ECDIS Flashcards
Purpose / advantages of ECDIS
Reduced workload for OOW
Improved SA
Real time position information
Overylaying, Admiralty info and Input
Safety Alarming
Automatic log book recording
Quick and easy corrections (done by professionals)
Disadvantages of ECDIS
Over reliance
Relies on integrity of feed inputs
Information overload
Alarm apathy
Potential ‘old’ survey information
High potential for user error
What makes an ENC
It meets the IMO performance standards under MSC 232 and therefore meets the carriage requirements of SOLAS
What Inputs must an ECDIS have?
GPS (position)
Heading
STW
SOG
COG
UPS
Additional:
AIS/RADAR overlay
S52
Specifications for chart content and Display aspects of ECDIS
Current Version is S52 4.0
S57
Transfer standards for Digital Hydrographic Data
S61
Product specification for Rastar Navigational Charts
S63
Digital Data Incription
When can we run in RCDS
Rastar Chart Display System
No ENC available
Risk assessment has been carried out on the use of RCDS
An appropriate back up portfolio of Paper Charts is present
SENC
System Electronic Navigational Chart
A ENC is considered a SENC, when it is APPROVED, and has undergone lossless transformation of the database
Only an SENC is allowed for a paperless Bridge
What vessels are required to carry ECDIS?
Passenger ships ≥500gt
Cargo Ships ≥3000gt
Safety Contour
User set contour line depicting possible unsafe water on the other side. The system will highlight in bold the next deep contour line from the users chosen depth.
ESSENTIAL for safe navigation and monitoring
Safety Contour calculating
Draught + UKC allowance , swell, list etc + allowance for squat + Potentially HOT as well.
Colour between Safety and Shallow contour will be light blue
If it doesn’t match the set depth, it will automatically choose the next available depth contour
I.e. safety contour set to 7m. the ECDIS will choose a 10m contour
Safety Depth
User Chosen depth, beneath which isolated sountings will be in bold. Usually set to match the safety contour
ESSENTIAL for safety of navigation and monitoring
Safety frame
‘Guard zone’ similar to on a radar.
User set, commonly set to 1 NM either side in normal navigation, and 15 minutes ‘look ahead’ time
When an ECDIS is being used to satisfy the carriage requirements of SOLAS, what must be present?
What makes ECDIS ‘Approved’
Type approval cert
Installed by approved association
This will be outlined in the CSSEP, form E
Mandatory feed inputs
Heading
Position
COG
SOG
STW
UPS
Appropriate backup for vessels operation
Up to date charts
Up to date software (S52)
Fully trained crew
What is the AVCS?
What basis do we purchase charts
Admiralty Vector Chart Sevices
Single ENC units or Folios can be licensed for limited periods, 3,6,9,12 months,
Or by PAYS, Pay as you Sail
Where you get full coverage for passage planning, but only pay for the ENCs your vessel crosses
Where can we get more guidance on ECDIS in RCDS mode?
MGN 285 - Electronic Charts - Use of risk assessment methodology when operating ECDIS in RCDS Mode
Pros of Rastar Charts
User friendly as they are scans of original paper charts (familair)
Are approved as they are admiralty charts
Cheap to produce
Global coverage
Negatives of Rastar Charts
Large file size
Not seamless, has boundaries
Not inherently intelligent (no alarms, layers, indications)
Pros of Vector Charts
Can be interrogated
Alarms and Indications
Scalable with no distortion
Admiralty Information over layering
Own ship route monitoring
Apparently seamless joint between charts
Negatives of Vector charts
Same Survey data as paper charts
Not all approved data
Unfamiliar Symbols to new users (specialist training required)
High chance of a false sense of security
Clutter in the wrong compilation scale
Expensive and timely to produce
What is CATZOC
Category Zone of Confidence
Reliability indication of:
Position and depth
Isolated danger symbol ECDIS
Will display isolated dangers less than the user set safety contour with this symbol
List of MANDATORY ECDIS alarms
Crossing safety contour
Deviate from route
Position system failure
Approaching a critical point
Rastar Chart Navigational Mode (NON ENC area)
Different Geodetic Datum
List of ECDIS Indications
Information overscale
Information underscale
Larger ENC available
Route plan over a safety contour
Route plan over a specified area
Position system failure (planning mode)
System test failure
Ensuring Charts are up to date on ECDIS
ECDIS should display this data prominently on the screen
Or in the chart properties section, to the right side of the screen
We can also check our chart catalogue, and the charts not up to date will appear in orange
This interrogation of the properties can be type specific
What methods can we use to update ECDIS charts?
Download file
USB
CD/DVD
Manually
Open file, only use the most recent update as they are cumulative
Read the ‘read me’ file
Perform update
Log
UKHO is set to stop producing Paper Charts in what year?
2026
Chart carriage requirements for yachts, as seen in LY3?
<3000gt:
Paper charts
1xECDIS + APC
2x ECDIS
> 3000gt
1x ECDIS + APC
2x ECDIS
How do we check an ECDIS is up to date?
Open the IHO performance standards
Open Chart 1 on the ECDIS
Find the appropriate Lat and Long
Compare the symbols match between the performance standards and the Chart 1
What Items are included in an ECDIS chart update?
Permits for charts
Vector Chart Display 1
Vector Chart Display 2
Admiralty Overlay (T’s & P’s)
