Analysis of Dynamic Positioning System Performance For a Semisubmersible Platform

This paper is concerned with a dynamic positioning system for a state of the art, ultra-deep water semisubmersible platform with 8 azimuth thrusters. The system meets the ABS class requirements for DPS-3. Hydrodynamic characteristics of the platform and the propulsion systems were measured at scale model and computer simulations were made. The correction factors to the open water thruster performance were developed from hull-thruster, thruster-thruster interactions, the forbidden zones were also provided for optimum thruster performance in the dynamic positioning control system. Thruster failure analysis is also covered and discussed. Numerical simulations were carried out for some specific examples.