L.O. 1.

25 – Passage Planning with

ECDIS (Supplementary Info)
 Learning Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, the students should be able
to:

 Discuss the requirements when using RCDS

mode.

 Describe the knowledge of legal aspects and

responsibilities related to electronic charts.
What to do in areas without ENC coverage?

In 1998 the IMO perceived that it would take some years to finish
global coverage of ENCs. Therefore, the IMO ECDIS Performance
Standard was amended by adding a new optional mode of operation
for ECDIS - the Raster Chart Display System (RCDS) mode.

In this mode Raster Navigational Charts (RNCs) can be used in

ECDIS to meet the SOLAS carriage requirements for nautical charts.
However, this is only permitted if approved by the Flag State of the
ship concerned. The intention of the change was to provide the widest
possible coverage of official electronic chart data for ECDIS in advance
of complete global coverage with ENCs alone.
IMO observed the limitations of RNCs as compared to ENCs (see
Section D “Differences Between Raster Chart Display (RDCS) and
ECDIS” of IMO MSC.1/Circ.1503 (as amended)). Therefore, the
revised ECDIS Performance Standard requires that when the RCDS
mode is employed an ECDIS must be used together with “an
appropriate folio of up to date paper charts”.

LINK:
http://www.imo.org/en/OurWork/Safety/Navigation/Documents/MSC.1-Circ.1503-Re
v.1%20-%20Ecdis%20-%20Guidance%20For%20Good%20Practice%20(Secretariat).pdf
While paper charts are to be utilized with RNCs, the underlying
intention was, nevertheless, to minimize the number of paper charts
carried by a vessel when the RCDS mode was employed, but only to
a level compatible with safe navigation.

As stated by the IMO, ship owners should consult their Flag State
regarding whether RCDS mode is allowed and under what conditions.

-Knowledge of legal aspects and responsibilities related to electronic charts

 Awareness of the status of ECDIS and ECS; of official and non-official

information.

 Limitations of RCDS mode

To accomplish these objectives, the mariner must acquire a thorough
knowledge and functional understanding of the basic principles
governing ENC data, its proper display in ECDIS and its use with
navigation sensors and their respective limits. For example, the
Mariner must be familiar with the object-attribute structure and the
feature-space relationship of ENC data as well as charted
information; and the impact of such things as “SCAMIN”, “over
scales”, “update history”, “CATZOC”, “safety values” and “chart
usage”.
ECDIS training must have an appropriate depth in theoretical aspects
(ECDIS information and their presentation) as well as dealing with the proper
use of ECDIS (functions and limitations). It should cover all safety-relevant
aspects and go far beyond type-specific “button pressing” or basic operations.
ECDIS training should be both generic and type specific.

Ideally, training should cover the full extent of capabilities and strategies
necessary to deal with a wide range of possible navigational problems. It
should cover thorough route planning and both visual and automatic route
monitoring in typical navigational situations and sea areas. To prepare a user
for practical operations, decision-making and alarm handling, real-time
complex ECDIS simulator exercises should be conducted.
 End of Slides

Thank You !!!

Prepared By:
Capt. John E. Fineza