VDR (Voyage Data Recorder) is the maritime version of the black box that airlines use. The system is typically two-parts comprised of a data-collection unit as well as a deck-mounted protection pod that is designed to withstand shock, fire, deep-sea pressurized and penetration. It is commonly used for recording navigation incidents, but it can also provide valuable information to analyze the effects of heavy weather and performance monitoring as well as crew training.
Up-grading
Many ships equipped with VDR/SVDR meet the minimum regulatory requirements. However, members are encouraged to use the equipment to document near misses, conduct investigation into incidents as well as for preventive maintenance. In addition, there are applications that can extend the time for which VDR data is available beyond the current minimum of 12 hours and a decision needs to be made as to whether or not to upgrade to this.
The system is constructed around an industrial computer that is able to visit perform various functions, including processing and encoding the data received from the sensors. The capsule is designed to survive any disaster and keep the data. The VDR system is made up of an instrument for data collection that is situated on the bridge, as also a dedicated power supply and interface unit, and backup batteries. The unit gathers data from all sources integrated such as microphones that record bridge audio and transmits it to the Concentrator where it is processed into a series of NMEA 0183 sentences are interpreted and encoded prior to being transmitted to the final recording medium.
