SVDR Replacement on MSC Denmark VI in under 24 hours over New Year Eve

The Challenge

Every commercial vessel is legally required to carry a working Simplified Voyage Data Recorder (SVDR) — think of it as an aircraft’s black box, but for ships. It continuously records navigation data, audio from the bridge, and radar information. Without a certified, functioning SVDR, a vessel cannot receive clearance to sail.

When MSC Denmark VI called at London Gateway port, her SVDR had failed and needed to be fully replaced before she could be allowed to leave. There was no workaround 

Our Service Engineer had less than 24 hours to do the job and service attendance falling around the New Year holiday period, when technical support availability was limited, a time when arranging marine service support is extremely difficult. Service was further challenged by dependencies on specific cabling and materials, some of which were not available and had to be urgently sourced or hand-carried during holiday periods.

In addition, successful completion relied on coordination with the vessel crew for cable routing, data inputs, and timely documentation sign-off. Delays in these onboard dependencies impacted the service. Although the core installation was technically completed, a post-installation alarm issue required additional follow-up and coordination, extending the overall timeline.

The Solution

Two of our engineers boarded MSC Denmark VI at London Gateway and immediately began working through a structured plan, had already mapped out the critical tasks in priority order before arriving.

The new SVDR unit — a Danelec DM100 — was installed and fully commissioned during the port call. our team coordinated rapid sourcing and arranged for parts to be brought to the vessel, even over the holiday period. Throughout the process, they worked closely alongside the vessel’s crew, guiding them through cable routing and ensuring the right data was fed into the system correctly.

When the post-installation alarm appeared, Service team stayed in contact with Danelec’s technical support and followed through until the issue was fully understood and stable. Danelec reviewed the completed installation and issued the official IPT (Installation Performance Test) certificate — the manufacturer’s confirmation that the system had passed all checks and was fully operational.

CERTIFIED IPT Certificate issued by Danelec — Installation fully approved and compliant  

The Results

 The installation was successfully completed, and all required certifications were obtained, confirming full technical compliance and system readiness. MSC Denmark VI sailed on schedule. No port delay, no disruption to the cargo waiting to move onward. The vessel left London Gateway fully compliant. For a ship of this size, even a single day’s delay at port is a significant cost. By completing the full installation, commissioning, and certification within the 24-hour window , over a New Year holiday, no less — the team helped MSC avoid what could have been a costly and disruptive standstill.