VDR Analysis

The Voyage Data Recorder (VDR) is the most honest witness on any bridge. It captures radar, ECDIS, position, helm and engine orders, and every word spoken on the bridge and over VHF. Analysed by an experienced Master Mariner, it shows exactly how a bridge team works when nobody is watching.

EASK Marine Consultancy’s VDR analysis turns that data into clear, practical insight. Whether it is used as a routine check on navigational standards, alongside our onboard navigation assessments, or after an incident or near miss, it identifies gaps, highlights errors and gives clear recommendations that make navigation safer.

Hearing every word on the bridge

Bridge audio is the richest part of the VDR record, and often the hardest to use. Microphones pick up engine noise, alarms, wind and overlapping voices, so important exchanges are easily missed. We analyse every recording using state-of-the-art Bose audio equipment, which allows our analysts to clearly decipher bridge conversations, helm and engine orders, VHF exchanges and pilot communications that would otherwise be lost.

Hearing exactly what was said, by whom and when is what sets our analysis apart. It means we assess not only what the bridge team did, but how they communicated while doing it.

Focused on the Human Element

Most navigational incidents are not caused by a lack of knowledge, but by a breakdown in communication. As a leader in Human Element training, we use the VDR audio to examine how the bridge team really works together, including:

• Challenge and response: whether officers question unsafe actions, and whether those challenges are acknowledged and acted on
• Thinking out loud: whether the officer of the watch and the Master share their intentions so the rest of the team can follow and cross-check
• Closed-loop communication: whether helm and engine orders are repeated back and confirmed
• The Master and pilot exchange: how well the pilot is integrated into the bridge team
• Workload, distraction and fatigue at critical moments
• The bridge atmosphere: whether junior officers feel able to speak up

What we analyse

• Passage planning and execution against the voyage plan
• Use of ECDIS, radar and ARPA
• Position monitoring and fixing
• Collision avoidance and compliance with the COLREGs
• Watchkeeping standards and lookout
• Compliance with company bridge procedures and industry best practice

The process

You choose the period for analysis, for example a port arrival or departure, a pilotage, a passage through high traffic density, or the hours leading up to an incident. The VDR data and relevant voyage documents are sent securely to us by file transfer or on a memory stick. Our Master Mariner analysts then replay the voyage, pausing and rewinding as many times as needed, and review every detail against the voyage plan, company procedures and industry best practice.

Detailed reports after every audit

At the end of each audit we submit a detailed written report that highlights any areas of concern, sets out our observations clearly and gives practical, prioritised recommendations for improvement. Where it helps, we include timestamped extracts from the recording, so the findings can be shared with the bridge team and used as a powerful training tool.

Where training needs are identified, our consultants can follow up on board or ashore, including Human Element, Bridge Resource Management and PCM training.

Why clients choose EASK Marine

• No auditor on board, so the team is seen exactly as it normally works
• You choose when and where the audit takes place
• Analysis by experienced Master Mariners and navigation auditors
• State-of-the-art Bose audio for clear analysis of every bridge communication
• A unique focus on the Human Element alongside technical navigation standards
• Detailed reports with clear, practical recommendations
• Integration with your existing training, such as Ocean Technologies Group’s Ocean Learning Platform (formerly Seagull), so you get the most from what you already pay for
• Equally effective as a preventative tool and in incident investigation

For more information and to discuss how we can assist with your particular requirements, please contact us below.