In order to reflect the changes that have occurred in the design and operation of dynamically positioned (DP) vessels, the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) has reviewed and updated their publication ‘Guidelines for the Design & Operation of Dynamically Positioned Vessels’. “The guidelines were previously updated in 1999, and since then there are a number of factors that we felt should be reflected in the latest version,” explains IMCA’s technical director, Jane Bugler. “These include the increasing number of DP class 2 + 3 vessels constructed; and changes and developments which have taken place including the increasing use of DGPS.”

Other key factors taken into consideration by IMCA include the work being undertaken by DP vessels in deepwater; and the production of the ISO standard on station keeping. They have taken advantage of the update to include a section on two-vessel operations that was initially published separately as a supplement in 2001; and have also included an appendix on DP incident reporting, together with references to other published material and the increasing practice of risk analysis.

“With the guidelines now up-to-date from a technical and good practice point of view, the IMCA Marine Division Management Committee is to begin a more major review of the general structure, layout and philosophy of the guidelines,” explains Jane Bugler. “Any members wishing to provide input or to become involved in the workgroup overseeing this activity should contact Ian Giddings, the IMCA Technical Adviser who is co-coordinating the work at ian.giddings@imca-int.com.