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The VDR (Voyage Data Recorder) is the maritime equivalent of the black box utilized by airlines. The system is typically two-part in that it is an data collection unit that is attached to a deck-mounted protective capsule designed to withstand fire, deep-sea pressure, shock and penetration. It is commonly used to record navigation incidents but also provides useful information for analysis of heavy weather damage and performance monitoring as well as for crew training.
Up-grading
Many ships equipped with VDR/SVDR meet the minimum requirements of regulatory compliance. However, members are encouraged to use the equipment to record near misses, conduct incident investigations and for preventative maintenance. There are also software options that could significantly extend the period of duration for which VDR information is available, starting from the current 12 hour minimum and a decision should be made on whether or not to upgrade to this.
The system is built around an industrial grade computer that performs several functions, including processing and encoding information received from sensors. The data is then stored inside a capsule built to withstand an incident and provide evidence of what happened onboard the vessel. The main components of the VDR system include a data collection unit, which is situated on the bridge, a dedicated power source as well as an interface unit and batteries for backup. The unit gathers data from all sources integrated including microphones for recording bridge audio, and then sends it to the Concentrator. Here, it is processed into a series of NMEA 0183 sentences are read and encoded prior to being transmitted to the final recording medium.
