Regulation 20
Voyage data recorders
Regulation
1 To assist in casualty investigations, ships, when engaged on international voyages, subject to the provisions of regulation 1.4, shall be fitted with a voyage data recorder (VDR) as follows:
.1 passenger ships constructed on or after 1 July 2002;
.2 ro-ro passenger ships constructed before 1 July 2002 not later than the first survey on or after 1 July 2002;
.3 passenger ships other than ro-ro passenger ships constructed before 1 July 2002 not later than 1 January 2004; and
.4 ships, other than passenger ships, of 3,000 gross tonnage and upwards constructed on or after 1 July 2002.
1 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.
Summary
The phase-in timetable for VDRs is contained in the following notes.
Guidance Notes
1.This is a new regulation requiring voyage data recorders to be fitted to all new ships of 3000 GRT and over, and existing passenger ships. The voyage data recorder (marine “black box”,) records key navigational information, which can then be used to build up an accurate picture of events preceding an accident and enable investigators to establish the causes.
2. Guidelines for Voyage Data Recorders and the phase-in timetable for their fitting should be referred to and should be read in conjunction with the full text of the regulation.