Regulation 22 - Voyage data recorder
5.15 The Sub-Committee noted that the twentieth Assembly adopted performance standards for shipborne voyage data recorders (VDRs) by resolution A.861(20).
5.16 The Sub-Committee noted also that NAV 44 had considered proposals by Japan (NAV 44/5/15), the Russian Federation (NAV 44/5/11), the United Kingdom (NAV 44/5/9) and the United States (NAV 44/5/6) and, while agreeing on the carriage requirements of VDRs for ro-ro passenger ships on international voyages, had not reached concensus with regard to the applicability to other ship types. A majority had favoured a phased-in implementation as proposed by the United Kingdom (NAV 44/5/12), while a substantial number of delegations could not support this extension. The provision on the annual testing of equipment as proposed by the United States (NAV 44/5/6) had been supported by some delegations.
5.17 The Sub-Committee considered the proposal by Japan (NAV 45/5/11) that a carriage requirement for Voyage Data Recorder (VDR) should be applied only to new ro-ro passenger ships engaged on international voyages. A majority of the Sub-Committee was in favour of a wider application of the carriage requirement and expressed support for the phased-in scheme in paragraph 1 of draft regulation 22 in NAV 45/5. A substantial minority of the Sub-Committee however supported the Japanese proposal.
5.18 After considerable discussion, the Sub-Committee agreed on a carriage requirement for VDR for existing and new passenger ships including ro-ro passenger ships on international voyages.
5.19 The majority of the Sub-Committee supported the inclusion of sub-paragraphs .4 to .7 in this regulation, while a substantial minority opposed this and favoured a resolution to be adopted which calls on administrations to consider the use of VDR also on other ships and, in the light of the experience gained, to consider whether this regulation should be extended to cover other ships in future.
5.20 The Sub-Committee was unable to reach a consensus on these sub-paragraphs, the text of which is in square brackets. The Committee was invited to make a final decision on this matter.
5.21 The Sub-Committee also considered the proposal by ICS, BIMCO, INTERCARGO, INTERTANKO, OCIMF and SIGTTO (NAV 45/5/1) seeking guidance from the Sub-Committee as to who legally would own the data logged by a VDR and what will be the extent of obligations placed on shipowners to recover the protective capsule of a VDR following an incident, and in particular, following an incident that results in the sinking of the ship.
