Electronic Charts and what you should know.

View Change 1 to the Navigation Vessel Inspection Circular dated July 1, 2017 - USE OF ELECTRONIC CHARTS IN LIEU OF PAPER CHARTS, MAPS AND PUBLICATIONS

• Electronic Navigation Charts (ENC)

  • For United States
    • NOAA ENC® satisfy this requirement
    • Inland Electronic Navigational Chart (IENC),
  • US Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) IENC satisfy this requirement
  • ENCs issued by a river authority: we are unaware of any river authorities that currently make IENCs that conform to the current Inland ENC Harmonization Group standard

  Mariners should be prepared to produce evidence that the ENCs are the latest reasonably available edition and revision. (be aware, this is referring to charts being currently corrected, not charts being ENCs)

  
  Electronic charts display requirements

  
  Fishing vessels that are required to carry charts and opt to use electronic charts in lieu of paper charts must display electronic charts on a device that meets either:

  • International Electrotechnical Committee’s (IEC) Maritime Navigation and Radiocommunication Equipment and System Standard (IEC 60945), or
  • Manufacturer’s declaration that the system conforms to Radio Technical Commission for Maritime Services (RTCM)  standards for Electronic Chart System (ECS)

  NOTE: Current systems we are aware of on the market that meet this requirement: ECDIS or Chart Radar.

  Backup chart systems

  
  It is recommend but not required that there be a backup chart arrangement.

  
  Navigation functions

  
  Vessels 1600 gross tons and greater, the position of the vessel at each fix must be plotted on a chart.

  • If using electronic charts, the vessels position must be plotted by one of the following methods:
    • Where the vessels position information is integrated in the electronic chart display
      • position updates must be real-time (delivered less than every 2 seconds),
      • sound (8 – 20 meters accuracy)
      • and a minimum resolution of 0.001 minutes
      • Devices dependant on a cellular connection are not acceptable.
    • Chart displays that do not have integrated position plotting:
      • Manual entry using visual or radar Lines of Positioning or external EPFD on systems that allow for manual entry are also acceptable.
    • If not positions must be plotted on paper charts.

  Vessels less than 1600 gross tons

  • There is no mandate to plot fixed positions. It is recommended that an Electronic Position Fixing Device (EPFD) be connected to the electronic chart display, but is not required (even for vessels required to have and EPFD.