Example Specification for DP FMEA for a New DP Vessel

Published on 9 December 2012

Example specification for a DP FMEA for a new DP vessel (IMCA M 219) is a newly published document from the International Marine Contractors Association that provides, as the title indicates, an example of a specification for a dynamic positioning (DP) failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) of a new DP vessel to be carried out prior to vessel delivery, probably by the shipyard as a contractual deliverable to the new owner. This first FMEA should be seen as a benchmark for subsequent analyses.

“The objective of the FMEA is to identify the single point failures in any system in the vessel which, if they were to occur, would cause loss of the position-keeping capability of the vessel,” explains IMCA’s Technical Director, Jane Bugler. “The causes and consequences of any such failures should be noted and obvious corrective actions, which can be taken to avoid such failures, should be described in the final FMEA report.”

The FMEA should be a comprehensive systematic investigation that establishes the failure conditions of the DP system. Primarily, it is an analytical process that takes advantage of experience where possible.

“For the FMEA to be useful, relevant and acceptable to all parties it should be performed by competent personnel, properly managed and be executed to a sufficient level of detail to demonstrate all requirements of this specification,” adds Jane Bugler. “It needs to satisfy classification society and regulatory requirements, and should be suitable for use as a training reference for operators and maintenance staff of the vessel.

“It would be revisited as a result of changes made to the system during the life of the vessel and in the light of any information gathered at a later date that was not available at the time of the FMEA. Any changes to the FMEA should be addressed during the next DP annual trial, thus making the FMEA report a ‘living working document’.”

The document can be downloaded free of charge by members and non-members alike from the IMCA website at legacy.imca-int.com. Printed copies can be purchased from the association at £5.00 for members and £10.00 for non-members via the website, or from publications@legacy.imca-int.com, or from IMCA at 52 Grosvenor Gardens, London SW1W 0AU, UK. Tel; +44 (0)20 7824 5520; Fax: +44 (0)20 7824 5521.