The Assembly
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Statutory Documents - IMO Publications and Documents - Resolutions - Assembly - IMO Resolution A.861(20) - Performance Standards for Shipborne Voyage Data Recorders (VDRs) - (adopted on 27 November 1997) This Resolution applies to VDRs installed before 01 July 2014 - The Assembly

The Assembly

 RECALLING Article 15(j) of the Convention on the International Maritime Organization concerning the functions of the Assembly in relation to regulations and guidelines concerning maritime safety,

 RECALLING ALSO that, by Resolution 12, the Conference of Contracting Governments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), 1974, being of the opinion that it would be desirable that ships, in particular passenger ships, are fitted with a voyage data recorder (VDR) to assist in investigations into casualties, requested the Maritime Safety Committee, to develop, as a matter of urgency, operational requirements and performance standards for VDRs, taking into account any potential human element implications,

 NOTING that consideration is being given to the development of carriage requirements for VDRs for inclusion in the SOLAS Convention at the earliest opportunity,

 HAVING CONSIDERED the recommendation made by the Maritime Safety Committee at its sixty-eighth session,

  1. ADOPTS the Recommendation on Performance Standards for Shipborne Voyage Data Recorders (VDRs) set out in the Annex to the present resolution;

  2. INVITES Governments to install, as soon as possible, VDRs on ships flying their flag, especially considering that the carriage of VDRs may soon be made mandatory under the SOLAS Convention;

  3. RECOMMENDS Governments to ensure that VDRs installed on board ships flying their flag conform to performance standards not inferior to those specified in the Annex to this resolution;

  4. REQUESTS the Maritime Safety Committee to keep these Performance Standards under review and to adopt amendments thereto, as necessary.


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