Simwave’s 2nd Dynamic Positioning Forum

Posted on April 21, 2026

KUDOS to Simwave BV & Sebastian-AS for coordinating the very productive 2nd DYNAMIC POSITIONING FORUM at Simwave’s facility in Rotterdam, NL, on Wed., April 14th, 2026.

The enlightening event included interactive workshop sessions, with highly technical presentations & industry topic discussions amongst DP specialists & professionals including Operators, Makers, and DPOs. Mackay was the sole marine electronics company providing technicians with unique service expertise in the DP sector.

DP Trials & DP FMEA was covered in the morning program. @JannieScholtz, Mackay South Africa’s Marine Engineer and IMCA DP Trials & Assurance Practitioner, presented insights from his on-the-job DP Trial proficiency. Scholtz emphasized the opportunity for firms to systematically utilize DP Trials also as a learning tool for crew to “experience” a vessel under failure conditions. This garnered preparation can mitigate dangerous incidents often caused by human error (quoted as 50% of cases). Also touched on were the challenges & evolution of FMEA five-year reviews, potential future digital DP trials, and more.

Afternoon topics transitioned to DP Sensors, Position Reference Systems, and DP innovation. Major discussions arose per the URGENT NEED for creative solutions to counter the threat that jamming and spoofing pose to safe DP Operations. Acknowledged by many was the probable need for multiple diverse sources of Position Reference Systems to assure accuracy & safety.

According to Helge Berckemeier, Mackay’s Northern European BDM, “These focused, intimate sessions enabled in-depth technical discussions and direct engagement between technical and commercial participants on the challenges facing dynamic positioning environments, with respect for each other’s expertise.”

These interactive cross-industry sessions can lead to collaborative efforts and improvements for safe and reliable operations; particularly critical since dynamic positioning applications are on the rise with diverse usage in offshore oil & gas, renewable energy (wind farm installation), marine mining, naval defense, and research/surveying vessels.

Mackay looks forward to participating in future dynamic positioning events, staying connected with many forum professionals, and continued nav/comm and DP service to this sector.

Thanks again to Simwave (Maritime Centre of Excellence) for welcoming this group and your generous hospitality.

Contact Mackay Marine South Africa to discuss DP service needs at +27 21 276 1240 or southafrica@mackaymarine.com

Check out Mackay’s full marine electronic and service portfolio HERE.