frequently asked
questions

The scheme phases must be followed and completed in the order below: A. Induction Course B. 60 DP days sea time + completion of all Task Sections C. Simulator Course D. 60 DP days sea time E. Statement of Suitability When the phases have been completed, a confirmation letter should be obtained from the company confirming the sea time. A template for this letter is available on our website. Please note that the new scheme has a different template letter to the old scheme as more information must be verified.

Yes. It has been decided by DPTEG that if you want to start the new scheme you can transfer your Induction course only. Any sea time or subsequent courses cannot be carried over from the old scheme and you will only have four years from the date of your Induction course to complete the training. The remaining phases of the training can only be completed once you receive the new logbook.

The training time limit has reduced from five years to four years for the new scheme in line with the reduced amount of DP time which is needed for the certificate.

If you have started the scheme after 1 st January 2015 or transferred from the old scheme, you will be entering onto the new Offshore scheme. This means that a DP day is now counted as a minimum of two hours on the DP desk per day.

Your DP sea time must be signed off by the Master of the vessel. Each recorded DP sea time record entry must also be initialled individually by the same Master whose details and signature appears at the bottom of each page. Entries that have not been signed cannot be counted towards the required 120 days DP sea time. If you are the trainee DPO and the Master on board, you are able to sign off your own sea time in your logbook. The certified DPO will need to sign the tasks off and then you will be able to sign as the Master below each of the task sections.

The new Offshore scheme requires 120 DP days. Please note that you must complete a minimum of 2 hours on the DP desk for any time that you are claiming. This does differ from the previous scheme.

Any time gained in excess of the 60 DP sea time days between the Induction and the Simulator course will normally be counted towards the total requirement of 120 DP sea time days. However, the candidate must complete at least 30 DP sea time days after the Simulator course and obtain the Statement of Suitability signed by the Master of the last vessel the candidate has served on before submitting his/her documents to The Nautical Institute. Please also note that no passive time can be used in Phase D and a maximum of 30 passive DP days can be used in Phase B.

We IMS DP TRAINING CENTRE are accredited training centres and we do conduct.

Yes. The Induction course examination has been in place since 2012 and the Simulator course is being implemented for the new Offshore scheme.

If the Induction examination is failed you will have two additional chances to retake the course. The first is within 24 hours at the same training centre where the Induction course was taken. If the second attempt is failed you have six months to retake the examination and this can be done at any training centre.

No. In the new scheme, time completed before the Induction course cannot be used for the application.

No. Time must be active or passive. Dry dock time cannot be counted.

Yes. The Sea time Reduction (STR) course can reduce the amount of sea time to be completed for the new Offshore scheme. This course can only be done after the Simulator course and must be followed by 30 DP sea time days on board a classed DP vessel. Please note that if you started the scheme as a Cadet, you are not allowed to reduce your time with the Sea time Reduction course.

No. If you are working towards a Limited or Unlimited certificate you must complete 120 DP sea time days on board a classed vessel. Can I use correction fluid (white-out) to amend dates in my logbook? No. Any dates that have been altered with correction fluid may automatically make your application unsuccessful. If there is a simple mistake, please put a line through and have the correct information entered. Please then have the Master sign next to the correction so that it shows he is aware of it.

No. All DP sea time to be used in the application must be recorded in your NI logbook. Any time used in the application which is not logged in the NI logbook will not be counted towards the certificate and may result in your application being rejected.

Unfortunately all sea time being claimed for an application does need to be confirmed on a letter from the company. Any time which does not have a confirmation letter cannot be used. If you are unable to obtain this letter, the DP sea time will need to be redone.

It is required that ALL components of the training programme be completed within four years. At the time of application, any element (within Phase A, B, C, D and E) of the scheme not completed within the four year period will have to be repeated.

No. Your repeated Induction course information can be added to your current logbook on the same page.

Dates in the task sections will be verified against dates of joining and leaving the vessel and according to the dates logged in the DP logbook. The tasks which are to be completed on active time must match with days recorded in the logbook as days on DP with a minimum of two hours per day on the DP desk.

No. Only time whilst you are in possession of your logbook can be claimed. Any time claimed whilst your logbook is in our office will not be counted towards the application.

Yes. The Nautical Institute now issues a validity date on all certificates. The certificate will be valid for a period of five years. At the end of the five years, you will need to revalidate this certificate. Please ensure that during the five years, you are logging your DP time ready to use for revalidation. Please see the revalidation pages on our website for more details.

It is The Nautical Institute’s policy not to forward copies of issued certificates to DPOs. Once the certificate is printed, it will be despatched back to the address on the application.

Yes. You should continue to record your time in your logbook as you will need to provide evidence of DP time when the certificate is due for revalidation. For more information, please go to the Revalidation page of our website.

The new Offshore scheme has designated tasks in 11 sections in the logbook with individual tasks to be completed and signed off by the certificated DPO on board as well as the Master.

The Task Section of the logbook must be completed during Phase B of the new Offshore Training scheme. If the tasks are not completed, you will not be permitted to attend the Simulator course.

Each task item must be completed and signed by the certified DPO on board the vessel who has been assigned to supervise you. If the Master is the assigned certified DPO on board he/she must still complete and sign each item individually. The Master must also complete the Master’s sign off at the end of each task section. If there is no certified DPO on board the vessel, the tasks cannot be signed off and additional time will need to be completed before moving onto the next Phase of the scheme (Phase C). If you are the trainee DPO and also the Master on board, the certified DPO will need to sign the tasks off and then you will be able to sign as the Master below each of the task sections once they have been completed.