Maritime navigation involves a very fundamental question: “What is the exact location my

vessel?” To answer this question, we need to obtain fixes using celestial objects, fixed
terrestrial objects, radio and satellite signals on nautical charts. Paper charts had long and
successful history and it is expected that electronic charts will almost entirely replace the use of
paper charts in few years.

There is a fundamental difference between a map and nautical chart that the later are special
purpose maps designed for safe navigation and issued officially by government hydrographic
departments.

What is Nautical Charts?

Nautical charts offer a graphical representation of relevant information to mariners for

executing safe navigation. The requirements for carriage of nautical charts are laid down in
SOLAS Chapter V. The relevant regulations are:

- Regulation 2, defines the nautical chart

- Regulation 19, specifies the equipment to be carried on different types of ships and

- Regulation 27, specifies the requirement to keep charts and publications up to date

SOLAS CH V regulation 2 defines Nautical Chart as follows:

Nautical chart or nautical publication

is a special-purpose map or book, or a
Compiled Data
specially compiled database from Base

which such a map or book is derived,

that is issued officially by or on the
authority of a Government, authorized
Special Nautical Authorized
Hydrographic Office or other relevant Purpose Charts/ Hydrographic
Maps/ Books Publication Office
government institution and is
designed to meet the requirements of
marine navigation.
Marine
The nautical charts and nautical Navigation

publications referred to in regulation

V/2 are commonly referred to as
“official charts and publications
Electronic Chart (EC)

In most simple way, an electronic chart can be described as display of geographical related
information on an electronic screen such as flat panel. This is any digitized chart intended for
display on a computerized navigation system.

Electronic Chart Display System (ECDS)

An electronic chart display system is a general term for all electronic equipment that is capable
of displaying a vessel’s position on an electronic chart that is image on a screen. As the
technology has evolved, it has become quite cheaper to display large data on flat panel screen.

There are two

classes of
electronic chart
display systems.
Elecetronic Chart Display
The first is an System ( ECDS)
ECDIS
(Electronic Chart
Display and
Information ECDIS ECS
System), which
meets
(OFFICIAL) (UN OFFICIAL )
IMO/SOLAS
chart carriage requirements. The second is an ECS (Electronic Chart System), which can be used
to assist navigation, but does not meet IMO/SOLAS chart carriage requirements.

There are two different types of electronic navigation systems in use:

ECDIS (Electronic Chart Display a • nd Information System) –
This system can be used to meet IMO/SOLAS chart carriage
requirements provided it meets the specified IMO performance
standards. The ECDIS must be ‘type approved’ to ensure it
meets these performance standards. An ECDIS that does not
comply or follow the relevant performance standards is classed
as an electronic chart system (ECS).
• ECS (Electronic Chart System) – This system is not certified
as a ‘type approved’ ECDIS and does not meet or comply with
IMO/SOLAS performance standards. The ECS may allow the use
of electronic navigational charts (ENC) and raster navigational
charts (RNC) with comparable functionality to a ‘type approved’
ECDIS, but should not be solely relied upon for navigation as the
system is not tested nor certified.
ECDIS must be type approved and meet IMO/SOLAS approved
performance standards if it is to be used to meet the chart carriage
requirements as outlined in SOLAS regulation V/19.2.1.4; this means
for a ship to comply with mandatory ECDIS carriage requirements or
to completely depend on ECDIS as a primary means of navigation
(no paper charts), the ECDIS must conform to the following IMO
performance standards:
• if installed before 1 January 2009, should conform to
Resolution A.817(19)
• if installed on or after 1 January 2009, should conform to
MSC.232(82)
For an ECDIS to meet IMO performance standards, the system must
undergo a certification processfor ‘type approval’ by a recognised and
approved organisation, usually classification societies.

Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS)

This means a navigation information system which, with adequate back up arrangements, can
be accepted as complying with the up-to-date chart required by regulation V/19 & V/27 of the
1974 SOLAS Convention as amended, by displaying selected information from a system
electronic navigational chart (SENC) with positional information from navigation sensors to
assist the mariner in route planning and route monitoring, and if required display additional
navigation-related information.

An official ECDIS consists of a type approved system, using official hydrographic data (chart
info), and the entire installation must be approved by the vessel’s Flag Administration.

The new amendments to SOLAS Chapter V (Safety of Navigation)

Regulation 19 ‘Carriage Requirements for Shipborne Navigational
Systems and Equipment’ require mandatory carriage of ECDIS for
certain new ships built on or after 1 July 2012 and a subsequent
timeline plan for retrofitting ECDIS to existing applicable ships

Electronic Navigational Chart (ENC) means the database, standardized as to content,

structure and format, issued for use with ECDIS by or on the authority of a Government,
authorized Hydrographic Office or other relevant government institution, and conform to
IHO standards. The ENC contains all the chart information necessary for safe navigation and
may contain supplementary information in addition to that contained in the paper chart (e.g.
sailing directions) which may be considered necessary for safe navigation.

System Electronic Navigational Chart (SENC) means a database, in the manufacturer’s internal
ECDIS format, resulting from the lossless transformation of the entire ENC contents and its
updates. It is this database that is accessed by ECDIS for the display generation and other
navigational functions, and is equivalent to an up-to-date paper chart. The SENC may also
contain information added by the mariner and information from other sources. This is tested,
approved and certified as compliant with the IMO ECDIS Performance Standards and other
relevant IMO Performance Standards.

Why do we need to know?

It is quite essential understand the strengths and weaknesses of ECDIS. A professional mindset
is required to use the technology effectively and master the system. New navigators just
entering the shipping industry may adapt quickly to the use of ECDIS given their familiarity with
computers and shore-based map services such as Google Maps.

One of the key differences between paper charts and electronic charts is how information is
portrayed. With paper charts, cartographers decided how to show the information they felt
navigators needed.

However with electronic (vector) charts, all data/information is stored in a database, and it is
the actions and decisions of the mariner that decide what and how much information to show.
This new ability to customize the chart display offers great possibilities if used correctly, as well
as huge risk if used incorrectly.

In fact, the safe operation of ECDIS

necessitates the development of a new
user mindset, which in many ways is
quite different to that needed when using
paper charts. The makings of a good
mindset have to be instilled in users as a
major component of basic ECDIS training
and must not be obscured by an overemphasis
on rote learning the specific
operation of any one particular ECDIS. A
firm grip of the fundamentals is essential;
it not only helps instil the correct mindset
but allows much easier familiarisation
when transferring between ships with
different ECDIS on board
Training Requirements:

It is important to have a sound basis of ‘generic training’ (IMO model course 1.27) and to be
able to demonstrate full competence of familiarisation with onboard systems, based upon
industry agreed standards. The Manila amendments to the STCW code have also been updated
to complement the new ECDIS carriage requirements and include
mandatory training for ships operating with ECDIS. The Manila
amendments are due to enter into force on 1 January 2012.
However, certain flag states such as the UK, Bermuda, Australia
and the Marshall Islands already require deck officers using ECDIS
as a primary means of navigation to undergo generic ECDIS training
(conforming to IMO Model Course 1.27) as well as an ECDIS type/
model specific course. The issue of ECDIS type specific courses has
become a topic of discussion and debate within the maritime
industry as concern has been raised over the cost and time needed
to train officers who are already ECDIS generic trained but lack the
type/model specific knowledge. Companies that have different
models of ECDIS onboard their ships are being encouraged to
review their ECDIS training procedures through a gap analysis with
a focus on evaluating what training requirements may be needed by
their ship’s flag state. The requirements therefore can be complex
and costly

The International Safety Management (ISM) Code is at the forefront

of compliance with new ECDIS requirements. The ISM Code requires
companies to ensure each ship has properly maintained equipment
with qualified and certificated seafarers in accordance with national and
international legislative requirements. The legislative requirements for ECDIS training are
daunting. The sheer
numbers and scale of the training required is going to test many
companies’ ability to complete the training in time and interpret the
varying flag state’s requirements. Companies need to plan for this
immediately if not already started. Many companies already have
ECDIS fitted onboard their ships and yet do not insist that the
watch-keepers be trained in its use, the argument being that ECDIS
is not being used as a primary means of navigation and is not a
mandatory requirement. This is a short-sighted approach and, in any
event, ECDIS training will become a requirement under the revised
STCW code when the Manila amendments enter into force on 1
January 2012. However flag states will interpret the exact training
requirements for ECDIS and are likely to incorporate some kind of
phasing-in timeline or programme for training for existing officers as
may be allowed under Regulation I/15 ‘Transitional provisions’ of the
Manila amendments

The new amendments to SOLAS Chapter V (Safety of Navigation) Regulation 19 (paragraphs

2.10 and 2.11 added)
came into effect on 1 January 2011 and made the carriage of ECDIS mandatory for certain new
ships engaged on
international voyages and a timeline for retrofitting certain existing ships with ECDIS.

ECS

ECS is specified in ISO 19379 as follows:

This is a navigation information system that electronically displays vessel position and relevant
nautical chart data and information from an ECS Database on a display screen, but does not
meet all the IMO requirements for ECDIS and is not intended to satisfy the SOLAS Chapter V
requirements to carry a navigational chart.

ECS equipment ranges from simple hand held GPS enabled devices to sophisticated stand-alone
computer equipment interfaced to ship systems.
IMO SOLAS V/19

2.1 All ships irrespective of size shall have:

2.1.4 nautical charts and nautical publications to plan and display the ship’s route for the
intended voyage and to plot and monitor positions throughout the voyage; an Electronic Chart
Display and Information System (ECDIS) may be accepted as meeting the chart carriage
requirements of this subparagraph;

2.1.5 back-up arrangements to meet the functional requirements of subparagraph 2.1.4, if this
function is partly or fully fulfilled by electronic means

IMO SOLAS V/27

Nautical charts and nautical publications, such as sailing directions, lists of lights, notices to
mariners, tide tables and all other nautical publications necessary for the intended voyage, shall
be adequate and up to date.

ECDIS WEAKNESS:

BACK UP
The ECDIS mindset fully appreciates the
strengths and weaknesses of using an
ECDIS-based system. Let’s start with its
weaknesses. The most important of these
is that ECDIS is an entirely electronically
based system. It can therefore fail outright
and can also develop faulty operation. In
recognition of its vulnerability to failure,
IMO has always required vessels to carry a
backup to the main ECDIS unit. Although
this could be a paper chart system, it is not
a sensible choice for most ships for
numerous operational and financial
reasons. In general, the most suitable
backup is a second ECDIS. To avoid
familiarisation complexities this ideally
needs to be identical to the main ECDISA user with a proper ECDIS mindset
ensures that the backup ECDIS is always
efficiently involved in the ongoing
navigational process, for example, by
showing a different scale view to that
displayed on the primary equipment. As