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VOYAGE DATA RECORDER (VDR)

Voyage Data Recorder (VDR)

Under regulation 20 of SOLAS Chapter V on Voyage Data Recorders (VDR), the following ships are required to carry VDRs:

• passenger ships constructed on or after 1 July 2002;
• ro-ro passenger ships constructed before 1 July 2002 not later than the first survey on or after 1 July 2002;
• passenger ships other than ro-ro passenger ships constructed before 1 July 2002 not later than 1 January 2004; and
• ships, other than passenger ships, of 3,000 gross tonnage and upwards constructed on or after 1 July 2002.

BRIDGE NAVIGATION WATCH ALARM SYSTEM (BNWAS)

Bridge Naviagation Watch Alarm System (BNWAS)

According to SOLAS regulation Chapter V Section 19, the carriage of  Bridge Navigational Watch Alarm Systems (BNWAS) is mandatory for new ships and shall be phased-in for existing ships. Phase-in will be as follows:

• cargo ships >150 gt and passenger ships irrespective of size constructed on or after 1 July 2011;
• passenger ships irrespective of size constructed before 1 July 2011, not later than the first survey* after 1 July 2012;
• cargo ships > 3,000 gt constructed before 1 July 2011, not later than the first survey* after 1 July 2012;
• cargo ships > 500 gt but < 3,000 gt constructed before 1 July 2011, not later than the first survey* after 1 July 2013;
• cargo ships > 150 gt but < 500 gt constructed before 1 July 2011, not later than the first survey after 1 July 2014.

SHIP'S EMAIL ALERT SYSTEM (S.E.A.S)

S.E.A.S – Ships Email Alarm system

The “Ships Email Alarm System”, or “S.E.A.S”, is an automated alert system that will detect a change in status of specified equipment and raise the alarm at a remote location, using a designated e-mail address.

For example:
- The system could be connected to the vessel’s holding tanks. When the high level threshold is reached the SEAS would detect this and automatically send an e-mail to Superintendant who could contact the vessel to ensure the matter is in hand.
- The vessel could have a fire in the engine room. The SEAS may be configured to detect this alarm and immediately dispatch an e-mail to the vessel’s office to inform them of the situation.
- For vessels with a single man bridge system if the watch keeper alarm is activated this can alert the vessel’s office or Master on-board.

A ‘Free Text’ tool is incorporated for the officer on watch to send a short note to the same e-mail address (and only this address) to update the Superintendant, office or whoever is the chosen recipient of the situation on-board.

The system will monitor a variety of inputs so an example of a vessels configuration could be as follows:

1 – Main Fire Alarm
2 – Engine Room Fire Alarm
3 – Cargo Hold 1 High Water Level
4 – Cargo Hold 2 High Water Level
5 – Engine Room Bilge High Water
6 – Generator Room Bilge High Water
7 – Watertight Door Status
8 – Bow Shell Door Status
9 – Stern Shell Door Status
10 – Steering Gear Failure Alarm
11 – Man Overboard Alarm
12 – Security Alert Activation

Status indications such as rate of turn limit and off course alarm, among others, can be monitored by adding further AMI interfaces such as the KW991.

COURSE RECORDER

KW991-CR – Course Recorder from AMI Marine (UK)

The KW991-CR Course Recorder with printer can be used as a direct replacement for old electro-mechanical type course recorders.

The display can be switched between:
* Tape heading display of 25 degrees,
* Digital display with GPS Information display,
* Large digital display

GPS and gyro heading is input to the KW991-CR and the printer will display the following:
* Gyro heading
* Course
* Speed over ground
* UTC time

This information is printed in plain English for the operator to read.

The 360:1 Synchro, stepper and NMEA heading sentences are accepted by the KW991-CR and, in addition to the printer output, all data is output in NMEA 4800 baud format from a second output port