dp?

[Guest]

i hear a lot of people talking about dp tickets and things can somebody please explain what they are?

thanks

[Lewis]

Re: dp?

Dynamic positioning. A loud uf thrusters in a ship used in many survey vessels to hold a ship in a very accurate position.

[Aleorea]

DP tickets are things that get you very very rich it you get one.

[Ganner]

Do the ones on RFA vessels count?

[Randomist]

It is true that working on DP vessels is, in some cases, more often than not better paid than a usual seagoing position as Officer of the Watch/Chief/Master.

This is probably because it requires extra training and the DP ticket itself will set you back around a grand unless you're fortunate enough to work for a company which will pay you to get one.

Dynamic Positioning is a system in place onboard a number of specialist ships, designed to hold the vessel in a stationary position over the ground by combining the use of Thrusters/Propellors/Azipods. The system requires special training and a DP ticket to qualify the operator.

DP systems are found on (not limited to) Some anchor handlers/ some offshore supply vessels/ocean research vessels/oil rig tending vessels and many others.

So you can generally guarantee that work the vessel will be doing will quite interesting. Even if actually operating a DP system is just staring at the controls for hours ensuring the computer's doing what it's supposed to be doing.

This is what the NI have to say about it:

http://www.nautinst.org/en/dynamic-positioning/what-is-dynamic-positioning/index.cfm

[Aleorea]

It is true that working on DP vessels is, in some cases, more often than not better paid than a usual seagoing position as Officer of the Watch/Chief/Master.

This is probably because it requires extra training and the DP ticket itself will set you back around a grand unless you're fortunate enough to work for a company which will pay you to get one.

Dynamic Positioning is a system in place onboard a number of specialist ships, designed to hold the vessel in a stationary position over the ground by combining the use of Thrusters/Propellors/Azipods. The system requires special training and a DP ticket to qualify the operator.

DP systems are found on (not limited to) Some anchor handlers/ some offshore supply vessels/ocean research vessels/oil rig tending vessels and many others.

So you can generally guarantee that work the vessel will be doing will quite interesting. Even if actually operating a DP system is just staring at the controls for hours ensuring the computer's doing what it's supposed to be doing.

This is what the NI have to say about it:
http://www.nautinst.org/en/dynamic-p...ning/index.cfm

If you get an unlimited DP ticket there are loads of jobs out there with great day rates, like ?500 per day. It would take you years of time and hassle to get anything near that on a "conventional" ship.

Like you say it could be considered boring work staring at the controls for hours, but for ?500 per day I would happily watch paint dry all day. It probably just as boring staring our a window for hours per day.

[ETwhat?]

It seems that the big salary is for days when you are DP'ing so you can end up getting it for months or for a few days with lots of regular time inbetween obviously depending on the ship. im not sure if they pay you well just beacuse its boring more that you need to be concentrating and have the right feel for any required control thatyou need to do. i cant imagine that theres many second rate DP operators, or second chances. Although the Stena deep sea drill ships look like fun things to DP

[Steve]

Do the ones on RFA vessels count?

You can't get a DP ticket by sailing only on RFAs, none of the ships meet the criteria. You need experience on vessels of at least DP Class 2. Diligence used to be DP2, but is no longer.

[EH75]

Whats the best way of actually getting a DP ticket? Seems to be one of these catch-22s where you can't get a job unless you've got the experience and you can't get the experience unless you've got a job. Obviously you can pay out of your own pocket for the course but in terms of getting the sea time? Would I be correct in thinking the best way to do it would be to get, for example, a 3rd mate job with a company that has DP vessels alongside other normal ships and try to make a sideways move onto DP from within the company?

[Ganner]

Thanks Steve you are very knowledgeable!

[Aleorea]

Whats the best way of actually getting a DP ticket? Seems to be one of these catch-22s where you can't get a job unless you've got the experience and you can't get the experience unless you've got a job. Obviously you can pay out of your own pocket for the course but in terms of getting the sea time? Would I be correct in thinking the best way to do it would be to get, for example, a 3rd mate job with a company that has DP vessels alongside other normal ships and try to make a sideways move onto DP from within the company?

Know a guy who did his cadetship on box boats, then having got his oow he couldn't find a job for a year, recently he got a job as junior dpo on a dp-3 well intervention vessel, it's all about being at the right place at the right time. Either that or you know someone who can get you into a company. Supply boats are probably the best bet for getting onto a boat with dp.

[AlternativeNavs]

It is true that DPO's (Dynamic Positioning Officers) can command large sums of money for what they do. However, they earn the money for a reason - the reason being that the work undertaken can be, in some circumstances, challenging and vital. I.e if the ship decides to walk off it may cause death, severe injury, pollution or serious equipment damage. Of course the DP system aids positioning but its the operator who has to be fully aware of its limitations and be able to 'step in' when things are not going to plan. Can you imagine the pressure on a DPO to hold station in unfavourable weather conditions, with divers down! (emergency recovery), as you have just lost a thruster and all you position monitoring equipment has been lost?

Now for the training. You have to gain experience on DP classed vessels, that being vessels actually classed as DP 1,2 or 3 - not just with a DP system.

The normal route is to Junior DPO, while you gain experience. Unfortunately it is right place right time with these positions. A lot of companies are just looking for qualified DPO's - those who gain JDPO positions normally stay (as they realise they are onto a good thing).

Then:

DP Induction Course (at a NI accredited centre) looking at roughly ?1250 not including accommodation, food or travel,
30 Days logged familiarization experience onboard a DP vessel,
DP Simulator Course (at NI accredited centre) looking at roughly ?1400 not including accommodation, food or travel.
180 Days logged DP watch keeping experience as JDPO.

Verification by the NI and issue of ticket.

There are various issues with the class of vessels. You do not have to do all your time on a DP2 or 3 vessel (although it helps). You can do a limited amount of time on a DP1 vessel - although with this you have to have DP2 or 3 experience to go with. Each day of logged experience is normally equivalent to a 12 hour watch in DP.

Obviously it is better to have a company pay for your courses, travel, accommodation etc (otherwise it gets expensive).

Also remember that it is not enough just to have a DP ticket, you need to be able to show experience. It is basically like having another certificate of competence alongside that you already have.