VOYAGE DATA RECORDER

(VDR)

Elvira Piatraitis 22-LTS-3

◈ Voyage Data Recorder is an equipment fitted onboard ships that record the various data
on a ship which can be used for reconstruction of the voyage details and vital information
during an accident investigation.
◈ Information is stored in a secure and retrievable form, relating to the position, movement,
physical status, command and control of a ship over the period and following an incident.
Aside from its usage in accident investigation, it can also be used for preventive
maintenance, performance efficiency monitoring, heavy weather damage analysis,
accident avoidance and training purposes to improve safety and reduce running costs.

◈ VDR contains a voice recording

system for a period of at least last 12
hours (for VDRs installed post-July
2014, the period of the integrated
details recorded is 48 hours).
◈ A VDR is capable of withstanding
heavy weather, collisions, fires and
pressure conditions even when a ship
is at a depth of several meters in
water.
◈ Like black boxes carried on aircrafts, Voyage Data
Recorders (VDRs) enable accident investigators to
review procedures and instructions in the moments
before an incident and help to identify the causes of
any accident.

◈ VDR systems are designed to record and store

information concerning the position, movement,
physical status as well as command and control of a
vessel.

◈ Under regulation 20 of SOLAS chapter V on Voyage

data recorders (VDR), passenger ships and cargo
vessels of 3.000 GT (gross tonnage) and above
constructed on or after July 1, 2002 must carry a VDR,
while a Simplified VDR (S-VDR) is accepted for cargo
ships of 3.000 GT and above which were built before
July 1, 2002.
◈ The original performance standards for VDRs were
defined in MSC.163(78) and came into force in 2002.
Ten years later the Maritime Safety Committee of the
International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted a
revised recommendation on performance standards
 How VDR works?
◈ There are various sensors placed on bridge of the ship and on prominent location from which the required data is
continuously collected:
– a Data Collection Unit (DCU) - (fitted on the bridge that pulls in data from all the integrated sources),
– a Data Recording Unit (DRU) - (fitted on the monkey island that stores all of the data that is recorded via the unit
within the wheelhouse) and microphones to record bridge audio.

◈ The DCU contains the Data Processor Unit, interface

modules and backup batteries. It collects data from
sensors as required by the IMO and IEC standards.
The batteries supply power to the DCU to record
bridge audio for 2 h in case of a main ship’s power
failure.
◈ There is also a record button provided in the bridge
unit so that after pushing button (say during starting
of any incident like collision or grounding), the
recorder will start recording new set of information
from that period of time.
◈ The data collected by VDR is digitalised, compressed,
and is stored in a protective storage unit which is
mounted in a safe place.
◈ This tamper proof storage unit can be a retrievable
fixed or floating unit connected with EPIRB for early
location in the event of accident.
◈ The DVR at least must record the following:
• Date and time (SVDR)
• Ship’s position (SVDR)
• Speed and heading (SVDR)
• Bridge audio (SVDR)
• Communication audio (radio) (SVDR)
• Radar data (SVDR)
• ECDIS data (SVDR)
• Echo sounder
• Main alarms
• Rudder order and response
• Hull opening (doors) status
• Watertight and fire door status
• Speed and acceleration
• Hull stresses
• Wind speed and direction
◈ The SVDR is a simplified VDR, that records information that
is only absolutely necessary and does not record
information as extensive as the VDR. Naturally, it is more
cost effective and more in usage on board merchant ships.
Maintenance of VDR
◈ SOLAS regulation V/18.8 states that the voyage
data recorder system, including all sensors,
must be subjected to an annual performance
test carried out by qualified and approved
personnel. The system manufacturer must
complete a review, record any changes and
issue the completed test report within 45 days.
◈ The battery should be replaced every four years,
the backup battery must be replaced with a new
one by a qualified service engineer.
◈ A copy of the certificate of compliance issued
by the testing facility, stating the date of
compliance and the applicable performance
standards, shall be retained on board the ship.
 Underwater Acoustic Beacon
◈ This beacon can be seen in the capsule on the
monkey island and is fitted as a homing device
to locate the capsule after a mishap. It is
attached to a bracket on the capsule.
Triggered by immersion in water, they give out
pulses in the ultrasonic that can be detected
by airborne or shipborne units.
◈ It is important to understand that the
VDR/SVDR is not just a way to record data for
use later on during accident investigation but
it gives the trainers as well as the trainees to
understand real life situations at sea and the
ways they could be combatted to further
prevent any future mishaps, enabling better
practical approach towards ship operations at
sea.
◈ What must the crew know and be able to do with the VDR during an incident?
• How to save a recording manually.
• How long the overwrite period is.
• How many saves are available in case of a long incident enabling the crew to save each period.
• The onboard maintenance requirements between servicing.
• The fault indicators and their meanings.
• Common issues and possible faults with VDRs.
• The added benefits of saving the information from an incident on a VDR:
- Evidence of the events from an incident.
- A timeline of the incident.
- Able to use the information as a reminder of decisions made.
- VHF communications.
- Bridge discussions.
Thank you for your attention!