DP audits and inspections
Vessel-specific assessment of DP systems, documentation, maintenance and operator competence.
02 / Service category
Technical Assurance for Dynamically Positioned Vessels
DP audits, CMID and OVID inspections, ASOG/CAM/TAM documentation and FMEA/FMECA proving trials for offshore units and critical marine operations.
- CMID Inspections
- DP Audits & Inspections
- ASOG
- CAM
- TAM
- FMEA / FMECA Proving Trials
- OCIMF OVID Inspections
Overview
Dynamic positioning is a systems discipline. Station keeping depends on power generation and distribution, thrusters, position reference systems, control logic and the people operating them, especially when one of those elements fails.
Maritime Expertise supports owners, operators and charterers with DP assurance work that examines the vessel as an integrated system: audits and inspections, the operational documentation that governs how the vessel is worked, and the proving trials that demonstrate redundancy behaves as designed.
Scope of work
- Review of DP system documentation, FMEA and previous trials results
- Assessment of power generation, distribution and thruster configuration
- Position reference system arrangement and redundancy
- DP control system configuration and alarm management
- Review of maintenance records and critical spares
- DP operator competence, familiarisation and logging practice
- ASOG / CAM / TAM documentation review against actual operations
- Witnessed trials where the scope requires practical demonstration
- Findings report with technical observations and recommended actions
What we provide
FMEA and FMECA proving trials
Practical demonstration that identified failure modes produce the predicted effect and that redundancy holds.
CMID inspections
IMCA Common Marine Inspection Document inspections for offshore vessels.
OVID inspections
OCIMF Offshore Vessel Inspection Database inspections for applicable vessel types.
ASOG, CAM and TAM development
Activity Specific Operating Guidelines and operating mode documentation aligned to the vessel and the task.
Operational readiness reviews
Assessment of DP operations ahead of a specific project, field or client requirement.
Specialist services
CMID Inspections
IMCA Common Marine Inspection Document inspections for offshore support and DP vessels.
ExploreDP Audits & Inspections
Vessel-specific DP audits covering system performance, redundancy, documentation and competence.
ExploreASOG, CAM & TAM
Development and review of CAM, TAM and ASOG documentation for dynamically positioned vessels.
ExploreFMEA / FMECA Proving Trials
Failure mode analysis and proving trials for DP Class 2 and Class 3 vessels.
ExploreOVID Inspections
OCIMF OVID inspections for applicable offshore vessel types.
ExploreFrequently asked
- What is the difference between FMEA and FMECA?
- FMEA identifies failure modes and their effects on the system. FMECA adds a criticality analysis, ranking those failure modes by the severity and likelihood of their consequences. The two are related but not interchangeable.
- How often should DP proving trials be carried out?
- Industry practice is an annual demonstration, with additional trials after modification to DP-related systems. The applicable requirement depends on class, flag and the charterer's own regime.
- Do you issue class approval?
- No. We are an independent technical service provider. Class approval is issued by the classification society; our work supports the vessel's technical evidence base.
- Can a CMID and a DP audit be combined?
- Often, subject to scope and available time on board. Combining attendances reduces disruption to operations.
- Which vessels need an ASOG?
- Any DP vessel undertaking an activity where operational, environmental and equipment limits need to be defined and understood before work starts. The document is activity specific rather than generic to the vessel.
- Do you support trials at sea or alongside?
- Both, depending on the tests required. Some tests can only be performed with the vessel in a DP configuration at sea.
Related services
Audits & Inspections
Independent audits and inspections supporting regulatory compliance, operational assurance and continuous improvement.
Marine Engineering & Other Services
Engineering, investigation and operational support services that sit alongside our inspection and consultancy work.
Surveys & Vetting
Independent marine, cargo and condition surveys supporting owners, insurers, P&I clubs, legal teams and other maritime stakeholders.
Next step
Tell us about the vessel, the scope and the timeline.
We respond with the right marine professional, a defined methodology and clear reporting expectations.