IMCA D 036 Explained: The ROV Pilot Grading System You Need to Understand

IMCA D 036 ('Guidance on Competence Assurance and Assessment') is the document that governs how ROV personnel are graded. If you're working toward an IMCA grade, or employing people who are, you need to understand what this document actually says. This breakdown covers the key points without the document structure getting in the way.

What D 036 Is and Isn't

D 036 is guidance — not a mandatory standard in the regulatory sense. However, IMCA member companies (which includes most major offshore contractors globally) commit to applying it. For practical purposes, D 036 defines the accepted industry standard for ROV competency, and departing from it requires justification.

It is not a training syllabus and not a course. It defines what competent ROV personnel should be able to do, not how they should be trained. Training to meet those competencies is the individual's and employer's responsibility.

The Grade Structure

D 036 defines four grades for ROV Pilot/Technicians plus the Supervisor and Superintendent levels:

• Grade 1 ROV Pilot/Technician: Can operate an ROV under supervision. Limited solo capability. Entry-level operational qualification.
• Grade 2 ROV Pilot/Technician: Fully competent solo operator. Capable of operating without supervision. Can cover supervisor duties in some contexts.
• ROV Supervisor: Operational authority for a complete ROV system deployment. Team management and client interface. Responsible for all dive logs and shift documentation.
• ROV Superintendent: Project-level oversight. Multiple systems, vessels, or campaigns. Management of supervisors.

The Competency Units

D 036 breaks each grade down into specific competency units — groupings of related skills and knowledge that must be demonstrated. The major units for Pilot/Technician grades cover:

• Vehicle operation — piloting, navigation, position keeping
• Maintenance and fault diagnosis — pre/post-dive checks, component service, troubleshooting
• Umbilical management — deployment, recovery, inspection, storage
• Documentation — dive log completion, maintenance records, shift notes
• Safety — emergency procedures, hazard identification, permit-to-work systems
• Communication — with supervisor, client representatives, vessel crew

Evidence Requirements

For each competency unit, D 036 defines the types of evidence an assessor can accept. Evidence falls into three categories:

• Performance evidence — observation of the candidate doing the task in the actual work environment
• Product evidence — documents produced by the candidate (dive logs, maintenance records, reports)
• Knowledge evidence — answers to oral or written questions demonstrating understanding

The Assessment Process

Assessment must be conducted by an IMCA-approved assessor — typically an experienced supervisor or superintendent within a member company. The assessment is a combination of logbook review, practical observation, and oral questioning. Assessors are required to document their findings against each competency unit and provide specific feedback where competency is not demonstrated.

Keeping Up with D 036 Revisions

IMCA periodically revises D 036 to reflect changes in technology and industry practice. The current version should always be referenced directly from the IMCA website rather than from secondary sources. When preparing for an assessment, confirm with your assessor which version is being applied.

Practical Implications for Logbook Keeping

Understanding D 036 changes how you think about your logbook. Rather than logging hours as a mechanical administrative task, you're building an evidence portfolio against specific competency units. Log the types of tasks you performed, the systems you operated, the fault-finding you did, the reports you wrote. These details are what assessors are looking for — not just total hours.