Voyage data recorders (VDR) collect the ship’s sensor data to provide insight in the aftermath of an incident at sea. They are basically black boxes designed to identify the cause of marine accidents and assist in their prevention.
VDRs and S-VDRs are fitted to all vessels of 3,000 gross tonnage and upwards constructed on or after July 1, 2002. A VDR/SVDR is an electronic storage medium that is able to endure pressures and shocks from incidents in the marine environment, such as sinking, collisions, or fire.
The system is designed to collect information from a variety of shipboard sensors, and then digitize and compress it before storing it in an externally mounted protective storage unit. The tamperproof capsule is made to withstand the extreme heat, shock, impact and pressures faced in a marine event like a collision or fire.
Members may want to consider upgrading their VDR/S/VDR systems to provide them with the ability to store data for longer durations. At present, the IMO performance standard only requires the VDR/S/VDR to store data for up to 12 hours after the incident before it’s erased.
A growing number manufacturers offer a MantaDigital S-VDR that can be accessed from a distance like the way airlines’ FDR data are analyzed following an incident. This enables technical issues onboard to be diagnosed remotely, and assists in the execution of proactive maintenance processes. Regular shore-side replays assist bridge teams understand the trends in their performance and to identify opportunities for improvement.