http://www.digitaldealdataroom.info/what-is-the-purpose-of-a-data-audit
VDR is the equivalent of a ship’s black box of an aircraft. It records the details of an incident at sea that includes the date and time of an accident, location of the ship at the time of the accident and its speed, location, course and so on. The information recorded can be used in identifying the potential hazards to safety and to improve operations.
In accordance with IMO regulations, the standard VDR must store a variety of data. This includes: date, time, and Coordinated Universal Time, vessel position (latitude and longitude, coordinate reference), velocity and heading and audio messages from the bridge (voice messages recorded with one or more microphones placed on the bridge for recording conversations and audible alerts) VHF, Very High-Frequency Communications (VHF), and radar data (a accurate reproduction of the display on view at the moment of recording) including rudder and engine order and status of the watertight door, and accelerations.
The system consists of a concentrator, which encodes and processes data streams, sensors which input data to the concentrator, and a final recording media (FRM) which can withstand accidents and allow for the retrieval of the voyage data. The FRM can be a fixed unit positioned on the vessel or a floating retrievable device connected to the EPIRB to allow for the identification of the vessel quickly in the event of a catastrophe.
The best method to ensure that a vdr operates properly is to include its use in all bridge crew drills and exercises for training. The saved data can be used as a way to identify areas that need training as well as to improve bridge procedures and operational security.
