Dp vessels information

[ralphie2449]

So i might have an opportunity to get into a DP(dynamic positioning) vessel and i would like to know if anyone from here has experience with such vessels. I am googling about them right now but i would really value some insider information about them more.

I finished my first sea phase on a bulk carrier and i can say that i dont really like bulk carriers that much(somewhat low tech, lower salary, kinda dirty) at least compared to LNG, LPG and now DP vessels and i intend to go to another type of ship for my second sea phase.
And knowing that having experience on a X type of vessel is a huge plus if you want to become an officer in that type of vessels i really would like to hear some opinions before deciding which is the best option.

So i would really like to know if you know anything specific about those vessels, especially if you worked on them. Positives, negatives, opinions even rants

[Clanky]

Depends on exactly what type of vessel it is, supply, AHTS, construction etc.

[EH75]

Having recently been applying for jobs as a newly qualified officer I can tell you that a LOT of the jobs out there require you to have DP certification/experience so if you can get that it in during your cadetship then I would definitely do so.

[Clanky]

Aaahhhhh, OK. I didn't realise that you were still a cadet, in that case yes, get some DP experience.

[ralphie2449]

Depends on exactly what type of vessel it is, supply, AHTS, construction etc.

Probably construction since the person that was talking about them to me mentioned cable laying, pipeline installation near platforms and general sub sea works. The information wasnt really in depth really since there wasnt much time at that moment.

edit:

Aaahhhhh, OK. I didn't realise that you were still a cadet, in that case yes, get some DP experience.

So i assume having experience with the DP systems is going to be helpful in general, but wouldnt you kinda need experience with under the sea operations too before getting into a construction DP as an officer? Or is knowledge of the navigation systems of DP vessels is what really matters the most?

[Chiefy]

you dont do any of the construction, you just drive......to put it bluntly, you go where the builders want you, you make sure you dont hit other stuff topside and all that malarky, basically you follow orders guv ;-)

[EH75]

Take anything you can get. Any DP experience is better than no DP experience. Not entirely sure on whether DP time as a cadet counts towards any qualifications as it's not something I've experienced personally but I would imagine it will be more beneficial in the long term than getting stuck back on a bulker or something.

[Pilot Chris]

Grab the chance with both hands as lots of people try and get their foot in the door with DP but struggle.

you won't get all your DP tickets until you are qualified but the time and experience will be a real benefit, it's not the most glamorous part of the industry (especially spending many hours on a DP desk) but with the race to find more go go juice in the oceans the oil majors are needing more and more DP vessels.

Once your qualified you can go for your limited ticket, then unlimited and probably a mixture of DP 1,2 and possibly 3 vessels.

Positives: more money, more employable, more ship handling experience

Negatives: can be boring as sin sitting at a DP desk watching sensors! tax issues if not abroad

[Martyboy]

I done the last 2 trips as a cadet on a DP2 vessel, it was an anchor handler but it was my fav time at sea. As a cadet I done a bit of supervised DP'ing but couldn't log the hours as I didn't have my first DP cert, however i'm hoping it'll look good on a CV in the future Would highly recommend it.

If nothing else... DP vessels are mostly used in energy industires where a lot of money is flying around, and therefore the standards of living on board the boats are pretty decent.

[Frenchy]

I found this thread kind of late and most of the important info has already been imparted but I shall add my two pennies worth.

Any DP time you gain as a cadet cannot be counted towards the DP hours you need to log to get your DP ticket. If you are lucky your company might pay for your DP courses, otherwise it might be a worthwhile investment doing it yourself. I would suggest that if you are going to self fund then you be pretty sure that DP vessels are where you will end up. I am aware of a couple of people I did my cadetship with who paid for it off their own backs and have yet to be assigned to a DP vessel, whereas i waited and the company paid!

As with many things, if you become specialised you won't be out of work. As previously mentioned there is a big call for DP operators at the moment particularly on DP shuttle tankers.

Some offshore companies offer pay bonuses to those DP qualified officers.

As Pilot Chris said, it can be boring staring at a DP desk for hours on end, however I found it just as tedious staring out the window on a deep sea tanker when I didn't see another ship for 11 days. On the plus side you will be doing a lot of ship handling, something which you wouldn't get to do until much higher up the food chain on 'normal' ships.

If you want to chase money then the wages for DP operators on semi-sub rigs and barges is very healthy. But personally I like to actually sail somewhere from time to time!

Personally I am waiting for my company to build some ice breaking anchor handlers and then I am going to try and get on one of those, although sub sea construction is going to be where the future lies I think. With fewer new oil finds it is going to be all about well stimulation and sub sea deconstruction on dead wells, particularly in the North Sea.