DYNAMIC POSITIONING SYSTEM COURSE OBJECTIVES
Provide a comprehensive understanding of the principles of Dynamic Positioning.
Demonstrate setting up and operating DP equipment and position measurement
equipment.
Assist in the recognizing and responding to various alarms, warnings, and information
messages.
Examine the relationship between DP equipment and the vessel systems.
Relate DP operations to the prevailing environmental conditions.
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COURSE ACCREDITATION
The Nautical Institute is:
Recognized by the International Maritime Organization
(IMO), governments, and companies as a professional
association for qualified mariners.
Responsible for setting standards of training and accreditation for various training
programs, including Dynamic Positioning.
The Nautical Institute Dynamic Positioning Operator (DPO) training scheme is based on
successfully completing:
1. Induction/basic course.
2. 30 days of familiarization at sea.
3. Simulator/advanced course.
4. Six months of recorded sea service on a DP vessel.
5. Assessment by the Master.
6. Issue of a certificate.
In addition, DPO certification involves collaboration between the prospective DPO, the
vessel owner/operator, the Master, and other DPOs of the Dynamic Positioning vessels and
training centers.
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DYNAMIC POSITIONING LOG BOOK
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DYNAMIC POSITIONING LOG BOOK
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DYNAMIC POSITIONING LOG BOOK
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INTRODUCTION TO DYNAMIC POSITIONING SYSTEM
The world’s oceans and waterways provide an unpredictable environment in which to work.
However, the global exploration for oil and gas requires the ability to navigate, in even the
harshest circumstances. The Dynamic Positioning System (DP) was developed nearly thirty
years ago to assist this growing industry.
The world was introduced to offshore drilling, in the 1920’s and, deeper water exploration, in the
1950’s. During this era, a drilling rig in shallow water was placed on a jack-up barge that would
then raise itself on three or more legs. The jack-up barge remained in the fixed position.
However, jack-up operations were obviously limited to shallow water. For deeper water drilling,
mooring systems were relied upon which used anchors and mooring lines controlled by winches
located on board.
Although jack-up and mooring techniques are still used in some locations today, there are many
conditions, locations and operations that make them impossible to use. Water depth, as well as
operational, financial, and time constraints can render these techniques unacceptable. In addition,
hazards also influence the choice of positioning method, even where mooring would be
otherwise ideal.
In 1961, a small drilling vessel which had used a four-point mooring spread for positioning was
fitted with four, manually-controlled, steer-able propellers. By using radar ranging to surface
buoys, together with sonar ranging from sub-sea beacons, the vessel was able to perform core
drilling operations off the coasts of California and Mexico, in water depths of between 100 and
3500m. The control of the position and heading of the vessel was completely manual; therefore,
this vessel did not come within any modem definition of Dynamic Positioning.
Later that same year another vessel, which was fitted with a very simple analogue control
system, interfaced with a taut wire reference, became the first vessel to use a positioning system,
comprised of steer-able thrusters, fore and aft..
Additional vessels followed in this new positioning system during the 1960’s. Although this
early system was primitive with most controllers being analogue and no redundancy in any of the
systems, it was the beginning of a system that would revolutionize the industry.
Today by incorporating advances in computer technology, Dynamic Positioning System has
become highly accurate and dependable. DP systems are now digital and offer redundancy to
reduce the risks in some operations. The number of vessels using DP has increased, significantly,
as the systems benefits have revolutionized the offshore industry.
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INTRODUCTION TO DYNAMIC POSITIONING SYSTEM
BEIER IVCS 2000 SYSTEM OVERVIEW
The Beier IVCS 2000 is a Windows XP embedded integrated vessel control system using a
powerful marine grade and shock mounted computer, PLC input/output modules and serial port
modules for digital data input/output.
The latest ship dynamics algorithms are included which operate on optimization methods,
Kalman filtering, frequency domain techniques and feed forward techniques, which are
implemented to ensure the highest positional accuracy with minimum actuator activity.
Adaptive data rejection and control loops minimize response to unstable received data and
provide continual and automatic optimization of control parameters. A high level non-linear
three degree of freedom mathematical ship model provides state of the art control.
Alarm and status indication is continually visible on the large, touch screen LCD which are user
configurable for individual customization. The display is daylight viewable and can be trunnion
mounted for easy change in viewing angle or flush mounted into a console.
All information such as course set and course steered, commanded and actual rudder angle,
commanded and actual main engine and commanded and actual thruster directions and
magnitudes are clearly shown in color graphic displays.
A touch screen with automatically reconfigured soft keys provides a simple and easy to view
user interface. English language voice alarms as well as acoustic alarm signals are given and the
history of alarms may be continually displayed. The message/alarm system is self-checking.
A UPS supply is included to ensure continued operation in case of power failure. It also features
automatic and controlled computer shut down after prolonged power outage.
The Beier IVCS 2000 system is capable of providing the following functions:
Joystick and rotary knob control of vessel heading and position with non-follow up and
full follow up steering control.
Automatic heading control.
Automatic vessel speed control.
Automatic position control with either or both fore and aft and athwartships axis control.
Track control at low speed.
ROV following.
Automatic compensation for failed or off line actuators. Includes graphic capability plot
showing direction and magnitude of disturbing forces and magnitude and direction of
resultant actuator forces.
Autopilot.
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INTRODUCTION TO DYNAMIC POSITIONING SYSTEM
Autopilot with Nav input, steering to waypoint and automatic waypoint sequencing.
Track control at high speed.
The IVCS 2000 manual control of actuators with display of commanded and actual
positions.
The Power Management System providing Power Monitoring, Power Limiting, and
Thruster Motor Starting.
Built in “trainer” (simulator) for realistic dockside training of operators.
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