Page 68: of Marine News Magazine (August 2019)

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MN100

Admiral Michael

Rodriguez

TEXAS A&M MARITIME ACADEMY:

Dynamically Positioned for the Future

Late last year, the Offshore Service Vessel Dynamic Po- domestic blue water ? eet has dwindled to record low num- sitioning Authority (OSVDPA) announced that the Texas bers. On the other hand, more that 98 percent of the na-

A&M Maritime Academy at Texas A&M University at tion’s merchant hulls can be classi? ed as brown water. An

Galveston was now the ? rst maritime academy in the na- increasing number of those also employ dynamic position- tion accredited to provide OSVDPA courses to its cadets. ing as an important part of their equipment mix.

For U.S. maritime academies – typically and traditionally For cadets to receive an OSVDPA DPO (DP Operator) focused on sending out graduates ready for blue water, Certi? cate they must successfully complete two classroom deep water service – this represents a sea change in train- courses, the ? rst of which covers the theoretical knowledge ing. On the other hand, what better place to start than the behind DP operations and the second offers hands on DP

U.S. academy closest in proximity to the heart of the do- experience via the utilization of DP simulators. As the ? rst mestic offshore energy industry, and indeed, the heaviest U.S. Maritime Academy credentialed to teach accredited concentration of DP equipped support vessels? DP courses, the DP certi? cation is an important step, es-

In announcing the accreditation, OSVDPA Executive pecially when considering the U.S. training academies –

Director, Aaron Smith said, “Going into the accreditation who are all slowly integrating a workboat curriculum into process we obviously knew of A&M’s reputation as a great their offerings – have primarily catered to the blue water maritime training institution, but they surpassed even side of the equation for so long. those lofty expectations. We were extremely impressed Admiral Michael Rodriguez, Superintendent of Texas with A&M’s instructors, curriculum and equipment. Giv- A&M Maritime Academy, explained the move. “The ing cadets access to top-notch training early in their career geographical location of Texas A&M Maritime Academy will pay great dividends toward the safety of our industry.” in Galveston, Texas, makes it the go to academy for well-

The Texas A&M Maritime Academy is one of seven trained third mates to work in the brown water, oil patch, maritime academies in the United States – six state-run and coastal towing industries. Students who are consider- and one federally operated. All of these schools in the past ing a career in the oil industry, especially OSVs and drill- have focused much of their training resources on produc- ing rigs, will look at the DP training offered here and un- ing unlimited tonnage, blue water mariners. That’s chang- derstand the importance relative to getting a job in the ing, to a large extent a function of the fact that the U.S. industry and being successful.

August 2019

MN 68