Voyage Data Recorder, or VDR, is a data recording system designed for all vessels required to comply with the IMO's International Convention SOLAS Requirements (IMO Res.A.861(20)) in order to collect data from various sensors on board the vessel. It then digitizes, compresses and stores this information in an externally mounted protective storage unit. The protective storage unit (PSU) is a tamper-proof unit designed to withstand the extreme shock, impact, pressure and heat, which could be associated with a marine incident (fire, explosion, collision, sinking, etc).

The PSU may be in a retrievable fixed unit (for VDR and sVDR systems) or free float unit (for sVDR only ). Free float unit can be combined with EPIRB. The last 12 hours of stored data in the PSU can be recovered and replayed by the authorities or ship owners for incident investigation. Beside the PSU, the VDR system may consist of recording control unit and data acquisition unit, which connected to various equipment and sensors on board a ship.

Although the primary purpose of the VDR is for accident investigation after the fact, there can be other uses of recorded data for preventive maintenance, performance efficiency monitoring, heavy weather damage, accident avoidance and training purpose to improve safety and reduce running cost.

VDR requirements

Under regulation 20 of SOLAS chapter V on Voyage data recorders (VDR), the following ships are required to carry VDRs:

	passenger ships constructed on or after 1 July 2002;
	ro-ro passenger ships constructed before 1 July 2002 not later than the first survey on or after 1 July 2002;
	passenger ships other than ro-ro passenger ships constructed before 1 July 2002 not later than 1 January 2004; and
	ships, other than passenger ships, of 3,000 gross tonnage and upwards constructed on or after 1 July 2002.

Administrations may exempt ships, other than ro-ro passenger ships, constructed before 1 July 2002, from being fitted with a VDR where it can be demonstrated that interfacing a VDR with the existing equipment on the ship is unreasonable and impracticable.

Regulation18 of SOLAS chapter V on Approval, surveys and performance standards of navigational systems and equipment and voyage data recorder states that:

The voyage data recorder (VDR) system, including all sensors, shall be subjected to an annual performance test. The test shall be conducted by an approved testing or servicing facility to verify the accuracy, duration and recoverability of the recorded data. In addition, tests and inspections shall be conducted to determine the serviceability of all protective enclosures and devices fitted to aid location. A copy of a 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.

Simplified Voyage Data Recorder

Simplified Voyage Data Recorder (sVDR), as defined by the requirements of IMO Performance Standard MSC.163(78), is a lower cost simplified version VDR for small ships with only basic ship's data recorded.

Required to store data:

	Date & Time - GPS - Mandatory
	Position - GPS - Mandatory
	Speed - Speed Log - Mandatory
	Heading - Gyro Compass - Mandatory
	Bridge audio - Microphones - Mandatory
	VHF Communication Audio - VHF station - Mandatory
	Radar video - Radar - Replaced by AIS in case of non-COTS interface
	uAIS Data - uAIS - Non-COTS radar replacement

The regulation requires a VDR, which may be an sVDR, to be fitted on existing cargo ships of 3,000 gross tonnage and upwards, phasing in the requirement for cargo ships of 20,000 gross tonnage and upwards first, to be followed by cargo ships of 3,000 gross tonnage and upwards.

The sVDR is not required to store the same level of detailed data as a standard VDR, but nonetheless should maintain a store, in a secure and retrievable form, of information concerning the position, movement, physical status, command and control of a vessel over the period leading up to and following an incident.

The phase-in is as follows:
To assist in casualty investigations, cargo ships, when engaged on international voyages, shall be fitted with a VDR which may be a simplified voyage data recorder (sVDR) as follows:

	in the case of cargo ships of 20,000 gross tonnage and upwards constructed before 1 July 2002, at the first scheduled dry-docking after 1 July 2006 but not later than 1 July 2009;
	in the case of cargo ships of 3,000 gross tonnage and upwards but less than 20,000 gross tonnage constructed before 1 July 2002, at the first scheduled dry-docking after 1 July 2007 but not later than 1 July 2010; and
	Administrations may exempt cargo ships from the application of the requirements when such ships will be taken permanently out of service within two years after the implementation date specified above.

Our company was approved for carry out of the annual performance testing and servicing of Voyage Data recorder (VDR) and Simplified Voyage Data recorder (sVDR) for compliance with SOLAS Chapter V Regulation 18.8. by:

	Det Norske Veritas
	Bureau Veritas
	American Bureau of Shipping
	Llyod’s Register
	Germanischer Lloyd
	Nippon Kaiji Kyokai. Class NK.
	Russian Maritime Register of Shiping
	Shipping Register of Ukraine

	type of equipment
	preferred manufcturerers
	vessel's class and flag
	place and date of delivery

Phones:	+38 (048) 7183783 +38 (0482) 371550 +38 (0482) 371551 +38 (0482) 347893
Faxes:	+38 (0482) 331588 +38 (048) 7183782
E-mail:	au.moc.ogis@ssdmg [ Mr. A. Dyagilev ]