Speaking to "Safety at Sea International", Hugh Williams, Chief Executive of the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA), said he believes there is now urgent need for internationally-accepted guidelines for Offshore Support Vessels (OSVs) equipped with Dynamic Positioning (DP) systems. As Williams explains, in the offshore industry, the use of DP systems on board construction vessels, such as drill ships, pipelayers and ROV vessels, is well understood and IMCA already has its own guidelines for DP on ships of this type. However, in the last few years, more and more Platform Supply Vessels (PSVs which provide rigs and platforms with bulk and liquid supplies) and Anchor Handling Tug Supply vessels (AHTS vessels which tow rigs and position anchors for them) have been equipped with DP equipment. Recognising this, the US Coast Guard has recently developed its own guidelines for DP-equipped supply vessels but being an international body, IMCA wants to develop international guidelines that will apply wherever its members find themselves working.
展开▼
