Taiwan-based Wan Hai has begun a project to upgrade all of the voyage data recorder (VDR) equipment across its fleet of 72 full-container vessels following a deal with Danelec Marine, with remote data interface capabilities for various data sources to be added to the equipment.
Wan Hai is installing simplified VDR (S-VDR) units on the vessels, with the planning, management, and execution of the upgrade project coordinated by local Danelec partner Seven Seas Marine in Taiwan.
The installations use ‘retrofit conversion kits’, which include specific sets of hardware, software and data interfaces designed to replace more than 45 different brands of VDRs and S-VDRs. The mechanical kits include pre-drilled adaptor plates and mounting brackets for the main unit, memory capsule, and bridge microphones.
Also included are Remote Data Interface (RDI) units for serial, analogue and digital connections, as well as a software tool for conversion of old configuration files. Danelec notes that existing sensor modules and cables can be reused in many cases, to simplify the installation process.
To date, seven out of a total of 19 Wan Hai vessels have been upgraded, with all ships expected to be completed by April 2019.
