Guidance for Annual DP Trials
Guidance for developing and conducting annual DP trials programmes for DP vessels’ (IMCA M 190) has been published by the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) to describe the development, conduct and management of annual dynamically positioned (DP) trials programmes for all types of vessels equipped with DP systems meeting the requirements of International Maritime Organisation (IMO) equipment classes 1, 2 or 3.
“The guidance is intended to assist vessel operators in the development of a suitable annual DP trials programme”, explains IMCA’s technical director, Jane Bugler. “This programme provides consistent content for similar vessels, more effectively demonstrates the vessel’s ability to maintain position following identified single failures, demonstrates that the DP system is in good working order, contributes to the effective management of the failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) and ensures best use of the time available for DP system tests by more effectively identifying items which do not need to be tested every year, or whose reliability can be demonstrated by other means.”
Sister Publication
Sister publication, IMCA M 191 ‘Guidelines for annual DP trials for DP mobile offshore drilling units’, sets out a programme of continuous trials throughout the year. However much of the guidance produced in the new document (IMCA M190) will also be applicable to mobile offshore drilling units (MODUs).