What is an ECDIS ?

Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS) means a navigation information system
which with adequate back-up arrangements can be accepted as complying with the up-to-date
chart required by regulations V/19 and V/27 of the 1974 SOLAS convention, as amended by, 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.

Various inputs in an ECDIS (Sensors) :

 GPS
 Gyro
 Echo Sounder
 Speed Log
 AIS
 Radar
 Steering
 M/E RPM / Telegraph
 Anemometer
 Course Recorder
 Navtex
 BNWAS

Key elements of ECDIS :

 Information
 Back up
 Position
 Sensor
 SENC
 Ergonomics

3 Key components of ECDIS to satisfy SOLAS :

 Type Approved
 Paper chart back up or double ECDIS as decided by administration
 Official ENCs

ECDIS & ECS :

ECDIS is a “navigational information system with adequate back-up arrangements, can be
accepted as an equivalent complying with the up-to-date charts required by regulation V/20 of the
1994 SOLAS convention”.
Electronic Chart Systems (ECS) comprise the second group of electronic chart equipment and
include all electronic charts which do not comply with the ECDIS standard. These are not
acceptable by IMO as a paper chart equivalent and paper charts will therefore still have to be
carried.
Vector & Raster Charts :
Vector Charts :
 Chart databases for ECDIS with standardized content, structure and format.
 Issued for use with ECDIS on the authority of government authorized hydrographic offices.
 ENCs are vector charts that also conform to IHO specifications stated in special
publications S-57.
 ENCs contain all the chart information necessary for safe navigation.
 May contain supplementary information in addition to that contained in paper chart (e.g
Sailing Directions).
 Supplementary information can be displayed together as a SEAMLESS chart.
 ENCs are intelligent and system can be programmed to give warnings of impending danger
in relation to vessel’s position and movement.

Raster Charts :
 Produced by converting paper charts to digital image by scanner.
 Image is similar to digital camera pictures which could be zoomed in for more detailed
information as it does in ENCs.
 Conform to IHO specifications stated in special publication S-61.
 IMO Resolution MSC.86(70) permits ECDIS equipment to operate in a RCDS mode in the
absence of ENC.

Even the most experienced and well trained navigator can make a mistake when forced to handle too much
information at the same time. The mariner has to be shown what is available to him and he has to have
effective control over selecting what appears on the “prime display”, and this control has to be standardized
for all ship’s bridges.

You can argue that the crew member should have had sufficient proficiency in ECDIS but what saves lives
isn’t what people should know, it’s what they do know.

Disclaimer policy of the ECDIS is the first pop up on switching on the ECDIS.

ROR Rule 2 :
 Nothing in these rules shall exonerate any vessel, or the owner, master or crew thereof,
from the consequences of any neglect to comply with these rules or of the neglect of any
precaution which may be required by the ordinary practice of seamen, or by the special
circumstances of the case.

Chart Datum : The specification of a position on earth requires to define a geo reference system. A
reference system also called geodetic datum defines the orientation of a coordinate system in
relation to a global X,Y,Z – system.

A Geodetic system or geodetic datum is a coordinate system, and a set of reference points,
used to locate places on the Earth (or similar objects). The modern definition of sea level is
actually defined precisely by the datum WGS 84 from 1984 onward. Other datums are defined for
other areas or at other times; ED50 was defined in 1950 over Europe and differs from WGS 84 by
a few hundred meters depending on where in Europe you look.
Datums are used in geodesy, navigation, and surveying by cartographers and satellite navigation
systems to translate positions indicated on maps (paper or digital) to their real position on Earth.
Each starts with an ellipsoid (stretched sphere), and then defines
latitude, longitude and altitude coordinates.
The difference in co-ordinates between datums is commonly referred to as datum shift. The datum
shift between two particular datums can vary from one place to another within one country or
region, and can be anything from zero to hundreds of meters (or several kilometers for some
remote islands).
The North Pole, South Pole and Equator may be assumed to be in different positions on different
datums, so True North may be very slightly different. Different datums use different estimates for
the precise shape and size of the Earth (reference ellipsoids).
Because the Earth is an imperfect ellipsoid, localised datums can give a more accurate
representation of the area of coverage than WGS 84. OSGB36, for example, is a better
approximation to the geoid covering the British Isles than the global WGS 84 ellipsoid.] However,
as the benefits of a global system outweigh the greater accuracy, the global WGS 84 datum is
becoming increasingly adopted.
Horizontal datums are used for describing a point on the Earth's surface,
in latitude and longitude or another coordinate system. Vertical datums measure elevations or
depths.

Different displays of an ECDIS :

 Base
 Standard
 Extended Standard
 All

Base Display : means the chart content as listed in Appendix 2 and which cannot be removed from
the display. It is not intended to be sufficient for safe navigation.

List as per MSC 82/84/Add.2/Annex 24/Appendix 2 :

 Coastline (high water)
 Own ship’s safety contour
 Isolated underwater dangers of depths less than the safety contour which lie within the safe
waters defined by the safety contour.
 Isolated dangers which lie within the safe water defined by the safety contour, such as fixed
structures, overhead wires, etc.
 Scale, range & north arrow
 Units of depth & height
 Display mode

Standard Display : is the display mode intended to be used as a minimum during route planning &
route monitoring.
List as per MSC 82/84/Add.2/Annex 24/Appendix 2 :
 Display base
  Drying line
 Buoys, beacons, other aids to navigation and fixed structures
 Boundaries of fairways, channels, etc
 Visual and radar conspicuous features
 Prohibited & restricted areas
 Chart scale boundaries
 Indication of cautionary notes
 Ships’ routeing systems and ferry routes
 Archipelagic Sea Lanes

All other information to be displayed individually on demand, for example :

 Spot soundings
 Submarine cables & pipelines
 Details of all isolated dangers
 Details of aids to navigation
 Contents of cautionary notes
 ENC edition date
 Most recent chart update number
 Magnetic variation
 Graticule
 Place names

Advantages of ECDIS :
 Increased utilization of space
 Fusion of nav-aid information
 Increased safety in dangerous conditions
 Fast, accurate passage planning & re-planning
 Automated, fast, accurate chart updates
 Individual adaptation of the chart picture to the particular requirement is possible

An experienced captain once remarked “With ECDIS, a navigator knows for the first time in the
history of seafaring not where the ship was but where it is!”.

Disadvantages of ECDIS :
• Too much information on the screen may cause clutter and can be distracting
• Submenus can be very complex
• The size of chart displayed on the screen monitor is very much reduced compared with the
paper chart
• Some symbols may be misinterpreted due to unfamiliarity
• Automatic plotting of position can lead to complacency concerning the vessel’s position and
proximity to dangers.
• Confusion with ECS, unauthorised use for primary navigation

Scope of ECDIS (As per MSC 82/84/Add.2/Annex 24) :

 Primary function is to contribute to safe navigation.
 With adequate back-up, may be accepted as complying with the up-to-date charts required
by SOLAS.
  Capable of displaying all chart information necessary for safe & efficient navigation,
originated by and distributed on the authority of government authorized hydrographic
offices.
 Facilitate simple and reliable updating of the ENC.
 Reduce navigational workload compared to paper chart. Enable accurate & efficient route
planning, monitoring and continuous positioning.
 Also used for radar display, radar tracked targets, AIS and other data layers to assist in
route monitoring.
 Same reliability & availability of presentation as paper chart.
 Provide appropriate alarms or indications w.r.t the information displayed or malfunction of
equipment.
 When relevant chart information is not available in ENC, some ECDIS may operate in
RCDS mode and such operation should conform to performance standard as set out in
appendix 7.

ENC & SENC :

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.

SOLAS CHAPTER V regulations w.r.t ECDIS

REGULATION 2.2 – Definitions

Nautical chart or nautical publication is a special-purpose map or book, or a specially compiled
database from which such a map or book is derived, that is issued officially by or on the authority
of a Government, authorized Hydrographic Office or other relevant government institution and is
designed to meet the requirements of marine navigation.

Regulation 9 – Hydrographic services

1 Contracting Governments undertake to arrange for the collection and compilation of
hydrographic data and the publication, dissemination and keeping up to date of all nautical
information necessary for safe navigation.

2 In particular, Contracting Governments undertake to co-operate in carrying out, as far as

possible, the following nautical and hydrographic services, in the manner most suitable for the
purpose of aiding navigation:
.1 to ensure that hydrographic surveying is carried out, as far as possible, adequate to the
requirements of safe navigation;
 .2 to prepare and issue nautical charts, sailing directions, lists of lights, tide tables and other
nautical publications, where applicable, satisfying the needs of safe navigation;
.3 to promulgate notices to mariners in order that nautical charts and publications are kept, as far
as possible, up to date; and
.4 to provide data management arrangements to support these services.

3 Contracting Governments undertake to ensure the greatest possible uniformity in charts and
nautical publications and to take into account, whenever possible, relevant international
resolutions and recommendations.*

4 Contracting Governments undertake to co-ordinate their activities to the greatest possible

degree in order to ensure that hydrographic and nautical information is made available on a world-
wide scale as timely, reliably, and unambiguously as possible.

REGULATION 19 : Shipborne Navigational Equipment & Systems

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) is also accepted as meeting the chart carriage
requirements of this subparagraph. Ships to which paragraph 2.10 applies shall comply with
the carriage requirements for ECDIS detailed therein;
2.10 Ships engaged on international voyages shall be fitted with an Electronic Chart Display and
Information System (ECDIS) as follows:
2.10.1 passenger ships of 500 gross tonnage and upwards constructed on or after 1 July
2012;
2.10.2 tankers of 3,000 gross tonnage and upwards constructed on or after 1 July 2012;
2.10.3 cargo ships, other than tankers, of 10,000 gross tonnage and upwards constructed
on or after 1 July 2013;
2.10.4 cargo ships, other than tankers, of 3,000 gross tonnage and upwards but less than
10,000 gross tonnage constructed on or after 1 July 2014;
2.10.5 passenger ships of 500 gross tonnage and upwards constructed before 1 July 2012,
not later than the first survey on or after 1 July 2014;
2.10.6 tankers of 3,000 gross tonnage and upwards constructed before 1 July 2012, not
later than the first survey on or after 1 July 2015;
2.10.7 cargo ships, other than tankers, of 50,000 gross tonnage and upwards constructed
before 1 July 2013, not later than the first survey on or after 1 July 2016;
2.10.8 cargo ships, other than tankers, of 20,000 gross tonnage and upwards but less than
50,000 gross tonnage constructed before 1 July 2013, not later than the first survey
on or after 1 July 2017; and
2.10.9 cargo ships, other than tankers, of 10,000 gross tonnage and upwards but less than
20,000 gross tonnage constructed before 1 July 2013, not alter than the first survey
on or after 1 July 2018;

REGULATION 27 – Charts & Nautical Publications

Nautical charts and nautical publications 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.
Updating of Chart Information :
1. Information used should be latest edition as corrected by official updates, issued by or
on authority of government / government authorized Hydrographic Office and conform to
IHO standards.
2. Contents of ENC should be adequate and up-to-date for intended voyage to comply with
SOLAS regulations.
3. Should not be possible to alter the contents of the ENC.
4. Updates should be stored separately from the ENC.
5. ECDIS should be capable of accepting official updates to ENC data provided in
conformity with IHO standards, updates should be applied automatically, procedure
should not interfere with display in use.
6. ECDIS should be capable of accepting updates to ENC entered manually with means of
verification prior final acceptance, these updates should be distinguishable from the
official updates.
7. ECDIS should keep & display on demand record of updates including time of application
to the SENC.
8. ECDIS should allow to display updates in order to review their contents and ascertain
that they have been included in the SENC.

Display of SENC information :

1. An ECDIS should be capable of accepting and converting an ENC and its updates into
an SENC or accepting an SENC converted from ENC ashore.
2. SENC information available for display should be divided into Base, Standard and All
other information display.
3. ECDIS should present standard display at anytime by a single operator action.
4. When an ECDIS is switched off or power failure, it should return to the most recently
manually selected display settings.
5. It should be easy to add or remove information from the ECDIS display but not possible
to remove information contained in the Base display.
6. For any position, ECDIS should display on demand the information about the chart
object associated with the position.
7. It should be possible to change the display scale.
8. It should be possible for the mariner to select a safety contour. If not specified the
default is 30m or the next deeper contour of the SENC.
9. It should be possible for the mariner to select a safety depth.
10. The ENC and its updates should be displayed without any degradation of the
information content.
11. ECDIS should provide means to ensure that the ENC and all updates have been
correctly loaded into the SENC.

Scale : ECDIS should provide an indication if the information or own ships position is displayed at
a larger scale than that contained in the ENC.

Display of other navigational information :

1. Radar information, AIS information and other navigational information may be added to
the ECDIS display without degrading the displayed SENC information. It should also be
clearly distinguishable.
2. It should be possible to remove above information by single operator action.
 3. ECDIS and added navigational information should use a common reference system. If
not, an indication should be provided.
4. Transferred Radar information may contain a Radar image and / or tracked target
information.
5. If Radar image is added to the ECDIS display, the chart and Radar image should match
in scale, projection and orientation.

Display mode and generation of the neighbouring area :

1. It should always be possible to display the SENC information in a “ NORTH UP”
orientation. Other orientations are permitted provided they are altered in step large
enough to avoid unstable display of the chart information.
2. ECDIS should provide for true motion mode. Other modes are permitted.
3. When true motion mode is in use, reset should take place automatically at own ship’s
distance from the edge of the display as determined by the mariner.
4. It should be possible to manually change the displayed chart area and the position of
own ship relative to the edge of the display.
5. If area covered by the ECDIS display includes water for which no appropriate ENC
available, those waters should carry an indication to refer to the paper chart or RCDS.

Colours and Symbols :

1. IHO recommended colours and symbols should be used to represent SENC information.
2. The colours and symbols other than those mentioned above should comply with IMO
standards.
3. SENC information displayed at specified scale in the ENC should use the specified size
of figures, letters and symbols.
4. ECDIS should allow the mariner to select whether own ship is displayed in true scale or
as symbol.

Display requirements :

1. ECDIS should be capable of displaying information for route planning and monitoring.
2. The effective size of the chart presentation for route monitoring should be atleast 270mm x
270mm.
3. The display should be capable of meeting IHO recommended colour and resolution.
4. The presentation should ensure that the displayed information is clearly visible to more than
one observer in normal light conditions on bridge of the ship by day and night.
5. If information from standard display are removed to customize, this should be permanently
indicated.

Route Planning :

1. Possible to carry out planning including both straight and curved segments.
2. Possible to add waypoints, deleting waypoints and changing position of waypoints.
3. Possible to plan one or more alternative routes. The selected route to be clearly
distinguishable from other routes.
4. Indication required if the mariner plans a route across own ships safety contour.
5. Indication should be given if mariner plans a route closer than a user specified distance
from the boundary of a prohibited area or special condition geographical area.
 6. Should be possible to specify a cross tract limit of deviation from the planned route at which
automatic off track alarm should be activated.

Route Monitoring :

1. The selected route and own ships position should appear whenever the display covers the
area.
2. Should be possible to display a sea area that does not have the ship on the display (eg. For
look ahead, route planning) while monitoring. If done, automatic route monitoring functions
should be continuous. Possible to return to route monitoring display by single operator
action.
3. Alarm within specified set time, own ship will cross the safety contour.
4. Alarm or indication within specified set time, own ship will cross the boundary of a
prohibited or special geographical area.
5. Alarm when specified cross track limit from route is exceeded.
6. Indication if continuing on present course and speed, over specified set time or distance,
own ship will pass closer than a user specified distance from a danger ( eg: wreck, rock).
7. Ships position derived from continuous positioning system of accuracy. When possible
second independent positioning source preferably of different type should be provided.
8. Alarm when the input from position, heading or speed sources is lost.
9. Alarm when ship reaches a specified set time or distance from a critical point of the route.
10. Positioning system and the SENC should be on the same geodetic datum. If not alarm.
11. Possible to modify the selected sailing route or change to an alternative route.
12. Display time labels along ships track manually and automatically at intervals between 1 and
120 mins.
13. Display adequate number of points, free movable EBLs, variable and fixed range markers
and other symbols required for navigation purpose.
14. Possible to enter geographical coordinates of any position, display that position on demand.
Also possible select any point on the display and read its coordinates.
15. Possible to adjust displayed geographical position of the ship manually. The adjustment
should be noted on the screen, maintained until altered.
16. Capability to enter and plot manually obtained bearing and distance LOP and calculate
resulting position of own ship.
17. Indicate discrepancies between positions obtained by continuous positioning systems and
manual observations.

Voyage Recording :

1. Should store and be able to reproduce certain minimum elements required to reconstruct
the navigation and verify the official database used during the previous 12 hours.
2. Record at one minute intervals, time, position, heading and speed.
3. Record at one minute intervals, ENC source, edition, date, cell and update history.
4. Record the complete track for the entire voyage with time marks at intervals not exceeding
4 hours.
5. Not be possible to manipulate or change the recorded information.
6. Have capability to preserve the record of the previous 12 hours and voyage track.
Calculations & Accuracy :

1. Accuracy of all calculations should be independent from the characteristics of the output
device and should be consistent with the SENC accuracy.
2. Bearings and distances drawn on the display should have accuracy no less than that
afforded by resolution of the display.
3. Capable of calculating true distance and azimuth between two GP.
4. Capable of calculating GP from known position and distance/ azimuth.

Performance Tests, Malfunctions Alarms & Indications :

1. Provided with means for either automatically or manually carrying out onboard test of major
functions. In case of failure test should display which module is at fault.
2. Provide suitable alarm for indication of system malfunction.

Back-Up Arrangements :

1. Adequate back-up arrangements to ensure safe navigation in case of an ECDIS failure.

2. Safe take-over of ECDIS functions to be provided to ensure that an ECDIS failure does not
develop into a critical situation.
3. Provide safe means of navigation for the remaining part of a voyage in case of an ECDIS
failure.

Connections With Other Equipment :

1. Not degrade the performance of any equipment providing sensor inputs, nor the connection
of optional equipment degrade the performance standard of ECDIS.
2. Connected to ship’s position fixing system, gyro compass, speed & distance measuring
device.
3. May provide means to supply SENC information to external equipment.

Power Supply :

1. Possible to operate ECDIS and all necessary equipment when supplied by an

emergency source of electrical power.
2. Changing from 1 source of power supply to another or any interruption for upto 45
secs should not require the equipment to be manually re-initialized

Safety Depth : Value set by the mariner that is used by ECDIS to portray soundings as black if
they are equal to or shoaler than the value and gray if they are deeper.

Safety Contour : A specific depth contour set by ECDIS. It demarks the boundary between “safe-
water” and shallow water with an extra wide isoline and is used to give an alarm if the ship, within
a time specified by the mariner, is going to cross the safety contour. It is also used to determine
the tints used for depth areas and for other purposes.