Maritime Glossary
Voyage Data Recorder
Also known as: VDR, black box, S-VDR
A ship's equivalent of an aircraft black box, capturing navigational data, bridge audio, and radar images for accident investigation.
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A VDR is mandatory under SOLAS V/20 for ships built after 2002 (passenger ships 2002; cargo ships ≥3,000 GT from 2004). It records position, speed, heading, bridge audio, radar video, AIS, depth, alarms, hull openings, and control inputs in a protected capsule designed for deep-water recovery. The simplified VDR (S-VDR) is an alternative for existing cargo ships. Data is used by accident investigators, flag states, and insurers.
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safetynavigationregulation