Transatlantic Rederi Signs SVDR Contract

Transas won the contract to fit the Transatlantic Cargo ship fleet with Simplified Voyage Data Recorders (S-VDR) starting immediately. S-VDRs, as they are known in the maritime industry, are relatively new devices similar to the ‘black box’ used in the aviation industry. They record all mandatory data onboard vessels in the event of an incident, which can then be recovered for analysis. The S-VDR system is to be retro-fitted to all cargo ships exceeding 3000 gross tonnage from this year, with strict IMO guidelines ensuring all ship owners comply by 2010.