Maritime safety: weather and navigation
Voyage data recorders
A voyage data recorder (VDR), often known as the ship’s ‘black box’, collects and stores information over the course of a ship’s journey, including:
- the ship’s position
- audio from the ship’s bridge
- the ship’s speed and heading
- depth under the keel
- VHF radio communications
All VDRs must be tested after installation and then inspected every year.
Find out more about the requirements for voyage data recorders.