1 The Maritime Safety Committee, at its sixty-sixth session (28 May to 6 June 1996),
considered the issue of training of dynamic positioning system (DP) operators in relation to
paragraph 4.12 of the 1989 MODU Code and, noted that the International Marine Contractors.
Association (IMCA) had prepared a publication on the .Training and Experience of Key
DP Personnel (Issue 1/Rev.1). which could be used as a guideline for the training of DP operators.
2 The Committee, recalling the obligations contained in regulation I/14 of the 1978 STCW
Convention, as amended, and noting the importance of adequate training of DP operators and the
recommendation of the Sub-Committee on Ship Design and Equipment, at its thirty-ninth session
(22 to 26 January 1996), invited Member Governments to bring the aforementioned guidelines to the
attention of the bodies concerned and apply them to the training of key DP personnel employed on
dynamically positioned vessels defined in paragraph 1.3.1 of the annex to MSC/Circ.645.
3 The Committee also agreed to make a reference to the Guidelines in the footnote to
section 4.12 of the 1989 MODU Code.
4 The Committee, at its eighty-first session (10 to 19 May 2006), noted information by IMCA
that the Guidelines had been updated to ensure conformance with current best practice and reissued
as IMCA M 117 Rev.1. The Committee also noted that there have been no changes to the core
content of the Guidelines.
5 The Committee noted that the above-mentioned IMCA publication, which identifies training
programmes, levels of competency and experience for the safe operation of DP vessels, is available
from:
The International Marine Contractors. Association (IMCA)
5 Lower Belgrave Street
London SW1W 0NR
United Kingdom
Website: www.imca-int.com
E-mail: imca@imca-int.com
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7824 5520
Facsimile: +44 (0)20 7824 5521
6 The Committee invited IMCA to keep IMO informed of future amendments to the IMCA
guidelines, as appropriate.