Danelec teams with Mackay Marine to retrofit VDRs for Diamond S tanker fleet

Danelec Marine and global distributor Mackay Marine are nearing completion of a Voyage Data Recorder (VDR) retrofit program for Diamond S Shipping’s fleet of 30 medium-range product tankers.

Mackay is installing Danelec’s new-generation DM100 VDRs on the ships as replacements for the existing VDRs, which had been installed at construction. The original products were nearing the end of their service life and were becoming very expensive to maintain.

The type-approved DM100 exceeds the regulatory requirements and incorporates new features not previously available in marine VDR systems; featuring Danelec’s exclusive SoftWare Advanced Protection (SWAP) technology for serviceability and the DanelecConnect remote data gateway for ship-to-shore transfer, according to Danelec CEO, Hans Ottosen.

The VDR retrofits are being conducted by Mackay Marine India in Mumbai. To date, 26 of the 30 ships have been fitted.

The installations were facilitated using “retrofit conversion kits,” which include specific sets of hardware, software and data interfaces tailored to replace more than 45 different brands of VDRs and Simplified VDRs (S-VDRs). The mechanical kits include pre-drilled adaptor plates and mounting brackets for the main unit, memory capsule and bridge microphones. They also include Remote Data Interface (RDI) units for serial, analog and digital connections, as well as a software tool for conversion of old configuration files. In many cases, existing sensor modules and cables can be reused, saving extensive time and effort on the part of installing technicians.

“By conducting pre-install site surveys on each class of vessel and using the Danelec conversion kits, we were able to accelerate the installation process with zero equipment failures; ensuring the ships’ schedules were not disrupted,” said Ram Sitaraman, Managing Director of Mackay India. “The average installation time was 18-24 hours per ship.”

Mackay and Danelec look forward to collaborating on other projects and applaud Diamond S Shipping for its proactive decision making to streamline a fleet-wide VDR retrofit; resulting in minimal downtime and significantly enhanced features and operational efficiencies.

About Danelec Marine

Headquartered in Denmark, Danelec Marine is a leading supplier of Voyage Data Recorders (VDRs), ship-to-shore data communication systems and Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (ECDIS). Danelec Marine was one of the first companies to bring to market VDRs and Simplified VDRs (S-VDRs) to meet the original IMO carriage requirements. More than 6,000 vessels today are equipped with a VDR or S-VDR designed and manufactured by Danelec Marine. The company has service facilities with factory-trained personnel in more than 50 countries and Certified Service Centers at strategic locations worldwide. To learn more about the Danelec difference, visit www.danelec-marine.com.

About Mackay

Mackay Communications, Inc. (dba Mackay Marine) sells, installs, and services communication and navigation equipment on board vessels of all class and size. Mackay, in business for over 130 years, has 3,000+ customers spread over every continent, annually conducts 17,000+ service calls, employs 300 professionals, with locations in more than 30 major ports. Mackay World Service coordinates service, installation and inspections 24/7 for all ports, worldwide. For more information visit: http://www.mackaymarine.com.

Media Contacts

Danelec Marine: Jim Rhodes, Rhodes Communications, Inc.
+1 757.451.0602, jrhodes@rhodescomm.com

Mackay Marine: Sue Ellen Rosen, Marketing Manager
+1 919.850.3014, srosen@mackaycomm.com