What is the difference between DP1, DP2, and

DP3 vessels?
“Dynamic positioning may be the most important shipboard navigation system
since the compass.” - Professional Mariner, Journal of the Maritime Industry.

It’s Fun Fact Friday and today we’ll take a look at the differences between
different types of dynamically positioned vessels. First, what is dynamic
positioning and why is it important? Dynamic positioning provides the ability for
a vessel to stay on station, that is, stay in one spot while coping with waves,
wind, and currents. There are so many inputs from sensors and so many
adjustments needed that a computer is required to keep a vessel steady in
adverse conditions. According to Professional Mariner, “Inputs to the system
come from wind sensors, gyrocompasses and special devices such as vertical
reference units.” With a DP system, computers read all of these sensors and
control azimuth thrusters underneath a vessel that have the ability to turn 360
degrees and provide the exact amount of force needed to keep the vessel on
location.
“Global Azimuth Thrusters Market 2017 - Rolls-Royce, SCHOTTEL”. Image from
OpenPR.

Why would a large vessel in the middle of the ocean need such precise
station keeping?

The technology was first used for drilling into the Earth’s second layer for
samples in the 1960s. When oil companies took an interest in dynamic
positioning, that’s when it really took off. DP systems provided a way for
offshore oil rigs to stay in precise location over a well and drill in the middle of
the ocean with little worry of the forces around it. As satellites became more
ubiquitous and computers more powerful, DP systems became more common,
eventually being required for smaller vessels to ensure ships like offshore
support vessels don’t crash into anything. Even a small bump into a drilling rig
could be disastrous, which brings us to the different levels of DP systems.

What are the different levels of dynamic positioning?

According to IMO guidelines, DP systems are rated DP1, DP2, or DP3. The levels
build on each other, with each succeeding level having the abilities of the
previous level. DP1 systems are the most basic, with the ability to keep their
position in automatic mode. DP2 fulfills DP1 requirements but can also keep
station with the failure of an active component. The redundant system must
provide the ability to keep station until work can be safely stopped, and the
transfer of operations must be automatic. DP3 takes DP2 one step further with
the ability to continue operation with the failure of an active or static
component, even with the total loss of the equipment in a compartment to fire
or flood. Systems may also be required to be watertight depending on the vessel
and damage to one system must not affect the backup. Systems also must be
physically separated for DP3. Side note here: DP1 vessels are not very common,
with DP2 and DP3 becoming more common due to the additional level of safety
they provide.
OSV testing its azimuth thrusters. Image from MarineLog.

So what’s the short version?

DP1 is the most basic standard, with the ability for a ship to automatically hold
station. DP2 has redundancy, but DP3 has segregated redundancy that would
allow for a more serious failure. If human lives are on the line, DP2 or DP3 is
required. Divers, construction workers, wind installers, and drillers need to stay
safe and on location. You wouldn’t want to be underwater or working on a
turbine when your vessel started to float off course.

What types of ships are fitted with DP systems?

As technology improves, many new vessels are equipped with dynamic

positioning systems. Just a few of the most common types of ships are offshore
support vessels, offshore construction vessels, oil rigs, pipe and cable laying
vessels, diving support vessels, and cruise ships. Check out our article on 22
types of dynamically positioned vessels for the full list. Not only are newbuilds
fitted with these systems, they can be retrofitted as well. Installing azimuthing
thrusters and the needed computer systems can open up a lot of jobs that may
not have been previously available to vessel owners. Dynamic positioned
vessels can also utilize other technologies like laser range finding for precision
navigation next to floating rigs or turbines.

SceneScan laser positioning from Wärtsilä. Image from Wärtsilä.

How do we ensure these systems are safe?

That’s where OneStep Power comes in. We have developed unique testing
methods that are safer and more comprehensive to provide assurance for fault
ride through for DP2 and DP3 vessels. All that means is we test redundant DP
systems to prove if there is an issue, the vessel will survive the fault and
continue station keeping. We also test that when running in closed bus for
additional efficiency, fuel savings, and reduced maintenance, a fault won’t take
all of the generators offline. Having a backup system is only good if it works and
we have found many vessels may not operate as expected during a fault. Safety
is our top priority, and you can learn more about our proprietary testing
methods like the GVRT and ZeroDIP on our Services page.

That’s it for dynamic positioning systems! They provide the ability for a vessel to
stay on station, have varying levels of redundancy from none to complete, and
are becoming more and more common. If you have any other questions about
DP systems or testing them for fault ride through and safety, please reach out to
us on social media or give us a call.

Happy Friday!

PS - for an older, but still excellent video on dynamic positioning, check out
Dynamic Positioning Systems, Principles, Design and Applications from Marine
Online:

Dynamic Positioning Systems, Principles, Design and Applications from Marine

Online.

Sources:
https://www.professionalmariner.com/as-dp-systems-grow-in-importance-the-
technology-continues-to-improve/
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https://gcaptain.com/history/
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https://www.openpr.com/news/700135/global-azimuth-thrusters-market-2017-
rolls-royce-schottel-group-niigata-power-systems-cat-propulsion-brunvoll.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hpc9Sdkn7ww
https://www.marinelog.com/news/azimuth-thrusters-change-the-way-operators-
move-cargo/
22 Types of dynamically positioned
vessels
Updated: Sep 3, 2021
We’ve collected a list of all the types of dynamically positioned vessels we could
find. Some of the categories overlap and some ships may even fit into 3 or 4
categories, but they all have one thing in common: computer controlled
stationkeeping. Dynamic positioning systems are complex, but their function is
simple: take inputs from gyrocompasses, wind, motion, and wave sensors, and
use all of that information to keep the vessel exactly where it is. DP systems are
needed for safety of workers, stationkeeping in deep water, and
maneuverability. Dynamic positioning systems come with three ratings: DP1,
DP2, and DP3. DP1 is a simple dynamic positioning system with no
redundancies. DP2 has redundancy in case part of the system fails. DP3 has the
greatest redundancy and is built to survive a fire or flood in a compartment. In
high-reliability situations like diving and drilling, DP3 is usually used.
Dynamic positioning forces. Image from Kongsberg

You may be wondering why we amassed so much information on dynamic

positioning. OneStep Power has developed safer, more efficient methods of
testing high-reliability power systems on dynamically positioned vessels.
Traditional short circuit tests can damage systems and only test a single
pathway. We knew there had to be a better way, so we developed a test that is
safe, non-damaging, and tests the entire system from the generators to the
lightbulbs. We continue to innovate with new technologies like the GVRT,
ZeroDIP, DCShortCUT, and ACShortCUT; we are always working on new ways to
keep people and equipment safe. Now, let’s get to the vessels!
Offshore Support Vessels - these are vessels that operate on the ocean,
specialized for different purposes. They include several vessels listed below:
Platform Supply Vessels; Seismic Survey Ships; Anchor Handling Tug Supply
Vessels (AHTS); Diving Support Vessel (DSV); Inspection, Maintenance, and
Repair Vessels; and Construction Support Vessels. Most supply, support, and
construction vessels have stationkeeping for loading, unloading, working, and
keeping people safe. There is more detailed information in our article specifically
about offshore support vessels.

Offshore support vessel. Image from Wärtsilä.

Platform Supply Vessels - One of the most common types of offshore support
vessels is the Offshore Supply Vessel, usually called a platform supply vessel.
They transport people and supplies from land to offshore rigs They usually have
a large open deck where lots of cargo can be stored. They actually spend less
than half their time travelling, with most time spent loading and unloading.

Seismic Survey Ship - Seismic vessels shoot sound waves into the ocean and
measure the return to map the seafloor and explore for oil and gas. They also
study underwater structures like trenches and underwater mountains, using
dynamic positioning to stay on track while mapping large areas of the ocean
floor. They are strange looking ships that have the appearance of a ship cut in
half.

Ramform Atlas Seismic Survey Ship. Image Credit: PGS

Anchor Handling Tug Supply Vessel (AHTS) - Anchor handling tug supply vessels
assist large vessels like drilling rigs with anchors, mooring, and can tow rigs if
needed. They have a high bollard pull and are extremely stable in the water.

Diving Support Vessel (DSV) - these vessels are specialized for underwater
maintenance and inspections. They contain one or more moonpools through
which a diver or remote operated vehicle can be lowered into the water. Most of
these vessels require a DP3 dynamic positioning system because divers are
directly at risk if the system goes offline while they are underwater. What
happens if those systems fail? Check out our movie review of Last Breath.

Moonpool on a diving vessel. Image from Stanford

Inspection, Maintenance, and Repair (IMR) Vessel - These vessels are also
considered construction support vessels, depending on the specialization. The
main difference is that ships specializing in IMR are designed for inspection,
repair, and maintenance, but not necessarily for new construction. They are
highly technical and can perform some light construction if needed.

Construction Support Vessels - Construction support vessels are purpose-built

for offshore builds. They can stay out for longer than other vessels, many have
heavy lift cranes, and support IMR work as seen above. There are many
categories of vessels and they frequently cross over in this category, sometimes
to multiple categories depending on the vessel.

ROV Support Vessels - ROV support is commonly done by IMR and construction
support vessels. Specialized ROV support ships have additional features to
support remotely operated underwater vehicles. They include the ability to
transport and launch multiple ROVs, additional computers, thrusters, and extra
crew accommodations for ROV support staff.

Cable Lay - Cable lay vessels do just that, lay cable for data transmission like the
internet and international phone calls, and power generation from offshore wind
farms. They are very specialized and are easy to spot, having one or two huge
carousels or baskets that contain thousands of kilometers of cable. They carry
so much cable that they frequently spend weeks at port just loading the cable
onto the ship. In addition to the unique attributes above water, they also pull a
plough that digs a trench and lays the cable as the ship moves. There are many
hazards cable lay ships have to avoid, like rocks, reefs, pipelines, and other
underwater cables. Their dynamic positioning systems keep them precisely on
track during operations to install cable exactly where it needs to go.
Cable lay vessel Van Oord Nexus. Image from Offshore-Fleet.

Cable Repair Vessels - Sometimes the data and electrical cables that cable lay
vessels install are damaged by anchors, fishing equipment, or even sharks
(check out our article on how undersea data cables work for more on sharks and
spies!). You can also learn more about how subsea cable is repaired. While cable
lay vessels are designed to lay new cable, they also perform cable repair
operations, making cable repair vessels rare. However, ships like the newly
ordered cable repair vessel for Orange Marine have features normal cable lay
vessels don’t; according to Offshore Engineer, “The vessel has three cable tanks
to carry fiber optic and power cables, one of which [is] fitted with a carousel. The
remotely operated vehicle (ROV) used for cutting, inspecting and burying cables
will be stored in a dedicated hangar on board.” The new vessel will be equipped
to perform inspections and repair cable more efficiently than a full size cable lay
vessel, loading enough cable for repair jobs can take just a few hours compared
to weeks.

Pipe Lay Vessels - Pipe lay vessels are purpose-built for installing pipe on the
ocean floor. Tug boats can handle pipes that are towed in and sunk, but these
vessels handle the larger and more complex jobs. Smaller pipes can be put on a
reel, similar to the carousel on a cable lay vessel, and larger pipes have to be
stovepipe welded as they are slowly fed down into the water. Some vessels
lower the pipes almost horizontally, called S-lay, while some lower the pipes
almost vertically, called J-lay. In S-lay, the pipes must be somewhat flexible,
because they have to bend twice and are subjected to more stress while being
installed. J-lay only bends the pipe at one point and puts less stress on the pipes.
Similar to cable laying vessels, pipe lay ships use their DP systems to ensure
precise installation and avoid underwater obstacles.

“Audacia; Source: Allseas”. Image from Offshore-energy.biz

Drill Ships - drill ships have a large drill and a moonpool for deepwater offshore
drilling, working in water 2,000 to 10,000 feet deep. The biggest difference
between these vessels and semi-submersible rigs is the ability to move quickly
between locations under their own power. These vessels are less stable than
larger rigs and in deep water cannot anchor, relying on dynamic positioning to
keep them in place while they are attached to drilling equipment thousands of
feet below.

Dredgers - dredging vessels move sediment from the bottom of waterways. The
sediment can be deposited over time, reducing the draft for larger ships, be
contaminated, or simply removed to make a channel deeper. The dredge
removes the material from the bottom or shore and depending on the vessel,
stores it on board, drops it on a barge, or shoots it somewhere nearby. Due to
the need for precise digging, these ships have DP systems to keep them on
track while picking up the sediment.
Dredger spraying sand. Image from Wärtsilä.

Crane Barge or Crane Vessel - Crane vessels perform lifts on the water, the
largest using ballast tanks to lower their center of gravity and keep level. The
biggest crane vessel in the world is Heerema’s SSCV Sleipnir. With two large
cranes, it has a 20,000 ton lift capacity and is kept on station by a DP system
with 8 thrusters. The stationkeeping system ensures safe deepwater heavy lifts
when there are no anchor points available. SSCV Sleipnir has set multiple
records, including lifting a 15,300 ton module for the Leviathan Natural Gas
project.
Construction Vessel - Many of the vessels already covered on this list can be
considered construction vessels, such as construction support vessels, pipe lay,
cable lay, dredgers, and crane barges. But, some vessels define this category,
like the Pioneering Spirit, the world’s largest vessel. After decades of planning,
building and even rebuilding, this vessel can do it all: huge lifts, construction,
deconstruction, and pipe laying. It has eight diesel generators powering 12
azimuth thrusters to keep it on station during record-breaking lifts like the
44,000 ton Johan Sverdrup topsides installation in 2017.

Rock Dumping Vessels - Rock dumping vessels deliver rock and concrete to
secure and protect underwater structures like pipelines, cables, and wind
turbine foundations. Fallpipe vessels have an underwater pipe with an ROV at
the end to precisely deliver rock in deep water of up to and over 1,000 meters.
As more underwater pipelines, data cables, and power cables for wind farms are
installed, these vessels are needed to deliver rock to protect them.

Fall pipe ROV covering an underwater pipe with rocks. Image from Offshore-
Fleet.
Cruise Ships (Passenger Vessels) - Everyone knows about cruise ships - what you
may not know is that these luxury liners use dynamic positioning systems.
Cruise ships use dynamic positioning instead of anchoring to minimize disruption
to marine ecosystems. DP systems also provide additional safety and supreme
maneuverability in tight areas.

Heavy-Lift Vessels - Heavy lift vessels include some crane vessels like the SSCV
Sleipnir and construction vessels like the Pioneering Spirit. Heavy lift vessels like
these are specifically designed to pick up, install, or decommission very large
items like topsides and jackets that other ships could not lift.

Sleipnir delivering the Brent Alpha jacket. “Photo by Heerema Marine

Contractors”. Image from Offshore-energy.biz
Mobile Offshore Drilling Units (MODUs) - These are offshore drilling vessels that
typically drill for oil and gas. It includes drillships as mentioned above, but also
includes drilling barges, jack-up rigs, submersible rigs, and semi-submersible
rigs. Any of these vessels can be dynamically positioned to ensure
stationkeeping while drilling - even some jack-ups have DP capabilities for
precise movement.

Shuttle Tankers - Shuttle tankers transport oil from offshore wells. They provide
an alternative to building pipelines where conditions are harsh, the water is
deep, or the location of the well is remote. Tankers also allow oil producers to
keep their oil separate, whereas pipelines usually blend oil. Shuttle tankers are
safer than conventional oil tankers because they operate in a wider range of
conditions and stay on station in adverse weather conditions with DP systems.

Floating Production, Storage and Offloading unit or FPSO Ships - FPSOs are
offshore vessels that process and store hydrocarbons. They are usually attached
to multiple wells, and in deepwater may need dynamic positioning to stay on
location. They have advantages over traditional rigs in that they can be easily
moved and are ideal for marginal production wells where a rig wouldn’t be
economical.
“FPSO Kwame Nkrumah (MODEC)”. Image from Offshore-Fleet.

Naval Vessels - Dynamic positioning systems are becoming increasingly

common on Navy vessels. According to Military & Aerospace Electronics, “Vessel
types that use DP include naval amphibious assault ships, mine sweepers, and
military survey ships, surface and semi-submersible mobile offshore drilling
vessels, oceanographic research vessels, and cruise ships.” These systems
improve the vessel’s ability to precisely scan and survey.

Whew! That’s a lot of positioning and stationkeeping. Dynamic positioning is an

interesting technology designed to keep huge vessels still against the elements.
It’s also a system that requires frequent testing and verification as lives depend
on it. There are a lot of dynamically positioned vessels out there, and we are
excited to test them and make sure they are running safely and efficiently.
Check out OneStep Power’s DP testing technologies and our news article on ABS
releasing new guidance on testing DP vessels.
Happy Fun Fact Friday!

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