With the new requirements for VDRs, we recommend that you have a compliant VDR before this date. The new requirements for a protected storage capsule and a capsule without a float will increase the cost of an upgrade after July 1, 2014. The device must be fully automatic during normal operation. Recorded data can be stored after an incident with minimal disruption to the recording process by an appropriate method. […] Systems and equipment necessary to meet the requirements of Articles 19 and 20 shall be approved by the Administration and systems and equipment installed from […] After 48 hours of new regulations, is it not possible to reproduce VDR bridge recordings? The Simplified Voyage Data Recorder (S-VDR) compliant with the requirements of IMO performance standard MSC.163(78) is a more cost-effective simplified version of the VDR for small vessels, which records only basic ship data. The VDR should maintain continuous records of pre-selected data elements relating to the condition and exit of maritime equipment and to ship command and control. In order to allow for a subsequent analysis of incident-related factors, the recording method should ensure that the different data elements can be correlated in date and time during playback on appropriate devices. IMO defines the voyage data recorder as a complete system, including all the elements necessary to connect to the input signal sources, their processing and encoding, the final recording medium, the playback device, the power supply and the dedicated backup power source. The shelter unit may be located in a fixed retractable unit or a floating unit (or in combination with an EPIRB) if the ship sinks in a marine accident. The last 12 hours (48 hours for MSC.333(90) 2014) of stored data can be retrieved by authorities or ship owners and rebroadcast for incident investigation.

In addition to the protective storage unit, the VDR system can be composed of a recording control unit and a data acquisition unit connected to various devices and sensors on board a ship. The new MSC.333(90) regulation also stipulates that recorded data must be stored internally for at least 30 days (this can be done in the recording control unit, data acquisition unit or main electronic unit, depending on the manufacturer`s terminology). As with all navigation devices, controls and maintenance are important for the proper functioning of electronic systems. Only qualified personnel should work in the equipment. During routine checks, inspect cables for signs of damage and also check that all connections are rigid. The battery must be replaced every four years, the backup battery must be replaced with a new one by a qualified service technician. SOLAS chapter V, regulation 18.8, sets out maintenance requirements. A certificate attesting that the results of these tests have been satisfactory shall be kept on board. As mentioned earlier, a VDR, or voyage data recorder, is a tool securely installed on a ship to continuously record important information related to the operation of a ship. It includes a voice recording system for a period of at least 12 hours (for VDRs installed after July 2014, the integrated details recording period is 48 hours in accordance with MSC Resolution 333.90). This record is restored and used to investigate accidents in compressed and digitized form.

The voyage data recorder (VDR) is a data acquisition system for all ships that must comply with the SOLAS requirements of the IMO International Convention (IMO Res.A.861(20)) to collect data from various sensors on board the ship. It then scans, compresses, and stores this information in an externally mounted protective memory. The protective storage unit is a tamper-proof unit that can withstand extreme shocks, shocks, pressures and heat that can be associated with a ship event (fire, explosion, collision, sinking, etc.). There is also a record button in the deck unit, so after pressing the button (for example, when starting an incident such as a collision or grounding), the recorder will start recording a new set of information from that period. 2.General requirements, test methods and test results required. One other thing I wanted to clarify if there is HRU on their recording/svdr devices or if they go underground with the ship sinking? pl comment if anyone has an idea. Mandatory rules are contained in chapter V on the safety of navigation of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974 (SOLAS). At its 79th session in December 2004, the MSC adopted amendments to SOLAS Chapter V, Regulation 20 (Safety of navigation) concerning a step-by-step carriage requirement for a voyage data recorder (S-VDR). The amendment entered into force on 1 July 2006.

– the data collection unit (DCU) (mounted on the bridge, which retrieves data from all integrated sources), Like flight recorders on board aircraft, VDRs allow investigators to review procedures and instructions in the moments leading up to an incident and identify the cause of an accident. Passenger ships and ships, other than passenger ships, of 3000 gross tonnage or more constructed on or after 1 July 2002 shall be equipped with voyage data recorders (VDRs) to facilitate accident investigation in accordance with regulations adopted in 2000 and which entered into force on 1 July 2002. The importance of LCA cannot be overstated. Although it is always in every effort of every sailor that an accident does not occur at all, it is essential to know the importance of a VDR in such a situation. The voyage data recording (VDR) system, including all sensors, shall be subject to an annual performance test. The test shall be carried out by an approved test or maintenance facility to verify the accuracy, duration and recoverability of the recorded data. In addition, tests and inspections shall be carried out to determine whether all enclosures and protective devices installed on the site are fit for use. A copy of the certificate of compliance issued by the test facility indicating the date of compliance and the applicable performance standards shall be kept on board the ship. The capsule mentioned above is a very robust unit capable of withstanding the shocks and pressures associated with a shipwreck (collision, grounding, bad weather, etc.). It can be a flawless device as in the HRU or connected to the EPIRB for simultaneous release.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by the authors in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of Marine Insight. The data and graphs, if used in the article, come from the available information and have not been authenticated by any legal authority. The author and Marine Insight do not claim that it is correct, and assume no responsibility for it. Views represent opinions only and are not guidelines or recommendations for a course of action to be followed by the reader. A VDR is able to withstand extreme weather, collisions, fires and pressure conditions, even when a ship is in the water at a depth of several meters. Data marked with * shall not be recorded in S-VDR, except in radars and sonars for which standardized data and interfaces are available. solasv.mcga.gov.uk/msc/MSC.1%20Circ.1222%20vdr.pdf A VDR with a capacity not less than those defined in these performance standards shall be boarded on board ships of the classes defined in chapter V of SOLAS, as amended. A ship`s VDR is far superior to an airplane`s black box because it stores a variety of data for at least a 12-hour period.