why ecdis is important?

• All chart information necessary for safe and efficient navigation is available at the click of a mouse.
• Simple, reliable and fast updating of the ENC.
• Reduces the navigational workload as compared to use of a paper chart.
• It enables the mariner to execute in a convenient and timely manner.

An ECDIS, Electronic Chart Display and Information System, is a navigational tool that runs on a geographic information system that conforms to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) as a replacement for paper charts. With an ECDIS display, a ship’s navigating crew now has an easier time pinpointing locations and obtaining directions with the help of the electronic chart system.

The advantages of these systems include enhanced safety and the ability to incorporate more information compared to other navigation tools. ECDIS units also help automate numerous tasks such as ETA computation, ENC updating, and route planning and monitoring to ease the navigator’s workload.

The ECDIS works by incorporating traffic routing systems (GPS), RADAR, coastline information, units of depth and height, Echo sounder, ARPA (Automatic Radar Plotting Aid), and other navigational equipment incorporating all of this information to give ship navigators the necessary information for their voyage. Although these systems are of great help, your ECDIS unit must comply with certain regulations.

An ECDIS unit can be used as a primary means of navigation as long as the unit is approved and certified as complying with the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) standards.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is in charge of ECDIS standards. These Performance Standards were adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) on November 23, 1995, and published as IMO Resolution A19/Res.817.

Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems must adhere to specific regulations to be used as an alternative to paper charts; some of those regulations include:

Certain vessels are mandated to have ECDIS units onboard and cannot undertake an international voyage unless they use an ECDIS. According to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the amended SOLAS regulation V/19, all newly built passenger ships, 500 gross tonnage and up and new cargo ships of 3,000 gross tonnages and up must be fitted with an ECDIS unit for international travel.

Older vessels engaged in international voyages and are of a specific size must also fit ECDIS units onboard.

An ECDIS system can display two types of charts; these electronic charts include Raster Chart (RNC) and Vector Chart (ENC).

ECDIS chart updates may reach the vessel through various channels depending on onboard communication capability.

Navigational officers must undergo training if they are sailing on a vessel that is fitted with an ECDIS unit. It does not matter if the system is not a vessel’s primary source of navigation; if the vessel is equipped with an ECDIS, training is required.

ECDIS displays must be calibrated to meet specific color codes and guidelines. All ECDIS displays must use the same color codes to identify symbols (such as buoys, water depth, etc.) on the charts. The performance of these displays is based on their ability to reproduce the exact red, blue, and green color values (RBG) and luminance output. It is instrumental to the safety of those on board as well as those out at sea that the color representation of each display is correct to minimize the possibility of human error.

How are the displays calibrated? Two processes can be used to calibrate a display:

Seatronx offers ECDIS commercial displays designed to meet International Maritime Organization (IMO) compliance regulations.

The Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS) is a sophisticated route charting, planning, and navigational system that allows members of the Marines Corps to accurately map out their voyages and minimize risk along the way. This innovative technology has been proven to help companies avoid and mitigate potentially dangerous situations such as poor weather conditions, natural disasters, and security threats by accurately alerting crewmembers of impending risks and helping them reroute their initial trajectories. Not only is this essential to the safety and survival of Marines Corps officers, but it’s also useful for ensuring national security.

The purpose of ECDIS is to replace paper charts altogether and make them obsolete. ECDIS works in conjunction with rugged Marines displays and other technologies including GPS (Global Positioning Systems) and in compliance with the SOLAS Convention to enhance overall navigational safety procedures.

ECDIS also takes a lot of pressure off of crew navigators by informing them of potential risks on route to their destination and offering safer alternate route options. Ship navigators can use this information to then gauge the safety risks of their projected routes and make necessary updates and adjustments.

Aside from the heightened safety intel, there are a lot of advantages to using ECDIS technology in Marines operations.

Here are just a few of them:

As mentioned, ECDIS allows for the utmost accuracy when it comes to real-time monitoring. Navigators receive up-to-the-minute updates regarding their current route trajectory. In the event of a potential security or safety risk, the system will present them with a number of possible route alternatives that are much safer.

Even though Marine Corps crewmembers and navigators are highly trained in the latest navigational technology, it’s still important to ensure that the interface is as user-friendly and easy to comprehend as possible. This is especially true in light of potential danger when convenience and expediency are huge assets.

To make operations quick and convenient, ECDIS uses a number of other navigational equipment and softwares including Echo Sounder, GPS, RADAR, Gyro, and ARPA.

In addition to providing the ship navigator with visual and audible indications that the vessel is headed in a dangerous direction, loud alarms and warning signals will also notify the rest of the crew so that they can act quickly in the event of an emergency. This feature also relieves the ship navigator from the stressful task of having to individually notify other crewmembers, allowing them to focus on swiftly mapping out a new route.

ECDIS allows the user to set a variety of alarms and warnings. RADAR can be used to monitor targets continuously. Monitoring of the ship's position continuously. ECDIS can be used to plan passages without consulting other publications.