VDR (Voyage Data Recorder) is the maritime equivalent of the black box that airlines use. The system is usually two-part and consists of the data-collecting unit, which is connected to a deck-mounted protective capsule designed to withstand fire, deep sea pressure shock, and penetration. It is used primarily to record navigation incidents but can also provide useful data for analysis of heavy weather damage and monitoring of performance, as well as training for crew members.
Up-grading
Many ships fitted with VDR/SVDR devices meet the minimum regulatory requirements however, Members are urged to consider using the equipment to investigate incidents as well as preventive maintenance and bridge team training, as well as to record near misses. There are also packages which can extend the period during which VDR data will be accessible beyond the minimum of 12 hours. The decision needs to be taken as to whether or not to upgrade.
The system is built around an industrial computer that is able to perform various functions, including processing and encoding the data that is gathered from the sensors. The capsule is designed to survive any kind of accident and to store the data. The VDR system consists of an instrument for data collection that is situated on the bridge as also a dedicated power supply as well as an interface unit and backup batteries. The unit collects all information from integrated sources such as microphones to record bridge audio and sends it to a Concentrator where a series NMEA 0183 sentence is processed and coded to be sent to the final recorded media.