The VDR (Voyage Data Recorder), is the maritime equivalent to the black box that is used by airlines. It is typically made up of two parts, consisting a data-collection unit and a deck-mounted safety pod that is designed to resist shock as well as fire, deep-sea pressing, and penetration. It is commonly used to record navigation events, but it can also provide valuable data to analyze the effects of heavy weather and performance monitoring as well as for crew training.
Up-grading
Many ships fitted with VDR/SVDR devices meet the minimum requirements of regulatory compliance however, Members are urged to think about using the equipment for incident investigation or preventive maintenance as well as bridge team training as well as for recording near misses. Additionally, there are software options that could significantly extend the amount of time that VDR data is accessible from the current 12 hour minimum and a choice should be taken on whether or not to upgrade to this.
The system is built around an industrial-grade computer that performs several functions, including processing and encoding data received from sensors. It then stores the data in a capsule designed to stand up to an accident and provide evidence of what transpired on the ship. The VDR system is made up 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 data from integrated sources, including microphones for recording bridge audio, and then sends it to a Concentrator where a sequence of NMEA 0183 sentences is interpreted and then coded to be sent to the final recording media.