcome the effect of less people coming to DP, we need to make this specialised profession more attractive. It’s not the money but other aspects like availability of sea time, continuity of jobs on board, working conditions etc. Manpower will flow if vacancies exist and terms and conditions are good. Making mariners only eligible for the DP programme should have a positive fall out on the quality of fresh DPOs since they would be able to understand and imbibe the subject of DP better. To what degree will this be an advantage one can’t say but it should have a positive effect. The other effect this amendment can have is through the option provided to the flag states to have their own DP training programme. In other words the NI scheme need not be followed by such states if they choose to exercise this option. Many apprehensions stem from this provision, like there will be no standardisation in the DP training, what will happen to the aspect of recognition of such flag states DP certificates and therefore the employability of such DPOs outside that state’s waters? These flag states may lay down different training standards and requirements of sea time for DPOs. I am not suggesting that training will necessarily get diluted but there will be no standardisation left. Many established norms will crumble which may have adverse effect on a well established training system. If the quality of training and the format of DP programme are substandard, it would have adverse effect on DPO’s competence. DP Sea Time Reduction Nautical Institute in its STR requirement document of March 2011(Revision 3) has stipulated the following courses for qualifying for reduction of sea time: • Intensive DP simulator training • Shuttle tanker offshore loading • DP competence, assurance and Practice training (DPCAP) on board a DP ship in actual operational environment? I The Nautical institute recognises but does not accredit the shuttle tanker offshore loading or DPCAP training. Third parties approve these courses. The maximum allowable reduction in DP time that may be achieved in attending any combination of the above courses is 12 weeks of the required DP watch keeping time albeit with some conditions. It gives an advantage of clocking 50% of watch keeping sea time to a prospective DPO through these simulation courses. have my doubts! Operating DP vessel on a simulator screen is very different than handling it in actual operational environment at sea. Will the trainee shiver in his/her pants when in a dangerous situation during an exercise on a simulator, close to a platform/ rig? Soldiers are made in the battlefield not on the simulators! Skiing is learnt by getting on the water, no amount of simulation training can replace this. Question is “If the ship owners can give 12 weeks of sea time to a prospective DPO why can’t they give 24? In one of the recent DP seminar, results of a survey carried out among trainees on demand of various DP training courses were presented. The survey showed that large numbers of prospective DPOs are in favour of STR courses. Why do they prefer these courses vis-a-vis the ‘actual’ sea time? Answer is simple, to overcome the problem of ‘hard-to-get’ sea time and to qualify for DP certificate asap. Is this a willing choice or a compulsion? What are the likely effects of exercising this option on the competence of the DPOs? Is this a desirable solution to the problem of sea time? Survey carried out by Mikael Lundgren a Master Mariner student/Trainee DPO at Kalmar Maritime Academy, Sweden in Feb 2012 has come out with interesting views on ‘fast tracking’ or ‘need for speed’ aspect of DP Certification. There were mixed responses like “I do not think it is the best way taking a shortcut to the DP certificate. Neither do I think it is necessary” and “There is a need for speed due to exponential growth in the industry. But the emphasis should be on getting competent DPOs into the workplace not just certified DPOs”. Many felt that simulator courses can be a valuable tool but cannot replace handson experience. I too believe that “no training is useless”! Every training enhances the knowledge/ skill of a person; the degree may vary from individual to individual. No doubt that the STR courses will improve the skills of prospective DPOs but the question is will they provide equivalent gain of an actual DP sea time? Will the experience gained on simulator be same as a person would gain from sea time Prospective DPOs would naturally prefer simulator course over the actual sea time due to scarce availability of sea time but DP training fraternity needs to seriously consider its effect on the competence of DPOs. Introduction of such courses have stemmed primarily from the demands of the industry and not driven by training quality considerations. Have the views of the Masters at sea been taken on this aspect? Should their opinion not matter? It is common knowledge that it takes many months/even years, after completing DP training programme with ‘actual’ sea time for a Jr DPO to start performing effectively on the bridge. It can therefore be inferred that the DPOs who do ‘virtual’ sea time will lack in experience compared to the ones who do ‘actual’ sea time. The feel of the ship in actual working environment is very important to build confidence of a DPO. The STR courses may be a good option for the drill ships/rigs or shuttle tankers due to the very nature of their operations but may not work well for the other DP vessels like MSVs, DSVs, pipe/cable layers etc who make extensive use of DP during their day to day operations. What if the sea time becomes even more ‘hard-to-get’? Will we then design another ‘Super Intensive’ simulation course by which some more sea time reduction could be allowed? I hope not! Therefore instead of resorting to STR courses why can’t the DP companies even now be more accommodating in giving ‘actual’ sea time to DPOs which will be more valuable. After all it will mean more competent DPOs and a win-win situation for all. Industry should consider having a training DPO on board as an ‘investment’ in manpower and not ‘expenditure’. Conclusion DP training programme has evolved over the years with an aim of imparting good knowledge and skill to DPOs to carryout DP operations safely and efficiently. From time to time changes were made to improve the programme and overcome the manpower problems faced by the industry. Changes are normally made to make the training better but in case of STR courses the predominant reason is to ‘fast tracking’ the DP certification. On board sea experience is much more valuable than the simulation training and vice versa is not true. After all, before the simulator training came, people were getting trained only by means of on-thejob. Healthy balance therefore needs to be maintained between the demands of industry and the need of training. Actually the balance must always tilt in favour of training. Relying too much on ‘virtual’ training will only produce ‘virtual’ DPOs. The industry must appreciate this and help out the prospective DPOs with all important ‘actual’ sea time? After all they are going to reap the benefit of well trained DPOs once they get certified. Manila Amendment should have a positive impact by restricting the eligibility for entering the DP training scheme but the option provided to flag states to have their own DP training programme may dilute the established standards. The flag states could do well by continuing to follow the existing Nautical institute DP training scheme. The existing scheme can continued to be refined and improved. If number of flag states opt for having their own DP training scheme then it would be prudent to have a forum which could ensure that minimum standards of training are maintained across the board. Whatever decisions we make, must be in the interest of good wholesome training and overall development of the most important component of DP, THE DPO, the man behind the panel! New World Order? As the DP regulatory landscape shifts, evolves and changes, there is an obvious and not surprising knock on effect being felt across DP certification. Could it spell the end for the Nautical Institute DP Operators certification scheme? While the NI scheme has served us so well for so long, it seems that rapid changes could leave the existing scheme facing new pressures and alternatives. In the future it looks likely that flag States will push forward their own certification. As the STCW Manila amendments take root, it seems that even though DP only made it into the guidance within Part B, there is a juggernaut of change coming our way. Some have voiced concerns about such change, they fear a “patch work quilt of different standards”, but with the NI scheme battling inner politics, fraud issues and the turmoil of uncertainty, then it perhaps unsurprising that the industry is pressing ahead regardless. First out of the blocks is DNV’s new “ground breaking” DPO certification concept, which has now been recognised by the Norwegian Maritime Authority (NMA). For a number of years the Norwegians issued their own DP certificates, then they changed tack and decided to let the NI take the strain. Finally it seems they want to embrace the opportunity which DNV has brought to raise the bar, and they are now onboard with the DNV Approved DP Test Centre certificate. On June 6th 2012 this concept received the following evaluation from the Norwegian maritime Directorate: “The Norwegian Maritime Authority (NMA) considers the DNV concept, as stated in mentioned standards, to be equivalent to international recognized standard. Therefore the NMA requirement is fulfilled when a person holds a valid DNV DPcertificate”. The new STCW guidelines and industry standards are at the vanguard of enhanced quality for DP Operator (DPO) training, and DNV SeaSkill™ has long been looking to break into this market. Over the years developed applicable competence standards to cover DP (Dynamic Positioning) and other areas and is currently certifying management systems, DP courses and simulators on an individual basis. In order to develop and implement a new system, a pilot project together with the recognized Ship Modelling and Simulation Centre AS (SMSC) in Trondheim was established. As a result, a new standard, “Test Centre for Certification of Personnel” was developed. This new standard covers the area of obtaining a DNV Approved DP Test Centre certificate that permits the approved test centre to issue DPO certificates. SMSC achieved the Test Centre Certification in February this year. This will lead to a new and flexible way of achieving a DP Operator Certificate containing a high quality and faster throughput than the existing schemes. So it could be farewell to the NI scheme, and hello to the future of innovation, technology and advancement which the new DNV scheme has finally opened up. For more information Email: [email protected] Visit: www.seaskill.com Calls for Change As we are no doubt all aware, there are a myriad potential Legal Issues associated with Vessels Employing Dynamic Positioning Systems”, and these have now been highlighted by the US Coastguard. In light of the ongoing work of the USCG we have been made aware of some potentially serious implications of the findings relating to the loss of the “Deepwater Horizon”. The USCG Report of Investigation, included in its content Appendix I, a memorandum with the subject line, “Potential Legal Issues Associated with Vessels Employing Dynamic Positioning Systems.” The document outlines many of the gaps in dynamic positioning regulation that were uncovered during the USCG Deepwater Horizon investigation, and this is likely to drive a number of changes in the years ahead. As DP systems are not mandatory pieces of equipment, they regulations and regime surrounding them had for decades been rather ad-hoc and piecemeal. Regulations were industry led, and so there was minimal interference. Now, however, it seems that a disaster (even though non-DP related), could be the catalyst for change. The Status Quo appears to be about to end – the relationship between owners and charterers, with the NI sat as a convenient and acceptable partner is about to be severely tested, and change appears to be imminent. As we all know, the Deepwater tragedy was in no way related to the DP system or capabilities and, but when regulators want to break into a sector they simply wait for an excuse (or reason) and then go for it. We had similar in India, the Bombay High disaster was in no-way DP related (in fact DP could have prevented it), but that did not stop the Directorate General of Shipping setting their sights firmly on DP. They wanted to force DP training and certification into STCW – they wished for Part A, but managed to push it eventually into Part B. The loss of the Deepwater Horizon occurred at a pivotal moment and the USCG believes that DP regulations now need to be updated, and the future is laid out in an appendix to the main investigation report. At the back of an almost 300 page report, the memorandum promises to shake up portions of the Gulf of Mexico DP sector. There have been criticisms in the past of the GoM view of DP, and if the proposed changes outlined as the definitions of “underway,” “on location,” “self-propelled,” etc., are being considered and reconsidered, then the changes could be significant. The memorandum can be accessed via the US Coast Guard website at: http://goo.gl/niSE0 IDPOA has started a new initiative – as we look to recognise and learn more about the things DPOs really love about their roles, jobs and careers, while also looking at what they hate. In LOVE HATE – we will try and find ways of accentuating the positive, and perhaps mitigating the negative. We have asked our members to provide us with an insight into what is good, and also the dark side of life as a DPO. From shift patterns, leave disappointments, tiredness, good food, fattening food, too many cakes and grumpy Senior DPOs, we have learned a lot more about life at the desk. W E LOVE... The Seapath DGPS system – yes, DPOs seriously LOVE this piece of kit. The two fixed baseline GPS antennas give precise heading and are also used as redundant GPS position and velocity sources. Speaking of his secret passion, one member stated, a case where there was a dropout of two other DPS 200 due to interference from a installation antenna, however the robust Seapath system used the IMU (Inertial Measurements Unit) to provide position, velocity and heading measurements where the other systems could not. Even in the case of missing data from one GPS receiver, then the other (remaining) receiver will provide position and velocity. DPO Brian Murphy said, “This reference system provides highly accurate, real time heading, attitude and position information and for sure is one of the things I love about DP”. Others voiced their thoughts too as we asked for feedback – one said, I LOVE that the Mathematical Model is the BRAIN of the System, but that the DPO is the HEART. Wherein the Mathematical Model has Kalman Filter to predicts Past, Present and Future to allocate Thrusters, it is still the Human instinct which is key and which prevails in appreciating what is safe and best for the system in executing tasks. WE LOVE DP because gaining an understanding of the DP System, “LEVELS-UP” expertise – being a DPO is about taking your career to another level. No longer a “mere” Officer on Watch a DPO with skill, knowledge and having learned some hard lessons at the desk becomes a true EXPERT. It is not the technical skills of the Astronauts that makes them famous, but the understanding and attitude of their expertise lead them to operate their machines and eventually step unto the Moon, making that leap breaks the possibilities from impossibilities…having all the skills of traditional navigators, and resourcefulness of old school mariners, but the ability and knowledge which comes with DP experience makes DPOs special. What is not to love about that? WE LOVE DP because of the efficiencies which it brings to work such as offshore construction and other subsea tasks. Keeping a position using propellers and thrusters where a conventional ship can’t makes the world a different place, and for that WE LOVE DP. WE HATE... DPOs HATE - the integration of ECDIS into the DP system. This is often used in the latest system architecture which allows the ECDIS to interface with a DP system, for example in terms of sharing waypoints of a planned route. However should the ECDIS suffer certain types of error, then these errors can and have been transferred to the DP system and in turn can see this as a possible reference system timeout or failure. The resulting alerts can indicate that there is a framing error in the DP and give a position dropout warning. Our DPO said, “Bridge integration is a good thing but too much I don’t like and so ECDIS into the DP system is something I HATE” WE HATE DP for taking up too much time, attention, focus and alertness. For the DPO to be the Heart of the machine means that in order to safely execute and makes decisions the DPO has to be a disciplined expert – over a 12 hrs watch that can take its toll. WE HATE DP for being a pretty lonely existence. Sat at the desk for hours in control, constantly monitoring system is a lonesome place to be. The machine is the constant companion, but it challenges your knowledge, and to fair isn’t that easy to get along with at times. So what do you LOVE OR HATE? Send us your thoughts: [email protected] The best responses may be lucky enough to bag themselves some of our DP appreciation stickers!!! DP Lift boat Operations like all DP Operations are of course quite unique, firstly the vessel has three 335 foot legs with huge pads that land on the mud. The pads are 45’ by 30’ by 6’ and whilst constantly submerged as they are lowered to the seabed they will be subject to possibly differing subsea currents all of which the DP will have to learn. This will be compounded by the fact that the 335 foot legs which were included in the windage, will as they are submerged become subject to real current forces which will vary as the legs “jacked down” into the water., the DP has to learn this also. Lifting Higher IDPOA Fellow Colin Soanes, supported by Joseph Orgeron Ph.D. Chief Technology Officer, Montco Offshore Inc, has kindly volunteered to tell us more about another unusual and challenging DP project he was recently involved in. Like most people I have sadly had way too many interesting experiences. However I was recently involved in what was for me an interesting AND pleasant experience involving a Dynamic Positioned (DP), Lift-boat (L/B); it was a real learning experience. I am in no way offering this as an Expert opinion of L/B operations, more of a “this was REALLY interesting” view. The L/B (Lift Boat) Robert is a Class1 DP jack up that will be used in the de-construction of decommissioned offshore oil platforms in the Gulf of Mexico. The work involved, generating the trials program for Class 1 DP; witnessing the DP trials and providing a DP consultation service. Lift Boat Vessel The L/B Robert is a 335 foot class vessel that can work into a maximum water depth of 280 feet. The vessel is fitted with the following equipment: DP: Kongsberg DP 1 each cPos cJoy` DGPS 1 eachDPS 110, DPS122 Sensors 1 MRU, 2 wind sensors, 2 Navigat X Mk 1 gyro UPS 1 off Diesel Electric Thrusters: Steering 2 off Steerprop SP 25D Bow thrusters 1 off Berg 400kw tunnel Power generation: Main power generation 2 off Cat 3516C @ 2350Kw each Aux power generation 2 of Cat C32 @1000Kw each Supplied through a split bus Cranes 1 500t crane 1 60t crane 1 25t crane 10t crane For full specs visit: http://www.Montco.com/Robert.php Personnel This was for me one interesting parts of the trials process. It was very apparent that all members of the bridge crew had a vast experience of and were most comfortable with manual control of the vessel. Over several days’ observation, it was evident that driving the vessel was a pleasure, made all the more interesting by the discovery that their new toy would literally spin on the spot due to the large horizontal separation of the 2 aft azimuthing Steer prop thrusters. The expression “kid in a candy store” springs to mind. It was my opinion that this was a great advantage when coming into DP Operations and there is a lesson for many DP Operators to be learned. Another instance where I was pleased to learn was watching the skill that was required to break the vessel out of the “mud”. This will be covered later in “normal” Liftboat operations. It is enough to say at present that this is a science that requires a great deal of skill, knowledge of your vessels capabilities and detailed information on the nature of the seabed (worth it’s “weight in gold” for sure). Normal DP Operations as Opposed Lift Boat Operations Firstly in a “normal” DP vessel the shape of the vessel does not change drastically. While it is true that draft may change this can normally be allowed for with a manual or automatic draft input. For the majority of operations the days of a fixed “DP draft” are over. Also the external forces acting on the vessels due to operations can often be measured and input to the vessel by the use of a sensor or sensors measuring forces acting on the vessel. As we all know failure to input these forces correctly can lead to large “DP Current” forces. Lastly on “normal” DP vessels, DP is the main method of controlling the vessel. The vessel will arrive on location under its own propulsion, carry out the appropriate DP trials and then conduct Operations with the vessel in DP mode and the DP control station constantly manned by qualified DPOs. Tuning the DP Tuning the DP varies from vessel to vessel; it is the plan here to comment only on the aspects of L/B vessels and operations that make this tuning unique. This thankfully offset by the fact that whilst the vessel is setting up, no operations involving cranes can be carried due to the stability requirements and the requirements of the Operations manual. Lastly the majority of the operations will not be carried out in DP; the DP will purely be a means to an end. A brief outline of an operation 1. Arrive on location and carry out DP trials in a safe location at “transit draft” 2. Make an approach to the worksite, whilst ballasting to a working draft and lowering the legs 3. Keep a safe distance from the worksite until item 2 is complete. 4. Continue approach and carry out a ROV survey 5. Move into location (guided by Survey team). 6. “Tag” bottom and “jack” vessel up. n this instance the vessel will arrive on location under its own “steam”. Carry out the appropriate trials, ballast to a working condition, move (slowly) into location under DP control whilst “jacking down” in preparation to “tag” bottom. The tuning of the DP needs to allow for: 1. The differing mass of the vessel at transit and working drafts. 2. The effects on the DP of lowering the legs from an air borne to a waterborne environment. The L/B will be positioned at the working location in DP. An ROV will be used for seabed surveys and then as soon as the legs “tag” bottom and the L/B is jacked clear, DP operations will be over. During the decommissioning process the DP operation will normally be measured in a matter of hours not days, weeks or months. Item 1 was easily achieved by carrying out 2 tuning operations, one with the vessel at working draft and one at transit draft. Normal Lift Barge Operations It is immediately apparent knowledge of the nature of the seabed is vitally important. while we were unlucky enough to get stuck in the mud, it was very interesting to watch a skilled captain “break” us out. When I first saw the Captain operating the legs using individual joysticks, my first question was “wouldn’t it be easier to have a single control to operate all the legs?” To which the answer was “yes then we use the single up and down buttons”. Thankfully it was then explained to me in small words that when the vessel is stuck, the method is to jack down one corner of the L/B until it is nearly submerged and let the force of buoyancy do the work for you. Also you need to be aware that: 1. Patience is the name of the game. 2. Decks will probably be partially flooded due to wave action. 3. Closing of watertight doors as per the stability book is vital. 4. It is most likely that one leg will break free at a time. Tagging bottom requires knowledge of the seabed, the company data base of historical pad penetrations and subsequent liberation times is no doubt a very valued and used asset. Suffice it to say that lack of knowledge of the seabed could result in any of the following: 1. Getting stuck in the mud. 2. Damage to the leg motors. 3. Damage to the legs. 4. Loss of the vessel. Item 2 was more of a challenge, in that it is difficult to tune the DP to differing current effects on the legs when these effects can vary so much. In the end, after the tuning had been carried out loaded draft the legs were jacked own until they were just clear of the seabed and then the response of the vessel to DP commands were assessed. In the conditions experienced the vessel responded acceptably to DP commands. So it was decided that a third tuning with the legs down was not required. However comments were added: 1. Allowing the DP sufficient time to settle was paramount. 2. Assessing that the DP foot print was acceptable must be carried out prior to final approach. 3. The DP Operator could be used to improve the performance of a vessel that was too sluggish or too responsive. FAQ Q. How do you provide water to the fire and general service pumps when the vessel is jacked up? A. You have submersible pumps attached to hoses on reels that can be lowered into the water to supply the vessel while elevated. Q. Do the legs affect the performance of the DGPS? A. Yes they do and the effect is greater the closer the leg to the antennae. Q. What is the quickest way to de-ballast? A. Tag bottom, jack the L/B up and open the dump valves. Q. Are there any special requirements when the L/B is jacking up for the first time? A. Yes, Personnel are outside the accommodation just in case. Q. Will the vessel be stable at all times as it jacks up? A. Not necessarily, depending on the nature of the seabed the L/B may slip causing the DP to fight. The DP operator must be ready to go to manual at any time. Written, C. Soanes, Edited, Joseph Orgeron Ph.D. Chief Technology Officer, Montco Offshore Inc. Recruitment Matters Vessel owners, managers and crewing agencies are constantly challenged in finding personnel with specific operational and project experience. This combined with stringent certification requirements has made it crucial to target the right personnel as effective as possible. One significant problem for today’s on-line recruitment industry is that current online solutions are feeling an increased duty to target a mass market. Current internet based recruitment services feel compelled to target an array of disciplines operating both onshore and offshore in the Oil, Gas and Renewables sectors. In many cases, current job sites connect a company to applicants more efficiently than ads in printed publications. However, they still struggle with many of the difficulties and inefficiencies that international recruitment can present. DPOWork.com is a dedicated service aimed at the recruitment of personnel operating in the international DPO market. With the current demand for DPOs being extremely high, there is a high demand for this niche recruitment solution. DPO Work is now open for employers and job seekers to sign up and the company is proud to announce dpowork.com, which along with all of our other sites are completely free to use DPOWork.com The Recruitment Project (TRP) is the beginning of a brand new era for recruitment. We set out to revolutionise this industry by introducing a new, more efficient recruitment solution to the market place. The Recruitment Project is the very first company to offer a discipline specific and niche recruitment solution for the offshore industry. We have reengineered recruitment to become less costly and more efficient for employers by providing a recruitment tool solely aimed at niche disciplines. Each project brings design professionals and recruitment experts together to offer a unique, professional and efficient recruitment solution for both employers and job seekers alike. Every website which TRP offers is dedicated to one niche area of the offshore industry to ensure the recruitment process is simple, streamlined and effective. Disciplines covered include Inspection, Diving, Renewables and DPO personnel. The American DPO market is one of the largest offshore markets of its kind and Americandpo.com sets out to reinvent recruitment within this industry. By creating an industry-specific, nationality-specific solution, Americandpo.com offers an effective, streamlined solution for employers and employees alike: Americandpo.com To view a full list of recruitment solutions offered by TRP please visit: www.therecruitmentproject.com Going Green The concept of “green DP” has been around for a while, but only now are we about to see a true hybrid energy system installed on board an offshore supply vessel. The “Viking Lady” is really set to drive environmental progress into the future. The vessel will be fitted with an impressive battery pack for energy storage. When the new system is complete, the operation of the engine will be more smooth and cost effective giving further emission reductions. This lady is not like any other offshore supply ship. The threeyear-old LNG-fuelled vessel, owned by Eidesvik Offshore, was the very first merchant ship to use a fuel cell as part of its propulsion system. The fuel cell, which generates an electric output of 330 kW, was installed in the autumn of 2009 and has successfully run for more than 18,500 hours. Based on this, the Viking Lady is already one of the world’s most environmentally friendly ships. Now another first step is to be taken to reduce its emissions even more. Once the battery pack is in place, the ship will operate using a hybrid system similar to that which has been installed in hybrid cars for a number of years. However, the potential emission reductions are higher and the return on investment period is shorter for ships than it is for cars. DNV is heading this research project, which is called FellowSHIP. Its partners are Eidesvik Offshore, the owner of the ship and Wärtsilä, who provides power solutions for the marine market. In this, the next project phase, an energy storage capability is to be introduced to the energy system. This allows the benefits of a true hybrid energy system to be explored. The primary potential benefits of the hybrid energy system for a ship like the Viking Lady are a 20-30% reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions through smoother and more efficient operation of the engines and fuel cell. The reductions of other exhaust components are even higher. The whole shipping industry is currently facing record-high fuel costs. Based on these actual costs, the return on investment period for the hybrid system is estimated to be less than two years. Bjørn-Johan Vartdal, DNV’s project manager says: “We know that the hybrid system will reduce the energy consumption. When operating, for example, on dynamic positioning, there will be a major fuel saving potential. When in harbour, too, the ship should be able to operate on the fuel cell and its battery power alone, which will reduce emissions significantly. For environmentally sensitive areas, this will be an essential benefit. Additional benefits are related to reductions in machinery maintenance costs and in noise and vibrations.” A comprehensive measurement program will be carried out to verify the savings potential. The hybrid system will also be modelled in detail. Calibrated and verified process models will facilitate simulation and optimization of future hybrid systems. The new DNV class rules for battery-powered ships have been developed in parallel to this. These are the first class rules developed in order for batteries to be used as part of a vessel’s propulsion energy – both as hybrid solutions and for “pure” battery-driven vessels. The project is due for completion in 2013. “Milestone for maritime environmental project” “FellowSHIP: Fuel Cells on the brink of commercialisation” “Shipping could by 2030 cut emissions by 30%, at zero cost” Fanbeam Laser Technology as a DP Reference Many years have passed since 1987 when the first Fanbeam was used in what is now the DP industry as a relative position reference system. And whilst not much may have appeared to change, the Fanbeam from laser technology pioneer, Measurement Devices Ltd has gone through much evolution and enhancement, resulting in the Fanbeam 5, the latest iteration of the best known laser brand in the industry. Back in the late 1980’s when MDL was known as the “survey system innovators”, the company founder and owner, Steve Ball, took the opportunity to visit a customer in the USA who was renting an MDL GOLF laser system. This product consisted of a tripod mounted laser rangefinder coupled with a horizontal angle encoder and needed an operator to point the laser at a designated point and fire to measure the offset. This was being used to calibrate and track seismic survey sources in the water behind a geophysical seismic exploration vessel to aid with positioning and enhance the survey data. This triggered Steve's idea to automate the process and remove the need to have an operator performing such a mundane task. The first step was to motorise the horizontal movement, and the second step was to optically “fan” the laser in the vertical plane to ensure that it hit the designated point (floating on the water behind the vessel). By tuning the laser to only measure a range to an active (retro-reflective) target, the system was then able to autonomously track multiple items moving relative to the laser. Thus was born the “Fanbeam” and by the early 1990’s this then became a standard system on the global seismic exploration fleets of operators such as CGG, Western Geophysical, Digicon, and GECO. Having saturated this very niche market, it seemed that perhaps the Fanbeam would be a short lived product. Thankfully, the Fanbeam started to find use on dynamically positioned vessels that were working close to offshore platforms. By the mid 1990’s DP was the biggest growth application for MDL’s Fanbeam technology and the product went through two iterations which improved the laser performance and positioned the product for use specifically as a DP reference sensor. The Fanbeam then took off and became a standard feature of DP systems on everything from semi-submersible floatels to the smallest DP crew boats in the Gulf of Mexico. By the time MDL introduced the Fanbeam 4.2 in 2002 there were hundreds of systems in operation and now MDL can boast an installed end user base of well over 1500 DP vessels globally. It has only been in the last ten years or so that any other technology has entered the market for surface based relative DP reference systems. Prior to this, the only options were Artemis, Fanbeam, Taut Wire or relative GPS systems such as DARPS. The Fanbeam concept pioneered the use of simple range/bearing based technology that did not require a significant installation on the platform. This led to significant uptake as the system benefits from being simple to operate, long range (2000m to a prism cluster), relatively cost effective and quick to mobilise (many vessels take equipment on and off regularly as projects dictate). Whilst the Fanbeam retains all of these advantages, MDL have continued to make improvements to the product, significantly enhancing tracking performance and reducing the need for operator input. Since its introduction in 2010, many end users such as Gulf, DOF, Farstad, Sealion, Technip, Olympic, and Solstad have expressed their satisfaction with Fanbeam 5 systems. Today, Fanbeam end users benefit from the expanding MDL partner network which provides ready access to the latest Fanbeam technology and service for all of the existing fleet of equipment. Changing Fast According to Michael C Ford, vice President of Commercial Operations for L-3 Dynamic Positioning and control Systems, the world of DP is changing fast. Ford claims a growing reliance on technology, and the focus on offshore safety means that DP capabilities are no longer optional. Any business looking to work in the offshore domain is going to have to view DP capabilities as a necessity, not a “nice to have”. The requirement for DP on offshore tonnage is growing in leaps and bounds; directly re-lated to the global offshore drilling boom.For every rig out there, 7 to 8 OSV’s and 2 con-struction vessels are needed to service that operation. In the next few years, it will involve at least $200 million USD in DP investment. As a minimum, the industry is now demanding DP1 capabilities and for anything carrying drilling mud, fuel and supplies, then DP class 2 is the minimum standard. Even the rare workboats which are built without DP, then they are designed so that subsequent retrofit-ting is an easy proposition. Ford stressed the huge growth in the need for DP will soon take shape in places such as Brazil. The Brazilian market will be looking to have at 30 rigs alone in the next few years. Multiply that times the necessary number of support vessels, and that translates into a ro-bust market. According to Ford, L-3 has recently refocused its attention towards servicing the workboat – major boat operators, large drilling contractors, etc. – because of burgeoning needs. In the global offshore industry, the huge reliance in DP in offshore operations because of the efficiency it offers for boat operators is obvious. Ten years ago, every other boat might have DP; now almost nothing gets built now without at least the built-in possibility of refit-ting later. In the interim, according to L-3, the hardware hasn’t changed a lot. The same cannot be said for the operating software has changed. L-3, for example, just did a complete upgrade of their user interface. The goal is to provide uniformity across all systems – Radar, charts, DP, etc. – so that the operator gains the level of comfort with all components. Ford explains, “It’s very much an integrated control system. As the vessels get bigger and harder to handle, the DP makes that easier.” It is also thought that the various propulsion systems in common use today come ready to be interfaced with DP control systems. That wasn’t always the case. Today, for instance L-3 DP controls interface with virtually any propulsion system imaginable, and L-3 liaises with manufacturers to ensure that this occurs as smoothly as possible. Among the propulsion technologies that L-3 commonly interface with are Berg, Schottel, Waterjet, Thrust-master, Voith Schneider and many others. Ford insists, “Almost anything out there can be DP’d. One of our strengths is our flexibility in dealing with different varieties of propulsion systems.” Training is always an important consideration with the operation of any complex marine equipment. Dynamic Positioning is no exception to the rule. As DP skills and certifications come under increasing scrutiny, coupled with the renewed focus on offshore safety, DP training also finds itself under the hot spotlight. And although there are private certifications in play and IMO and the STCW developers are talking about it, nothing has yet been formalised in terms of a global standard. L3, like other DP players, maintains a robust in-house training presence. L-3’s Ford explains, “Fundamentally, DP is the same on any console, but there are nuances to each operator’s equipment. We operate three schools (Houston, Singapore, and Brazil) and partner with third party schools, as well.” Training, he says, is a key part of their service package. SHIP to SURE HOME OR AWAY :THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY YOU JUST CAN’T SAIL WITHOUT Google Nexus7 Do we still get excited about tablets? We reckon so given the fuss surrounding the latest new kid on the block The Nexus7 from Google is going to smaller, cheaper and mainlining all the content you have squirelled away into Google Play. What do you mean you haven’t? Ipad killer? Time will tell. Lytro Digital Camera It may look like a fat lip stick - but the Lytro is the future of cameras. It takes everything in, and then you adjust the focus AFTERWARDS. So the you never have to worry about what you are snapping at. Which seems like it could kind of take the artistry out of photography. Guess that could be good or bad depending on the results. Never make Granny blurred again... 50 Shades of Grey It’s a book - but don’t worry, its a mucky one. Yes, you head off to sea with this downloaded onto your Kindle, and when you return home your partner will thrill at the new leash on life it will give you. The story revolves around a silly girl and a nasty man. Man spanks girl, they fall in love...etc, etc. It may not seem much, but as been its billed as a kind of female FMEA. Don’t miss out. What's On Guide Rio Oil & Gas - Expo & Conference 17-20 Septemeber 2012 www.ibp.org.br www.ogassetsecurity.com The Dynamic Positioning (DP) Committee of the Marine Technology Society Annual Conference October 9-10, 2012, Houston, USA http://www.dynamic-positioning.com/next_conference.html www.osea-asia.com To promote your events in 6degrees Toor promote your events in 6degrees or on www.dpoperators.org on www.dpoperators.org emailus usfor formore moredetails details - [email protected] Issue 11 is distributed email Spring 2012 - [email protected] Issue 13 is distributed Fall 2012
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