VDR (Voyage Data Recorder) is the maritime version of the black box airlines employ. The system is typically two-part and consists of the data-collecting unit, which is connected to a protective capsule on deck designed to withstand fire, deep-sea pressure shock, and penetration. It is used to capture incidents of navigation, but it can also provide valuable information to assess damage during heavy weather as well as performance monitoring and crew training.
Up-grading
Many ships equipped with VDR/SVDR meet the minimum requirements of regulatory compliance. However, members are encouraged use the equipment to document near misses, conduct incident investigations, and for preventive maintenance. There are also programs which can extend the period during which VDR information is available beyond the current minimum of 12 hours. The decision needs to be taken about whether to upgrade.
The system is built on database access control best practices an industrial grade computer that performs various functions, including processing and encoding information received from sensors. It then stores the data in a capsule designed to survive an accident and provide proof of what took place on the ship. The main components of the VDR system are a data collection unit that is located on the bridge, a dedicated power source, an interface unit and batteries for backup. The unit collects all information from integrated sources including microphones for recording bridge audio and sends it to a Concentrator, which is where a string of NMEA 0183 sentences is interpreted and encoded for transmission to the final recorded media.