Nautical Institute DP Simulator Courses

Phase three – NI DP Simulator course
Phase four – 60 days DP sea time. Note the last 30 days must be on Class 2 vessel if you are applying for unlimited DPO certificate.
Phase five – Statement of suitability signed off by Master of last DP vessel

This course principally involves simulated DP operations, including planning, errors, faults and failures giving the participants the opportunity to apply the lessons learnt in both the Induction Course and subsequent DP Sea time days.
Students for this course are given access to DPEC-Nautica eLearning website free of charge.

The Course duration: 5 days
Course assessment: Nautical Institute online and practice test on simulator
Pre-requisite: Completed Induction (Basic) Course. 60 Days of DP Seatime after Induction.
Completed Familiarization Section NI DP Logbook.

This course principally involves simulated DP operations including errors, faults and failures, giving the participants the opportunity to apply the lessons learnt in both the Induction Course and subsequent DP sea time days.

It covers the following topics:

Practical operation of the DP system
DP operations
DP alarms, warnings and emergency procedures.

The DP Simulator Course has a three part assessment process. Two parts of the process are standard assessments that are delivered across all training centres. These include the DP Set-up Practical Assessment and an online multiple choice exam. The third part of the assessment process is the feedback given to students throughout the course, most often based on their performance on simulator exercises. This is accomplished through a formative assessment process that will vary from centre to centre.

The course is designed for Deck Officers, Engineer Officers and personnel working toward an STCW Certificate of Competency (COC) who wish to start The Nautical Institute’s DP Operator Training Scheme.

Participants must hold appropriate STCW certification, or state equivalent or be studying towards an appropriate recognized certificate. Please note that participants may only accrue a maximum of 30 days’ recognized seatime on completion of this course as a cadet or trainee. Please see www.nautinst.org or contact FSOSC for further information.

A minimum of 28 hours teaching time is required for this course; if additional time is required to deal with paperwork or administer exams this time shall be added to the 28 hours. It is suggested that a split of 30% of the course time is spent on theory and 70% on practical exercises (including the time spent on briefing and debriefing).

Each candidate is required to demonstrate their competence to perform the tasks listed in the DP Set-up Practical Assessment Table. The Control Sheet establishes the conditions under which the practical assessment occurs and the criteria against which the student’s performance will be measured.
The simulator Assessment Form for the practical assessment is to be used by the instructor/assessor when conducting assessments of the practical skills demonstrated on the simulator.
The instructor/assessor will observe how the candidate demonstrates the skills listed in the NI’s DP Set-up Practical Assessment Table and determine if the candidate passes or fails.

Re-Test Policy: The DP Set-up Practical Assessment may not be retaken; it must be passed on the first attempt. If the test is failed, the student must repeat the Simulator Course. (At 20th Jan 2016, – Not adopted – under review).
COMPLETION: On successful completion of the Simulator Course, the DP Set-up Practical Assessment and the online assessment, the student will receive a course completion certificate and may return to sea to accumulate the sea time required for Phase D of the training program.

In order to be awarded a certificate of completion for the Simulator Course the trainee must pass an online assessment at the training centre. The exam is composed of multiple choice questions and shall be completed in 1 hour. The online assessment will consist of 30 questions and shall be completed in one hour with a pass mark of 70%.

Students who fail at the first attempt are allowed to have another two attempts within six months of the first attempt; however, the second attempt must be undertaken within 96 hours of the first attempt. Failing these three initial attempts, the student is required to repeat the Simulator Course and undertake the assessment again.

The number of students attending the Simulator Course must be regulated so that each student obtains sufficient hands-on experience of operating the system when having to react to various failure scenarios. In order to achieve this, the NI allows a maximum ratio of four students taught by one instructor per one Class B or A Simulator. By exception, and where justified, a ratio of five or six students may be considered at the discretion of the NI’s Accreditation Team, based on the number of simulators in place, rotation of students and the use of the training methodology in place. When two simulator systems are available in a training center, “best practice” is to keep each trainee on the same simulator throughout the Simulator Course.

The training will be predominantly practical/operational in nature. Exercises and case studies will be carried out in a facility that meets the provisions set out in the document NI DP Simulator specification (Annex 7).
In addition to exercise briefing/debriefing, students will be given an opportunity to give feedback on their training needs during classroom tuition.
This course is intended for those who have completed the Induction Course and a minimum of 60 DP sea time days. These students should already have a good grounding in the practice and principles of dynamic positioning through their experiences in class and at sea.
The DP Simulator Course is intended to build on that experience and to provide realistic DP-based scenario work. These scenarios should provide the opportunity to practice all aspects of the planning and conduct of typical DP operations, including the handling of emergencies. Particular emphasis should be placed upon teamwork within the role-play scenarios.

A typical installation will consist of a redundant DP system interfaced with a simulator system coordinated by the instructor’s input. Other facilities will include a realistic communications suite, suitable chartroom facilities and support documentation.
DP scenarios must closely match the situation on board a vessel. Communications form an important part of any DP situation; so they must be adequately simulated in any training facility, with several different means of communication between the instructor station and the DPO/trainee facility. Communications to be simulated include:
VHF on emergency and working channels. A useful addition is a listing of the various channels monitored by the various installations and vessels taking part in the simulations.
Talk-back to areas such as ROV control, dive control.
Telephone for areas such as the MCR.
DP status alarms (red, amber, blue/ white and green traffic lights).
DP status board. This facility may form part of a planned crisis; the instructor may mark up the status board incorrectly at the beginning of a scenario to discover if the trainees are completing their checklists meticulously.
The training establishment must provide materials to support the hardware simulator facility. This will mainly consist of relevant documentation which will include:
Plans and drawings showing the oilfield or operating area used in the simulations.
Drawings of the various installations within the operating areas, together with any specifications or other necessary details.
Drawings and data sheets relating to the vessel or vessels under simulation; these drawings to include DP capability plots.
Operational instructions, checklists and standing orders associated with the vessel or vessels.
A set of scenario information sheets. Each scenario should be designed to provide at least one specific, planned crisis or problem for the trainees to react to. Other problem areas should be kept in hand for use in the event of the trainees coping with the primary planned crisis in short order. Training centres must ensure all sources of time keeping are aligned and synchronized. Especially for the recording of time during DP Simulator based exercises.

On completion of the Simulator Course the student should be able to:

Carry out operational planning, risk assessment and hazard identification tasks
Set up the DP system for a particular task
Operate the communications
Analyze the trends
Discuss systems failures
Decide on courses of action because of systems failures
React to alarms and printer readout
Initiate DP Alert status alarms
React to all events occurring
Operate the desk under normal and pressured conditions
Practice effective teamwork
Apply the lessons learned to date.
ASOGs

Demonstrate ability through participation in exercises to set up, operate and carry out manoeuvres using the DP system under the following control modes:

Demonstrate ability through group exercises to set up, operate and carry out manoeuvres using the DP system under the following control modes:

Manual mode – Joystick control of surge, sway and yaw
Mixed manual/automatic mode – Automatic control of yaw with joystick control of surge and sway – Automatic control of surge and sway with joystick control of yaw
Automatic mode – Automatic control of surge, sway and yaw

1.3 Demonstrate within the DP Simulator the operation of position reference systems, sensors and peripheral equipment associated with the DP system.

2.1 Interpret vessel plans and specifications.

2.1.1 Interpret information found on paper or electronic field charts relevant to the planning and conduct of DP operations.

2.2 Using vessel and other data such as capability plots (paper or electronic), footprint plots to assess the capability of the vessel to complete successfully any proposed operation without a loss of position after worst case failure.

2.2.1 Review power management systems considering the following:

Open and closed tie breaker
Number of generators online
Available Power/Spinning reserve
Preferential tripping- /-Load sharing
Redundancy
Concept of Auto blackout recovery
How power management systems prevent blackouts
Power management with the DP program

2.2.2 Review FMEA and Annual DP Trials:

Define the two main sections of an FMEA
Explain reason why Class 2 and 3 vessel need FMEA
Identify Worst Case Failure
Explain the reason for using the FMEA to develop Activity Specific Operation Guidelines (ASOG)
Identify and understand the reason for annual DP trials

2.3 Carry out a risk assessment exercise on proposed operations and determine the level of redundancy appropriate.

Understand a DP alert table or ASOG, what will trigger a change of status and the action required
Understand a CAMO and TAM table and decide on which mode to operate under, based on a risk assessment of proposed operations

2.4 Make appropriate contingency plans to cover foreseeable system failure or operational requirement. Contingency planning to include:

Escape routes
Position reference failures
Sensors
Weather
Power
Propulsion
Worst case failure.
Follow-target mode, ROV follow and working other DP vessels, Track follow mode, Minimum power heading mode.

2.5 Describe appropriate procedures to be followed when approaching a work site and transferring from manual/ joystick to DP control, taking into account:

Speed
Distance
Drift test
Location of surface and sub-sea structures
Drift-on/drift-off
Testing manual control
Independent joystick control
Current/tide changes
Weather forecasts
Worst case failure testing
Testing of the DP alert status system.

2.6 Demonstrate effective completion of setup/location and change of watch checklists and task specific checklists as required.
2.7 Demonstrate the effectiveness of closed-loop communications needed during DP operations and task specific communications as per IMCA 103, for the exercise being conducted.
2.8 Conduct vessel positioning maneuvers and station keeping functions following operational plan and procedures.
2.9 Organized DP watchkeeping procedures:

Manning of DP console
Maintaining lookout
Internal and external communications
Observing recognized safe working practices.

2.10 Conduct appropriate watch handover procedures, to include but not limited to:

Status board
Weather forecasts
Vessel status
DP status
Field operations
Vessel operations
Completing appropriate checklists.

2.11 Maintain the appropriate logbooks and records pertaining to DP operations including IMCA incident report form, fault logs, position reference systems logs.
2.12 Evaluate the various information, warning and alarm messages communicated to the operator.
2.13 Relate the content of the messages in 2.12 above to the actions necessary in relation to the DP operation.
2.14 Understand Activity Specific Operational Guidelines.

3. EMERGENCY PROCEDURES

3.1 Recognize the conditions (as per main headings in failure mode check list – Annex 8 – thrusters, sensors, position references, power, environment and miscellaneous) that will degrade operational or emergency status.
3.2 Recognize the warnings and alarms associated with conditions as per 3.1.
3.3 Evaluate the various factors to be taken into account subsequent to any system failure, determine and carry out appropriate corrective actions, including:

Changing DP status
When to terminate work
Monitoring stability of position and heading
Communication.

This course requires the ability to read and interpret typical project specifications, procedures, technical manuals and safety information as provided to operators. Writing is required to the level of completing workplace forms and completing logs and reports. The training and assessment are conducted in English.

5 days. Day 1 – 8:30am to 4:30pm Day 2 – 8:30am to 4:30pm

Day 3 – 8:30am to 4:30pm Day 4 – 8:30am to 4:30pm

Day 5 – 8:30am to 4:30pm