When joining a new vessel as a DP operator it is important to look at the most recent FMEA in order to better understand the vessels capabilities, as well as its restrictions. But what exactly is an FMEA & how was it developed? … [Read more...]
Offshore Wind Farms and the Turbine Installation Vessel
Offshore wind farming has picked up steam during the last decade, with more & more countries installing these gigantic turbines in their coastal waters. The largest wind farm in the world recently opened off the UK coast and the developement company, Ventall Group, plans nine wind farms in six countries between 2009 and 2011. One of the largest offshore areas in the … [Read more...]
Getting Your Dynamic Positioning (DP) License
Here you are, fresh out of the academy with your watch keeping ticket, & you are looking to get the additional DP endorsement. Or perhaps you have been at sea for 20 years & feel its time to try something new. Or maybe you can just see which way the wind is blowing. Any of these are great reasons for getting into the technically challenging & exciting field of … [Read more...]
Green Dynamic Positioning Technology
DP technology has come a long way since the days of analogue controllers & 100m footprints. As positioning capabilities have been improved to the point where a vessel can now sit on a (virtual) dime, the focus now shifts towards refinement. Making vessels more efficient is not only the right thing to do for the environment, it also makes good business sense. As … [Read more...]
Dynamic Positioning 101- Heading alteration and speed
This week we are going to look at a particular DP function, when using the Kongsberg system. Although it is a fairly simple point it is one that can still cause some confusion, even for some experienced operators. That function is changing the ships heading while the center of rotation (COR) is is offset from the vessels center of gravity (CG). … [Read more...]