After six months of operating its new Alexis technology platform, the Nautical Institute (NI) is developing a second version with additional functions. Alexis was developed by a team of IT experts at the London-based institute to manage the new process for verifying dynamic positioning (DP) operator certificates. It speeds up the process and reduces the workload for NI in managing the training and certification scheme for the offshore industry. After some early teething issues, the IT platform is working well and improving the number of successful first-time applications, said NI director of accreditations Regina Bindao.
Alexis also provides the platform for NI to accredit training centres for DP training and to formally recognise other specialised training courses. The IT team at the institute is working on adding new elements to the platform, said Ms Bindao. “We are working on a second phase of Alexis. Oil spill response, ballast water control and other course recognitions will go into Alexis,” she explained. There are three sections to Alexis: accreditation, recognition and certification, which is for DP only. The second phase of development will focus on expanding the accreditation and recognition sections. “Clients and training centres are creating courses for specialised training and want these to be recognised by the NI,” she added.
“Alexis works on the Oomi database, which is the new version of Microsoft’s query language database and can interact with the Alexis website. “It works in real time with our website, so any changes to the website instantly update the database. It works on all Internet browsers and also on MAC iOS operating systems, plus it works on mobile phone Internet browsers.”
The NI is planning to set up applications for downloading Alexis interfaces onto mobile devices. Another technical change was the introduction of QR codes on the certificates. “The QR code can be scanned anywhere to see if it is valid,” Ms Bindao said. “This helps to fight fraudulent training certificates. Also, people can report fraud on Alexis – we have received some notifications about checking vessels for fraudulent log books.”
The NI has invested £100,000 in developing the Alexis platform as a single access point for the DP accreditation and certification schemes that it manages for the industry. It was required because the number of certified DP operators has increased from 6,000 a decade ago to more than 25,000 this year, and the number of certification applications that NI has to deal with has tripled over the decade to 3,000 per year.
A new NI-managed DP certification scheme was introduced on 1 January 2015. The main changes to the previous scheme, apart from the Alexis platform, were:
• moving from 30 days of familiarisation to 60 days of DP sea time between induction and simulator courses
• introducing additional assessment after completion of the simulator course
• moving from 210 days of DP sea time to 120 days of DP sea time
• changing from a minimum of one hour on DP desk per qualifying day to a minimum of two hours
• moving from a log book to an enhanced task book
• introducing revalidation of certificates every five years.
The Alexis platform is a single point of access for applications for new NI-managed DP operator certificates, for the revalidation of certificates and for employers to check the validation of these. All new applications are via the Alexis platform and are logged, processed and dispatched by NI in 21 days on average if the applicants follow the guidelines.
However, Ms Bindao has seen that applicants do not read the guidelines, and some are surprised when the application is turned down because they did not send the hard copy of their task or log books. “Alexis has help pages, including guidelines for each scheme, including the requirements. We could produce videos to help people understand the processes as they do not read the guidelines,” she said.
NI chief executive Philip Wake said the institute was becoming “overwhelmed” by the scale of managing the certification process before the introduction of Alexis because of the rapidly increasing demand for new DP operators and the number of incorrect applications.
“The maritime industry’s use of DP has increased exponentially, and the scheme has continued to evolve to meet the needs of our stakeholders who require competent and experienced DP operators to serve on their vessels,” Mr Wake said. “The updated scheme ensures DP operators are fit for purpose and can carry out safe operations in open seas and they remain updated. The early glitches we had with Alexis have been cleared up, as the IT team has been working hard. It was challenging because we had to do this in seven months, and the new scheme is more complex.”
Ms Bindao said the timescale and IT resources were challenges, as was the introduction of a scheme for certificating DP operators for systems that were not class approved. “Unclassed vessel certification was what the industry stakeholders wanted, but they did not realise the complexity of this and how it is implemented in the IT system,” she explained.
“At the beginning of the process, people were putting in claims for sea time on vessels that had DP but were not classed in the database as having DP. Initially, these were blocked, but we put some vessels back into the database as it is continually updated. Companies or persons have to show us the class zero certification of the DP system, and this vessel would be put back on the database. The system is working smoothly now. Applications can still be blocked to allow for further checks.”
An important change to the scheme was reducing the time that DP operators had to complete the training and validation process. “There is concern about skills fade, so we changed the requirement to completing the training and application from five years to four years,” said Mr Wake.
Ms Bindao said another change would reduce the risk of fraudulent claims. “Another change is having the log books and task books signed by senior DP operators and the master. Both need to sign off the time on DP. Charterers were concerned about having training DP operators only on vessels and wanted someone to supervise them onboard, so they require senior DP operators to countersign the books.
The need to revalidate certificates puts additional pressure on the system, so NI introduced a phasing in of this over the next five years. This year, DP operators with certificates handed out in 1984–2002, 2009 and 2010 need to reapply. Next year, it will be those from the period 2003–2004 and 2011. In 2017, DP operators will need to revalidate certificates that were awarded in 2005–2006 and 2012.
“Those that come back into DP need to do the refresher training, as systems have become more complex,” said Mr Wake. “If DP operators have not done 150 days on DP, they can complete simulator refresher training and have 30 days of DP time. If there is no sea time at all in the last five years, they need to have 60 days sea time on DP to revalidate.” NI plans to explain the process to the DP industry at Riviera Maritime Media’s European Dynamic Positioning Conference on 16–17 June in London. It also intends to launch a new edition of the DP handbook, which was revised in 2014, at the conference.
DNV GL issues closed-bus DP guidelines
DNV GL has issued design guidelines to enable the safe operation of dynamic positioning (DP) systems when in redundant closed-bus mode. Vessels with advanced DP systems can operate safely and with more flexibility to reduce fuel consumption and maintenance when in closed-bus mode. It has been proven that DP in closed-bus mode lowers engine wear and leaves more time for engineroom maintenance.
However, DP operations are strictly regulated, as loss of position can have dire consequences. DP2 and DP3 vessels have redundancy to prevent any loss of power causing operational issues. Traditional systems are designed for open-bus mode, meaning separated power systems, and when operated in closed-bus mode, the closed bus-ties may create a failure propagation path, undermining fundamental design requirements defined in IMO and classification rules. A closed-bus system is a much more complex and tightly integrated system, which is demanding to build, verify and operate safely.
To manage these risks, DNV GL has issued an offshore technical guide on how systems based on closed bus-ties configuration can be designed and verified with additional protection and monitoring facilities, ensuring integrity and robustness. The guidance addresses the critical issue of testing by recommending test requirements that safeguard equipment from damage during testing while at the same time obtaining sufficient evidence of robustness.
Approval of a closed-bus DP unit requires validation of the fault tolerance of the connected system, including live short-circuit testing of worst-case failure modes. Extensive experience with operations and testing proves that live earth fault and short-circuit tests are necessary. Major equipment manufacturers confirm that such testing is not only possible but necessary. Other stakeholders, including flag state authorities, coastal state authorities and major oil companies have also made it clear that proper testing of all failure modes is necessary. OSJ
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