done by operation or resilience.
“There needs to be retesting of DP operator competence. The drilling contractors are looking at this,” said Mr Aylott. Team competence is also important. This can be tested through bridge and engineroom teams working together on simulators. NI’s chief executive, Philip Wake, explained how academies have grown to match the DP operator training requirements. There are more than 75 training centres worldwide that have NI-accredited DP operator courses. The NI has also certified more than 20,000 DP operators since its scheme was launched in 1982. Around 60 per cent (12,000) of the existing DP certificates have been issued since 2009. The scheme is an important example of industry self-regulation as it has been kept up-to-date by industry stakeholders at annual meetings. Recently there have been two such meetings per year. With the STCW 2010 Manila amendments coming into force this year there is the potential for flag states to move into DP certification and the NI is engaging with them, said Mr Wake. However, NI should continue to manage the scheme for the benefit of the industry, consult with the shakeholders and improve the training scheme to maintain the high standards. Mr Wake explained that future changes could include a five-year revalidation system and an online system for basic assessments. Flag states could become more involved, but Mr Wake thinks the majority are unlikely to want to undertake DP operator certification. He agrees there needs to be changes as a result of the complexity of modern DP systems and the different types of vessels that have DP capabilities. Some of the key considerations in the DP review process are the entry level requirements, task book requirements for onboard training, the assessment system and time on DP systems.
One of the issues with training and competence assessment is that there are no set standards for DP systems and operations. GL Noble Denton’s European DP manager, Joe Hughes, said shipowners have their own standards and manufacturers have different control systems. “Vessel operators have their own standards; for example, for fault tolerance.” Mr Hughes outlined who the stakeholders
are. Vessel owners and managers who run the fleet of OSVs are responsible for the big decisions, and shipbuilders are responsible for ensuring the vessels that leave their yards meet the DP requirements. Vendors that supply DP systems, trade organisations, crew and operators are also stakeholders. “Vendors should ensure there is sufficient interfacing between systems. Oil companies have their own expectations of DP standards and requirements, although some
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Peter Aylott of C-Mar on where the future opportunities lie
rely on industry standards,” said Mr Hughes. Class societies also have a responsibility to ensure the vessels meet their DP class notations, and they are the official custodians of standards of acceptance. Third-party DP consultancies also have a say as they provide experience, knowledge and competence as DP practitioners in the DP sector. Also
at the Annual Offshore Support
Journal Conference, the International Marine Contractors Association’s (IMCA) technical adviser, Ian Giddings, forecast the technical future for DP systems, by outlining the latest technology advancements. He said: “We have seen not only a significant building programme for DP vessels but also new systems, both DP and ancillary, including position reference systems incorporating inertial navigation. Furthermore, DP system manufacturers continue to develop their products by introducing new functions and features. Innovation will continue to lead to new technology and equipment.”
Mr Giddings said intuitive DP controls would soon be introduced and the proximity of controls will be improved to increase operators’ reactions during busy periods. “DP operators need to be fast on their feet because controls are not always close enough, so there are moves to bring controls closer,” he added. Other technological advances on the workstations include touchscreens and multi-layered displays.
There have also been recent advances on position reference systems. “We already have inertial navigation systems, and now there is talk about having blended position reference systems for DP,” said Mr Giddings. There are also
Ian Giddings: DP system manufacturers continue to innovate and bring new products to market
Annual Offshore Support Journal Conference and Awards 2013 I 11
trends towards introducing more environmental sensors, such as ultrasonic wind sensors. DP systems can also be linked to datalogs and voyage data recorders (VDR). This would enable the analysis of historic VDR information and the training of officers using real incident data. Technology changes are also being implemented in the power generation and propulsion side of DP systems. The development of fuel cells, marine battery packs and gas-fuelled engines are changing the power source for DP systems. Another possible future development is the magneto-hydrodynamic propulsor. This uses only electricity and magnetic fields to propel a vessel. Mr Giddings predicts that although they are only in early development, they may be available within the next five years. OSJ
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