Input for next report is requested. The sharing of information on incidents is essential as an aid to improved safety, with each one improving the knowledge base of other organisations undertaking similar activities. This is why the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) publishes an annual report on dynamic positioning (DP) station keeping incidents.
The report on incidents in 2009 has just been published (IMCA M 211) and IMCA is requesting that details on any incidents in 2010 not already reported should be submitted as soon as possible. “We would encourage everyone to report their incidents, the yearly station keeping incident volumes we produce can only be as complete as the data which member, and non-member, companies provide,” explains IMCA’s Technical Director, Jane Bugler. “All reports are anonymised and sent for approval to the contributing company before review by the IMCA Marine Division Management Committee and eventual publication. Reporting forms can be downloaded from www.imca-int.com/core/sel/profile/incidentreports.
“For the year 2009, 77 reports were received from vessels operated by IMCA members and others, and of these, 75 are included in ‘Dynamic Positioning Station Keeping Incidents (2009)’ (IMCA M 211),” she says. “In the previous few years the number of incident reports received has been higher. However, 2009 sees the first drop in numbers in recent years from 111 in 2008 to 77. Determining the reason for this reduction would be difficult. However, incident free operations and incidents not being reported may be contributory factors.”
Seventy-five reports submitted by 46 vessels were analysed, giving an average of 1.63 reports per vessel. As in previous years, the average remains between one and two, with 14 vessels reporting two or more incidents, and 32 reporting only one. Currently the number of members’ DP vessels operating, according to data supplied by them, stands at 764, a significant increase from previous years. “If the incident rate were to be repeated throughout this fleet there should be a much higher number of reported incidents,” says Jane Bugler. “Although the majority of the fleet may be operating without any incidents occurring, under-reporting is still thought to be occurring.”