A Development of Voyage Data Recorder : A Concept and Function

Abstract

A FDR (flight data recorder) of air plane is well known to be a useful instrument to review a flight especially in the case of accidents. But the ship does not have such a useful recorder. That is the reason why such recorder was not essential for ship to merely sail and moreover many sensors to measure phenomena in ocean were not developed yet. But recently an occasion of the accident of Ro-Ro passenger ship [Estonia] in Baltic Sea, the requirement of VDR (Voyage Data Recorder) is on the rise in all over the world. So, we tried to develop VDR with up-to-date sensor and computer techniques. At first we formed a clear conception of VDR with reference to FDR and other recorders. Then concerning about wish of use and desirable function of VDR, we asked intention of users who are in various field of industry including shipping Co. using the questionnaire method. And finally we proposed a modern VDR with many suitable functions for each user based on our own concept.