DP Simulator Course

Overview And Purpose

Our 5 day NI Dynamic Positioning (DP) Simulator course (formally known as DP Advanced) is the third phase

in obtaining a Nautical Institute DP Operators Certificate. This course is for those who are following

the Nautical Institute (NI) DP training scheme,

has completed the NI Induction Course and has gained the required DP watch keeping sea time as per

the NI requirements

• DP incidents
• Construction, use, and interpretation of work site diagrams, charts, and vessel templates for use in

DP operations.

• Preparation of plans for a projected DP operation, including risk assessment contingency plans

to cover any foreseeable system failure.

• Participation in simulated exercises involving a variety of DP operations, both routine and emergency.
• Risk and safety analysis and defining the different DP equipment classes
• The DP system’s utilization of position measurements
• New developments in DP systems, including position reference systems and control systems

Participants Competencies (Course Pre-Requisites)

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.

Number of Hours

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).

Course Duration: 5 Days

Number of Participants

Minimum 2 participants

Maximum 4 participants

Appendix A – Minimum Qualification Requirement

Following the 2010 Manila amendments to the STCW Convention and Code, The Nautical Institute (the NI)

has implemented the following criteria for entry into the DP Operators training scheme:

The minimum qualification is set at STCW Regulation II/1 ‐ II/2 ‐ II/3 Deck, Regulation III/1 – III /2 – III/3 – III/6

Engine and Regulation III/6 for ETOs STCW DEFINITION

II/1 Deck Officers in charge of a navigational watch on ships of 500 GRT or more.

II/2 Deck Master or chief mate on ships of 3,000 GRT or more.

II/3 Deck Officers in charge of a navigational watch and Masters on ships of less than 500 GRT.

III/1 Engine Officers in charge of an engineering watch in a manned engine‐room or designated

duty engineers in a periodically unmanned engine-room.

III/2 Engine Chief engineer officers and second engineer officers on ships powered by main

propulsion machinery of 3,000kW propulsion power or more.

III/3 Engine Chief engineer officers and second engineer officers on ships powered by main

propulsion machinery of between 750kW and 3,000kW propulsion power.

III/6 ETO Electro-Technical Officer

Alternative appropriate Marine Vocational Qualifications (MVQs) will be considered on a case by case basis.

The NI defines an MVQ as a non-STCW Certificate of Competency issued by a white list Maritime Administration

for use in the administration’s local waters only.

Naval Officers with appropriate watch keeping qualifications and those whose qualification

can be found on the approved

list may be accepted into the training scheme without pre-approval or reference to NI.

The approved list can be found on

the website: www.nialexisplatform.org/dp-help-page/offshore-dp-scheme/guidance-application/

It is recommended.

that training centres and prospective DPOs check the qualifications with the NI in case of any doubt.

Officer trainees (Cadets or ratings on a defined training programme)

• Prospective Offshore DPOs on the new scheme who are in the process of

training for an STCW certificate may complete,

the Induction Course (Phase A), the 60 DP sea time days (Phase B) and the Simulator Course (Phase C).

The remaining 60 DP sea time days (Phase D) and the subsequent suitability sign-off (Phase E)

shall only be completed

after they hold an appropriate STCW Certificate of Competency.

• Candidates who completed Phase B when they were a Cadet are not allowed to claim for STR

in Phase D of the training scheme and must complete a minimum of 60 DP sea time days in Phase D.

• Prospective DPOs on the Shuttle Tanker scheme who are in the process of training for

an STCW certificate may complete, the Induction Course (Phase 1), the 24 sea time days and two

offshore loading operations (Phase 2), the task section (Phase 2) and the Simulator Course (Phase 3).

The remaining phases shall only be completed after they hold an appropriate STCW Certificate of Competency.

These rules are effective from 1st January 2015 and reflect changes introduced from 1st January 2016 and apply

to those who have already commenced training on the new scheme as well as new starters. The time

permitted to complete the training scheme for those who commenced the Induction Course after 1st January 2015

is four years.