Dynamic Positioning Revalidation
Course 773

This 5-day DP Revalidation course is intended for those who have already been issued a DPO Certificate from the NI but are unable to revalidate their DPO Certificate due to insufficient DP sea time (less than 30 day DP sea time).

If the candidate is completing the course for the first time, there is no minimum DP sea time requirement.

If the candidate is completing the course for a second or subsequent time, a minimum of 28 DP sea time days will be required to revalidate. This DP time may be completed prior to or after the Revalidation Course.

Where a candidate subsequently revalidates after taking the course by completion of the full sea time requirement of 150 DP sea time days that candidate can then take the Revalidation Course again without a DP sea time requirement.

Legacy and Grandfathered certificate holders will be able to take the course to revalidate until 31st December 2019. After this date, previous Legacy and Grandfathered certificate holders will need to complete DP sea time days towards revalidation.

The overall course aim is to update the DPO with the latest rules and regulations, position references and sensors, known DP incidents and lessons learned. At the end of the course, the student should:

• Have acquired knowledge of the latest rules and regulations.
• Have acquired knowledge of the latest developments within sensors and PRS’.
• Have acquired knowledge of the latest relevant DP incidents and why they occurred.
• Be able to recognize the various alarm, warning and information messages.
• Carry out operational planning, risk assessment and hazard identification tasks.
• Set up the DP system for a particular task/operation.
• Decide on courses of action because of systems failure.

Delivery Method Training will be split equally between theory and practical exercises. Morning sessions will consist of review of prior DP knowledge and introduction to the latest information, while afternoon sessions will take place in MPT’s state of the art DP Simulators. Theory will be used to support the practical exercises as a briefing, a de-briefing and for demonstration purposes. 

Nautical Institute definition of a DP sea time day

The NI DP Standard specifies that if the ship and trainee DPO are engaged in DP operations for a minimum of 2 hours in the day, that day may be claimed as a DP Sea time day. The Standard allows for many different DP vessel types and operations.

The purpose of this advisory note is to give guidance on what activities can be included when determining whether or not the time counts as ‘engaged in DP operations’:

 The following activities can legitimately be used towards a DP sea time day: 

• Time on watch as a member of the DP watch.
• Using the DP system to control the ship.
• Preparing, planning and setting up on DP.
• Completing training task sections combined with DP operations.
• Using a joystick (DP or IJS) to control the position of the vessel. A maximum of 1 DP sea time day can be claimed when the operation consists entirely of this activity.
• Emergency ship handling training using manual controls to maintain position. A maximum of 1 DP sea time day can be claimed when the operation consists entirely of this activity.
• Conduct and participate in formal trials, including:
  • FMEA trials
  • Annual trials
  • Class trials
  • Charterer trials
  • Field arrival trials
  • DP proving trials

When 2 DPOs are on watch together, both DPOs are eligible to claim the watchkeeping time.

In circumstances where more than 2 DPOs are required on an operational watch, the Master should make appropriate logbook remarks to explain the circumstances. 

Masters should be part of the DP watch to accumulate experience for initial certification.  They can use monitoring or being a part of DP watch towards a DP sea time day for their own record of experience for revalidation. 

DP sea time cannot be claimed in any circumstances when using the DP autopilot mode.

Please Note:  Time on board a vessel with the classification of POSITION MOORING or THRUSTER ASSISTED MOORING (TAM) and DP class notation can be counted as DP sea time for initial DP training. The Nautical Institute will require the candidate to present evidence that the anchors were not deployed for the DP sea time claimed during DP operations when applying for a DP certificate.