Navmaster enhanced for revised VDR standards
PC Maritime have upgraded their ECDIS so that it meets the requirements of the new VDR Performance Standard (MSC.333 (90) which came into force on 1 July 2014.
From 1 July 2014 VDR installations must:
* include the ability to capture ECDIS screenshots at least every 15 seconds
* record the charts in use at least every 10 minutes
* record all changes of chart.
This requires ECDIS manufacturers to enable the appropriate outputs from the ECDIS. PC Maritime have completed this work in accordance with IEC 61996-1 and 61162-450 specifications ensuring that Navmaster ECDIS is compatible with all VDR units conforming to the new standards.
PC Maritime provides an ECDIS Upgrade & Support Contract to customers who wish to maintain their ECDIS up-to-date with regulations. Navmaster Upgrades are free to subscribers, are sent direct to the ship via email and can be installed by ship’s crew with no need for an engineer visit.
The new VDR requirement to record ECDIS data states:
“Where a vessel is fitted with an ECDIS installation, the VDR should record the electronic signals of the ECDIS display in use at the time as the primary means of navigation. The recording method should be such that, on playback, it is possible to present a faithful replica of the entire ECDIS display that was on view at the time of recording, albeit within the limitations of any bandwidth compression techniques that are essential to the working of the VDR, and in addition the source of the chart data and the version used.“