A company to apply for a starting Mate posn on a DP boat

Maritime Employment
21

The question seems to come up frequently about whether some company has DP classed vessels, or whether a particular vessel, is DP classed — so that seatime on that vessel is eligible for DP seatime credit toward an NI DP Certificate.

The NI website has no facility available to mariners that allows a search for DP classed vessels in their database that have been approved for DP seatime. It absolutely should! I cannot think of any legitimate reason why this information should be a secret or difficult to obtain. In fact, I will go so far as to say that I believe that anyone who pays to be a member of the NI, and/or pays to participate in the the NI DP certification program, should have a right to this vital information.

Does anyone know how to find list(s) of vessels with DP Class Notations?

22

You find out through the class society that the vessel is under. For ABS classed vessels which comprise the vast majority of US Flag GoM OSVs you would look up your vessel in the ABS Record at:

http://www.eagle.org/safenet/record/record_vesselsearch?Accesstype=PUBLIC&ReferrerApplication=PUBLIC

the page you get looks like this

951×420 36 KB

once you find the vessel and then look up it’s class notations I believe for ABS vessels the notation to look for is DPS1, DPS2 or DPS3

the other class societies also have similar lists of their vessels available

23

[QUOTE=c.captain;95409]You find out through the class society that the vessel is under. For ABS classed vessels which comprise the vast majority of US Flag GoM OSVs you would look up your vessel in the ABS Record at:

http://www.eagle.org/safenet/record/record_vesselsearch?Accesstype=PUBLIC&ReferrerApplication=PUBLIC

the page you get looks like this

8399398956_d057f23d19_b.jpg951×420

once you find the vessel and then look up it’s class notations I believe for ABS vessels the notation to look for is DPS1, DPS2 or DPS3

the other class societies also have similar lists of their vessels available[/QUOTE]

REPLY: Thanks. Yes, the ABS eagle.org website certainly does allow one to check the class notations for a particular named vessel, if you have the name. However, it will not allow searches by class notation. For example, it is not possible to search for a list of DPS-2 classed vessels.

If one searches for a specific named vessel — for example AIVIQ, the ABS record lists that vessel’s class notations including its DP class notation which is: XDPS-2. As another example, OCEAN WAVE is XDPS-1.

The very well known Scripps Oceanographic and WHOI research vessels have DP, and are classed by ABS, but according to the ABS website they do NOT have DP class notations, so the NI would not allow any DP seatime credit for service on them.

Its no secret who the big offshore companies are, and that they have many of DP classed vessels. However, they cannot hire everyone. In fact, it sounds like they are badly overstaffed already, and there will be seven more graduating classes of newly minted 3rd mates in the late spring headed for those big companies.

There are many small, lower paying, companies with a few DP classed vessels that most of us non-DP mariners have never heard of. That is the DP classed vessel list that I am looking for.

24

The graduating classes will be needed in the next few years. Company’s are overstaffed to have people on the bench so to speak for new vessel deliveries. Many are burdened with millions in extra payroll each month just to have the deep bench for what is coming. This hiring blitz is in a lull right now but come summer it will heat up again.

25

That’s it. Exactly what I’m told right from someone who I maybe looking to hire me. And I know them from a Venue beyond their duties as recruiter. Their take is get your DP induction on your own dime to differentiate yourself from the herd even further.

26

Yes, it seems obvious that having DP induction completed should be at least some advantage at least at most companies.

Even more obvious is that completing DP Induction, 30 days of properly NI qualifying DP seatime, and DP Advanced, should be a very significant advantage at most companies.

The two courses just take some time and money. Getting the first 30 days of qualifying DP seatime appears to be the most difficult part of the process.

27

[QUOTE=rigdvr;95392]Plenty of smaller DP boats/companies
For DP mini supply boats…
Abdon Callais
Odyssea
Adriatic
Supreme
Most new crew boats
With the smaller boat/companies just be sure the boats are CLASSED or none of your time counts.[/QUOTE]

One of my previous employers had numerous DP vessels with about 50% of them being non-classed vessels. I can’t tell you how many guys got their DP certificates on these vessels without having any prior DP experience. To my knowledge, having sea time on a Classed DP Vessel doesn’t matter at all.

28

That was then.

This is now.

http://www.nautinst.org/download.cfm?docid=DB3DF623-7867-4F48-8401BF05F20CCC4E
look near the bottom of page 5

Is watchkeeping time accrued on board any DP equipped vessel eligible to gain a DP certificate?

Only watchkeeping time gained working as a DPO on board vessels officially classed as DP by one of the classification societies will be counted towards your required time. Copies of the classification certificate should be on board the vessel and at your company headquarters. Click here to view the various DP class notations.

29

[QUOTE=Flyer69;95694]That was then.

This is now.

http://www.nautinst.org/download.cfm?docid=DB3DF623-7867-4F48-8401BF05F20CCC4E
look near the bottom of page 5[/QUOTE]

Thanks, I wasn’t aware of the rule change.

30

Are they still requiring 1 hour or more on DP for a dp day? I’ve found nothing on the website that says yes…

31

I went to DP induction at Kongsberg, Houston on my own dime last Feb. No love yet. Maybe I’m too old?

32

[QUOTE=“ryanwood86;95772”]Are they still requiring 1 hour or more on DP for a dp day? I’ve found nothing on the website that says yes…[/QUOTE]

Yes. At least one (1) hour a day, it’s in the new DP logbook. That includes tests/audits of system. So if you’re at the dock for say…four days, you can still get four days DP time.

33

I’ve just received my NI log book and don’t see where it states tests/audits at dock are counted. Where exactly is this info? I’m trying to get in to Advanced class asap and can really use that time to qualify.

34

Getting DP days at the dock is the reason the rules were changed to begin with. No one test the DP system everyday and the NI knows this. If you get audited your dp book better match the ships log and not at the dock for your dp days. In the oilfield no one does a 28 day hitch and gets 28 days on dp. It happens but it is rare.

35

[QUOTE=“J.Jetson;95899”]I’ve just received my NI log book and don’t see where it states tests/audits at dock are counted. Where exactly is this info? I’m trying to get in to Advanced class asap and can really use that time to qualify.[/QUOTE]

In the new NI DP logbook (the new one is black with 76 numbered pages) look to page 9, the definitions are good to read. Then again on page 34, right at the top listed in ‘Activity Codes’, you would put “A” for audits/testing/trials.

Your logbook must match the vessels log as someone just stated.

Always good to read everything through.

36

And don’t put the testing code for 28 days, ha, don’t think that would fly.

37

Great. … my book that I got a month ago at beier has 25 pages and nothing that specifically says dock audits count towards dp days

38

Yea I have the blue book too. Nothing about 1 hour watch days or audits…

39

If you search around long enough on the NI website, you will find the text that says one (1) hour per day on DP is enough to count as a full day of DP seatime. I posted that text a few months ago.

40

Got the one hour part. How about the dock time audit part?