Postgraduate Diploma in Jackets/Monopiles and Foundations Design
Online 800-hour Postgraduate Diploma in Jackets/Monopiles and Foundations Design. 8 modules with ISO 19902 (fixed offshore steel structures), DNV-ST-0126 (wind turbine support structures) and SACS. Assigned tutor and open enrolment.
Postgraduate Diploma in Jackets/Monopiles and Foundations Design — studying from South Africa
South Africa's coastline and ports make maritime engineering important, with the Port of Durban, the Port of Cape Town and the Port of Ngqura serving major trade flows. The South African Navy and Armscor support naval procurement, and shipbuilding and repair businesses operate along the coast. Offshore energy and marine services create additional demand, and the sports nautical sector serves recreational boating. The South African Maritime Safety Authority regulates shipping and marine safety.
Fees for South Africa: R 16 700 (South African rand), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in South Africa
Typical roles
Questions from South Africa
Will a SEIUM qualification be recognised by the professional bodies in South Africa for this area?
SEIUM qualifications are private, not official state degrees, and are not accredited by any South African body. Marine and offshore work may involve bodies such as the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) and ECSA for engineering registration. Recognition of a private qualification is decided by employers or the relevant body, so confirm this with them directly.
How might this qualification be used by employers in South Africa in naval and offshore industries?
Shipyards, offshore energy firms and marine design consultancies look mainly for certified competence, relevant experience and regulatory knowledge. A private qualification may complement these but will not replace formal certification. Its usefulness depends on each employer's assessment, so ask prospective employers how they would weigh it.
Can I study this programme alongside full-time work from South Africa, and is there a time zone or language issue?
Yes, the programme is 100% online and in English, so you can study from home without a student visa. Master's programmes total 1,900 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 hours and specialist courses 300 hours. You receive an assigned technical tutor, can pay in instalments, and may seek employer sponsorship. Confirm time-zone and workload expectations with SEIUM before committing.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Describe the types of fixed offshore structures and their field of application.
Calculate environmental loads from waves, current and wind.
Interpret offshore geotechnical campaigns for foundation design.
Size monopiles considering soil-structure interaction.
Design jackets and their tubular joints against strength and fatigue.
Plan fabrication, transport and installation.
Manage structural integrity throughout the in-service life.
Who it's for
- Offshore structures engineer wishing to specialise in Jackets/Monopiles and Foundations Design.
- Marine foundations engineer wishing to specialise in Jackets/Monopiles and Foundations Design.
- Offshore geotechnical engineer wishing to specialise in Jackets/Monopiles and Foundations Design.
- Structural integrity engineer wishing to specialise in Jackets/Monopiles and Foundations Design.
- Offshore installation engineer wishing to specialise in Jackets/Monopiles and Foundations Design.
- Offshore wind engineer wishing to specialise in Jackets/Monopiles and Foundations Design.
- Graduates in engineering or science looking to enter offshore wind.
What you'll work with
- ISO 19902 (fixed offshore steel structures)
- DNV-ST-0126 (wind turbine support structures)
- API RP 2A-WSD (fixed offshore platforms)
- ISO 19901-4 (geotechnical and foundation considerations)
- IEC 61400-3-1 (design requirements for fixed offshore wind turbines)
- DNV-RP-C203 (fatigue of offshore steel structures)
- Eurocode 3 (UNE-EN 1993, steel structures)
8 modules · 800 h
1.1Typologies: monopiles, jackets, tripods and gravity1.2Selection by water depth and soil1.3DNV-ST-0126 and IEC 61400-3 standards1.4ISO 19902 standard for fixed structures1.5Limit states: ULS, FLS, SLS and ALS1.6Design bases and site data1.7Interaction with the wind turbine1.8Natural frequencies: soft-stiff design1.9Trends: XXL monopiles and floating foundations1.10Case study: foundation selection for a wind farm
2.1Wave loads: Morison equation2.2Non-linear waves and Stokes theory2.3Slamming loads and breaking waves2.4Current loads2.5Rotor aerodynamic loads2.6Ice and tidal loads2.7Load combinations (DLC)2.8Coupled aero-hydro-elastic analysis2.9OpenFAST and Bladed tools2.10Practice: wave load calculation with Morison
3.1Geotechnical campaigns and offshore CPT3.2Soil design parameters3.3p-y curves and the PISA method3.4Axial pile capacity3.5Suction bucket foundations3.6Cyclic loading and degradation3.7Scour and protection3.8Geological hazards and boulders3.9Soil-structure interaction3.10Laboratory: p-y curves with the PISA method
4.1Diameter and wall thickness sizing4.2Transition piece and connections4.3Grouted vs bolted connections4.4Local buckling of cylinders (DNV-RP-C202)4.5Weld fatigue verification4.6Access platforms and J-tubes4.7Corrosion protection4.8Verticality tolerances4.9Structural optimisation4.10Workshop: preliminary sizing of a monopile
5.1Leg and bracing configuration5.2Tubular joints and their verification (ISO 19902)5.3Stress concentration factors5.4Structural analysis with SACS or USFOS5.5Jacket piles and pre-piling5.6Transport and lifting analysis5.7Vessel collision analysis5.8Non-linear and reserve strength analysis5.9Comparison with monopiles5.10Case study: verification of a K-joint in a jacket
6.1Monopile fabrication: shells and welding6.2Serial jacket fabrication6.3Quality control and non-destructive testing6.4Transport and sea-fastening6.5Installation vessels and jack-ups6.6Pile driving and drivability analysis6.7Pile driving noise mitigation6.8Vibro-driving and alternative methods6.9Installation of transition pieces6.10Practice: drivability analysis with the wave equation
7.1Structural health monitoring (SHM)7.2Underwater inspection and marine growth7.3Cathodic protection7.4Scour management7.5Structural reassessment7.6Life extension7.7Digital twin of foundations7.8Decommissioning7.9Lessons from grout failures7.10Case study: inspection plan for a wind farm with jackets
8.1Site design bases8.2Typology selection8.3Load analysis8.4Geotechnical design8.5Structural design8.6Fatigue verification8.7Fabrication and installation plan8.8Integrity plan8.9Report and presentation8.10Final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100 % online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. No fixed timetables: students progress at their own pace within the intake, making it possible to combine with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is SACS, OpenFAST, PLAXIS 3D, ANSYS Mechanical, Python, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Tests are studied using real procedures for pile load tests, geotechnical characterisation with CPT, and structural inspection with ROV. Assessment is continuous per module plus the final integrating project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Describe the types of fixed offshore structures and their field of application.
Calculate environmental loads from waves, current and wind.
Interpret offshore geotechnical campaigns for foundation design.
Size monopiles considering soil-structure interaction.
Design jackets and their tubular joints against strength and fatigue.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. No university degree is required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- Sufficient Spanish to follow technical standards documentation.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme consists of 800 total hours spread over 6 to 8 months. That is between 10 and 15 hours per week on average, compatible with a full-time job.
We work with SACS, OpenFAST, PLAXIS 3D, ANSYS Mechanical, Python. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
A SEIUM own diploma upon passing the continuous assessment and the integrating project. It is in-house training, not an official qualification from the Ministry.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised towards the higher programme. Check the recognition policy when you enrol.
Related programmes
Diploma in NIS2/IMO 2021 Compliance and Auditing
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in NIS2/IMO 2021 compliance and auditing. 8 modules covering the maritime cyber regulatory framework, cyber risk management, technical and organisational…
Diploma in Risk Assessment in Multimodal Transport
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in risk assessment in multimodal transport. 8 modules covering the fundamentals, the regulatory framework (Solvency II, IFRS 17, Delegated Regulation…
Postgraduate Diploma in MES, Traceability and Data-Ops in Production
Online 800-hour Postgraduate Diploma in MES, Traceability and Data-Ops in Production. 8 modules covering IEC 62264 / ISA-95 (enterprise-control integration), IEC 62541 (OPC UA) and Siemens…
More in Naval, Offshore & Sports Nautical
All Naval, Offshore & Sports Nautical programmes → · How to apply · Fees & financing · Scholarships