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TECHNOLOGY - NAVAIDS
What’s the latest
with ECDIS?
ECDIS equipment has been on the market since 1998 but for most shipping companies
it remains as something to fit in the future, if at all. Probably rather less than 10%
of vessels are using ECDIS and of these only a small proportion are using ENCs,
which are the official vector charts, writes Andy Norris.
There now seems to be
less misunderstanding
concerning electronic
charts. Most bridge
officers and technical
superintendents know that ECDIS
is the IMO approved electronic
chart system. When displaying
updated ENCs, which are
inherently authorised by national
hydrographic offices, use of
ECDIS can replace the use of
paper charts.
In practice, flag states set the
detailed requirements,
particularly those regarding
backup, which could for instance
be another ECDIS or a suitable
set of paper charts. It is
interesting that the main takeup
of ECDIS has been on ships
that have safety high on the
agenda, including tankers and
cruise liners.
ENC coverage during February this year.
The IMO Safety of Navigation
sub-committee (NAV) has
recently looked at both the safety
and the cost effectiveness of
ECDIS, and favourably
commented on the positive
results from formal safety
assessments undertaken by
member states on various
examples of vessel: an 80,000
dwt oil tanker, a 4,000 dwt
products tanker, a 75,000 dwt
bulk carrier and passenger ships
covering a range of sizes.
RNC Coverage
So if ECDIS is so good, why has
it yet to catch on? The most
valid reason is that ENC
coverage is not complete.
However, the situation is rapidly
improving. The illustration
shows the coverage as at
February 2007. The red areas
show the ENC cells currently
available and the blue areas
those cells under preparation.
An up-to-date version of this
diagram can be downloaded
from http://ih-net-www.
hidrografico.pt/website/icenc/
viewer.htm.
Over 6,000 ENC cells are
available for use; this is
increasing by about 1,000 every
year. It is seen that much of the
coastline of Europe, Asia and
North America is already covered
at a detailed level. Many ocean
areas are also covered by
overview charts.
IMO's Maritime Safety
Committee (MSC) is currently
determining whether there should
be a phased introduction of
compulsory carriage requirements
for ECDIS on all vessels. It has
already mandated that ECDIS is
fitted to high speed craft from 1st
July 2010. NAV is giving
preliminary consideration to the
proposal, with a view to
submitting a report to MSC
in 2008.
The discussion at NAV has
already emphasised that 'ENC
coverage was a necessary
prerequisite for the introduction
of a mandatory carriage
requirement for ECDIS', although
what is meant by 'ENC coverage'
is a debating point.
The International Hydrographic
Organisation (IHO), which
represents the national
hydrographic offices, recognises
the importance of this occurring
in the short term.
Rear Admiral Kenneth Barbor,
who is a director of the
International Hydrographic
Bureau, the secretariat for IHO,
told TANKEROperator that "The
IHO is conducting an extensive
assessment of ENC coverage
that will, at the request of IMO,
be recorded in an on-line
catalogue. From this
assessment, areas where ENC
coverage is not projected to be
sufficient to support HSC or
international shipping will be
targeted for production through
bilateral or regional agreements
to ensure their timely
availability".
If coverage is seen to be
sufficient in 2008, when MSC
debates the possible mandatory fit
of ECDIS, it will undoubtedly
have a significant impact on
its decisions.
March 2007 • TANKEROperator 31