Sperry Marine Gets Approval for VDR Tests
Northrop Grumman Corporation’s Sperry Marine business unit received approval from Det Norske Veritas to conduct annual performance testing of shipboard voyage data recorders (VDR). In 2003, Sperry Marine received similar type approvals from the ABS and LR. Shipboard VDRs are similar to the “black box” data recorders used on aircraft. Data from the ship’s sensors and audio recordings from the bridge are stored in a submersible capsule, which can be recovered for analysis after an event at sea. VDRs are required on all passenger-carrying ships under the International Safety of Life at Sea Convention. The approvals from the three premier…
Sperry Marine to Perform VDR Annual Inspections
Northrop Grumman Corporation's Sperry Marine business unit has received service approval from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) to conduct annual performance testing of shipboard voyage data recorder (VDR) installations. Sperry Marine is the first company in the marine industry to obtain classification society approval for VDR performance testing as required by the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) convention. According to Andy Fraser, director of worldwide service for Sperry Marine, the company expects to secure similar approvals from other classification societies very quickly. The ABS service approval means that Sperry Marine can perform VDR recertification testing in virtually every major seaport in the world.
