Requirements - Converting an Unclassed Certificate to a Limited or Unlimited NI DP Certificate

To convert from an Unclassed Restricted Certificate to a Limited or Unlimited Certificate, the trainee DPO must fulfill the following requirements:

•  120 DP sea time days onboard a DP1 or DP2/3 classed vessel
• Complete a new task section 
• Complete a new Suitability signoff form signed by the Master of the last vessel
• Obtain a confirmation letter from the company to confirm all of the sea time that has been entered into the application 

DP1, 2 or 3 classed sea time used in the application before the issue of the Unclassed Restricted Certificate may be reused in the conversion process provided a minimum of 60 DP sea time days is served on the relevant classed vessel after the issue date of the Unclassed Certificate. This DP sea time must be recorded in The NI DP Logbook in the conversion pages. 

The type of certificate issued is dependent on the type of DP sea time which is completed:

• If 120 DP sea time days are completed on a DP1 vessel, a Limited Certificate will be issued.
• If 120 DP sea time days are completed on a DP2 or DP3 vessel, an Unlimited Certificate will be issued.
• If a mixture of DP1 and DP2 or DP3 classed sea time is completed, these can be added together to reach the mandatory amount of 120 days in order to obtain an Unlimited certificate, but at least 60 of these days must be completed on board a DP2  or DP3 vessel.
• In order to be eligible for an Unlimited certificate using a mixture of sea time on DP 1/2 & 3 vessels, the last 30 days on the last vessel within Phase D, must be completed on a DP 2 or 3 vessel.  If the last 30 days are completed on a DP 1 vessel, then only a Limited certificate will be issued. 

Phase E – Statement of Suitability Form

A Statement of Suitability form must be completed after the mandatory amount of DP sea time days in Phase D has been completed.  

The master of the last vessel needs to sign the Statement of Suitability form. You, as the applicant, must also sign this form. Please note that if the master is not a certificated DPO, this section will need to be countersigned by the certificated DPO on board the vessel. The signatures on the Suitability Sign Off form will be checked against the final DP sea time days recorded in the logbook.

Please note that if you are applying and you are the master of the vessel, the Statement of Suitability form must be signed off by  the certified DPO.

Confirmation Letters

For all applications, company letters confirming the DP sea time days must be provided for any time to be used as part of the application. The definition of a DP sea time day for applicants on the new scheme is classed as a minimum of two hours per day on DP watch.

Note: The conversion DP sea time training can only be logged in The NI DP Logbook. The conversion application must be completed through the online system, using the same DP account that was used to gain their first DP Certificate.