The VDR (Voyage Data Recorder), is the maritime version of the black box used by airlines. The system is usually two-part, consisting of an information-collecting unit that is connected to a protective capsule on deck designed to withstand fire, deep sea pressure shock, and penetration. It is used to capture incidents of navigation, but it can also provide valuable data to assess damage during heavy weather monitoring performance and crew training.
Up-grading
Many ships with VDR/SVDR comply with the minimum requirements of regulatory compliance. However, Members are encouraged use the equipment to document near misses, conduct incident investigations and for preventative maintenance. There are also software that allow for an http://www.digitaldealdataroom.info extension of the duration for 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 equipment.
The system is constructed around an industrial computer that can perform various functions, including processing and encoding the data received from the sensors. The data is then stored inside a capsule designed to withstand an accident and provide evidence of what occurred onboard the ship. The VDR system is made up of a data collection device located on the bridge, as in addition to a dedicated power supply, an interface unit, and backup batteries. The unit collects data from integrated sources, including microphones used to record bridge audio, and then sends it to a Concentrator, where a series NMEA 0183 sentence is interpreted and encoded for transmission to the final recording media.
