Ecdis Renew3ed Version 3

ECDIS On Board
Extracts from TRANSAS presentations

Legal aspects and requirements
Background and Legal history of ECDIS
• In 1995 the first IMO Resolution allowed ECDIS to be

used as conventional ships bridge equipment.
• In 1999 Transas Marine became the first company in the
world to receive type approval for its Navi-Sailor 2400
ECDIS.
• In July 2002 SOLAS Chapter 5 was amended and for the

first time included a provision for the use of an electronic
means of navigation to meet SOLAS chart carriage
requirements. Such provision is included specifically in
SOLAS V Regulation 19.2.1.4. Details of ECDIS
(Electronic Chart Display and Information System) and its
use are contained in the IMO ECDIS Performance
Standard A817(19); this specifies equipment capability and
addresses issues such as back-up and use of charts.
• In June 2009 Amendments to SOLAS regulation V/19, to

mandate the carriage of Electronic Chart Display and
Information Systems (ECDIS) were adopted.

SOLAS Chapter V, Safety of Navigation
Regulation 19: Carriage requirement for

shipborne navigation systems and Equipment
19.2.1.4: All ships irrespective of size shall have
nautical charts and nautical publications to plan and
displays the ship’s route for the intended voyage and
to plot and monitor positions throughout the voyage;
an electronic charts display and information system
(ECDIS) may be accepted as meeting the chart
carriage requirement of this subparagraph;
19.2.1.5: All ships irrespective of size shall have

back-up arrangements to meet the functional
requirements of the above subparagraph .4, if this
function is partly or fully fulfilled by electronic
means.*
*An appropriate folio of paper nautical charts may be used

as an back-up arrangements for ECDIS. Other back-up
arrangements for ECDIS might be acceptable (see appendix
6 resolution A.817(19)), as amended and local
administration acceptance.

SOLAS Chapter V, Safety of

Navigation
Regulation 27: Carriage requirement

for shipborne navigation systems and
Equipment
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.

IMO ECDIS Performance Standard A817(19)
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 regulation V/19 & V/27 of the
1974 SOLAS Convention.

Time line for ECDIS mandatory carriage

requirement
July July July July July July July July July July
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
New Passenger Ships >500gt
New Tankers >3000gt
New Cargo ships >10000gt
New Cargo ships >3000gt
Existing Passenger ships >500gt
Existing Tankers >3000gt
Existing Cargo >50000gt

What is ECDIS?
Electronic Chart Display and Information System
SYSTEM
INFORMATION
DISPLAY
ELECTRONIC CHART
What is the difference between ECS and ECDIS
ECS (Electronic Navigation System) ECDIS (Electronic Chart Display and Information
System)
• Electronic chart software
• Type-approved hardware
• Unofficial charts (e.g. Transas TX-
• Type-approved ECDIS software
97)
• Approved installation
• None approved hardware
• Official charts
(ENC/SENC/ARCS*)
• Chart corrections subscription
• The crew has been trained for the
CAN BE USED AS AN usageCAN BE USED FOR

AID TO NAVIGATION PRIMARY NAVIGATION
Typical System Layout
• A typical System Layout and

minimum sensor connections
• Approved Hardware meeting
IEC 60945.
• Minimum sensors*
• EPFS
• Gyro
• Log
*Minimum sensors are required to be

connected directly to both stations in
order to comply with the ECDIS
performance standard requiring a safe
take over between main and back-up
solution.

Conclusion of requirements to comply with SOLAS V/19 & 27

using ECDIS
• Official documentation of type-approval

(e.g. DNV)
• Adequate back-up arrangement (Second
ECDIS or Paper charts)
• Official chart data
• ENC where available
• RNCs in RCDS-Mode where ENC is not
available (depending on the flag state
requirements)
• Regular updates and subscription for
updates
• A trained crew
• Procedures and Safe Management system
adapted to ECDIS usage

Chart data format, origin, updating, legal status and usage
Data Origin Existence Data Updating Status of Regulatory

Category of Priority Standard Data Set Status of
Coverage System
S57 Official
HO Official ECDIS
ENC
Vector
Non ECS ECS
Non-HO other + full paper
regular data folio
No RCDS
official Official Official + suppl.
ENCs updates RNC paper charts
HO
Official No ECS
Raster ECS
ENCs regular + full paper
data folio
Non-HO exist updates

Link between IMO, IHO and IEC
IMO IHO S-57

S-52
Performance Standards for Color and Symbol Transfer Standard for
ECDIS Specifications for EDCIS Digital Hydrographic
Data
S-63
Encryption Standard for
protection of Digital
Hydrographic Data
IEC 61174, ed 3
Performance Standards for ECDIS
Maritime navigation and radio communication equipment and systems
– Electronic chart and information systems (ECDIS) –
Operational and performance standards, methods of testing and required test results
A Compliant ECDIS
Training requirements for ECDIS

use
All navigation officers onboard are required to

be trained in the use of ECDIS as per:
• IMO Model course 1.27, conducted by
approved training center (Minimum IMO
requirement)
• Ships familiarization training, conducted
e.g. by internal training procedures
(Required by the ISM code)
• Ships Specific Equipment Training –
Hands On, conducted e.g. by ECDIS
maker or via Computer Based Training
(Can be required by local administrations)

Rules and regulations connected to

ECDIS
1995-11 IMO Resolution A.817(19) ECDIS Performance
Standards
1996-12 MSC.64(67) Amendment to Resolution A.817 (19)
Apex. 6 Back-up
2006-12 MSC.232(82) Adoption of ECDIS Performance
Standards
1998-12 MSC.86(70) Apex. 7 RCDS mode
2004-12 MSC 191 (79) Presentation of navigation related
Information
2008-09 IEC 61174 ed.3 ECDIS Requirements and Testing
2007-04 IEC 61162-1 ed.3 Processing of Input Data
2002-08 IEC 60945 ed.4 Maritime Navigation Equipment
Requirements
2007-01 IHO S-57 ed.3.1.2 Transfer Standard for digital
hydrographic data
2007-09 IHO S-32 Appendix 1 Glossary of ECDIS Related
Terms
2008-01 IHO S-52 Ed.4.3 ECDIS Presentation Library
1999-01 IHO S-61 RNC Product Specifications
2008-03 IHO S-63 Ed.1.1 Data Protection

New ECDIS Standards
A number of short comings, ECDIS anomalies and safety critical issues have
been identified by users and as a result of accident investigations where
improper use of ECDIS and ENC data were found to be a possible rote cause.
Improper use can be caused by either operator or technical limitation in
presentation of ENC data in ECDIS, or a combination of both. Lessons were
learned, problems understood and addressed in the latest revision of the
ECDIS and Data standards. The work was timely coordinated between IEC
and IHO and published in August 2015.

New ECDIS Standards

New ECDIS Standards

Principal types of Electronic Charts
Vector charts – lines, areas, symbols, text placed in different layers,

geographically
referenced when used with GPS. Layers may be selected for display or may be hidden.
20
10
5
0 Land
Depth +
Depth Depth Depth
+ + + Land Chart displayed
20-30m 10-20m 5-10m 0-5m
Raster charts – coloured dots [pixels] geographically referenced when used with GPS

Different types of Electronic Charts
traditional Graphics-oriented data Object-based data
Raster Vector

Legal aspects and requirements (IMO MC 1.27 C1)
Raster Charts
Raster Charts (ARCS,

Seafarer, BSB, NOS Geo....)
Scanned charts - an image!
Advantages:
Inexpensive to produce
Similar to paper charts
Disadvantages:
”Dead chart”, no Alarms
Limited zoom options
Requires large memory
capacity
Expensive to correct (a
new chart is required)
Only easy to read in
north-up orientation

Vector Charts
Vector Charts (ENC, TX 97, C-Map 93...)

Digitized paper charts- every object is defined and grouped in
layers that can be selected within the set safety parameters.
Advantages:
• User set automatic alarm generation
• Optional information (customized settings)
• Zoom-able
• Quick and easy to correct. Correction log is auto-generated
• Requires little memory capacity (quick loading)
• Information can be added (files, pictures etc.)
• Readability in all presentations (Head-up, North-up, Course-up)
• Presentation according to the safety parameters of the own ship
Disadvantages:
• Expensive and time demanding production
• Layout can be a bit different from paper charts
• Coding errors even in official ENCs

Chart formats
RNC
• ARCS
• NOAA
• SEAFARER

Chart formats
S-57
• PRIMAR
• IC-ENC
• JHA

Private Chart Formats
• TX-97
Transas
• CM93
C-Map/Jeppesen

Availability of ENC Charts , April

2010

Admiralty Information Overlay

[AIO]
Contains all ADMIRALTY Temporary and Preliminary Notices to Mariners (T&P
NMs) and ENC Preliminary Notices to Mariners (EP NMs) which highlight
navigationally significant differences between ENCs and ADMIRALTY paper charts.
AIO can be displayed as a single layer on top of ENCs on the majority of ECDIS
currently being sold, and also on back-of-bridge software, including ADMIRALTY e-
Navigator Planning Station. All AVCS customers receive the unique AIO at no extra
cost.
ENC distribution
Electronic chart distribution

With all charts being produced by national
Hydrographic offices the distribution and updating
are managed in different way
Through the national hydrographic office itself
Through “RENC”s
A RENC is a Regional ENC Co-coordinating
Centre. Each major geographical area of the
world would have its own RENC. Each ENC-
producing nation would send its data to the
local RENC, who would then be responsible for
validating and distributing its ENCs to end-
users.
Through various bundled services

Transas TADS
UKHO AVCS

ENC and SENC
• When an ENC chart is loaded

into the system, it becomes a
SENC, a System Electronic
Navigational Chart. This is a
time consuming process and
requires careful error
checking and verification.
• Manufacturers or their chart
providers therefore create the
SENC‘s allowing you to load ELA PSED TIM E IN M IN U TES
70
pre-processed data which 60
saves you a lot of time during

50
40
the loading of the Base CDs 30 ENC/AVCS

SENC/TADS
and ensures that the SENC‘s 20
10
are free of any error. 0
Base cd Base cd Base cd Base cd Base cd Base cd Base cd Update
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 cd

Advantages of ECDIS [over paper charts]

• Vessels position can always be seen on the chart – auto-plot
• Monitoring and tracking of nearby vessels and other targets is easy
• Manual fixing is available – ground referencing of chart possible
• Input for two position sources – for comparison and auto-change if one fails
• Clearer chart display - user can select what is displayed / not displayed
• Display – colours set for day/night viewing
• Charted data can easily be interrogated for information
• Quick route planning, marking and easy monitoring. Route easily amended.
Log book auto-generated + manual additions to log book possible
• Additional inputs – wind, currents, tides etc. allow for more realistic ETA
• Various alarms can be user set/selected [depths, dangers, cross track etc.]
• Quick/easy automated correction through DVD, USB, direct online services
• Manual correction also possible
• AIO – Admiralty Information Overlay – for T+P notices
• Interface with Navtex for auto-plot of Navtex information – auto-deleted by
pre-set date
Advantages of ECDIS OVER

PAPER
• Radar overlay, ARPA and AIS target information display on chart
• User map – allows user input on chart [Call Master, E/R Notice etc], however
this requires specialized knowledge of the procedure to create and edit user
maps.
• Trial manoeuvre feature
• Overscale/underscale warning. Chart accuracy display [ZoC]
• Recording/storage of past track – complete animated chart presentation
• Works with both ENC and Raster charts
• Charts may be ordered at short notice and the permits received within an hour
or two
• Considerably cheaper than paper charts
• MoB function allows immediate plot of datum position
• Various search patterns may be auto-projected on the chart [eg. expanding
square search, parallel track search, sector search etc.
• Anchor position / dragging may easily be monitored
disadvantages of ECDIS
• DISADVANTAGES OF ECDIS
• Complicated equipment, no user serviceable parts
• Display subject to glare from light falling on screen
• Must have electrical power to function
• Operators require specialized training
• Automated operation leads to complacency and over-reliance
• Limited service life of parts like display, HDD, cooling fans etc
• Requires a back-up system or paper charts as back-up
• Smaller chart display than paper chart – chart must be scrolled
Advantages / disadvantages of Paper Charts [over ECDIS]

• Are large format, easily readable and need not be scrolled.
• Mariners are well familiar with the chart format, colours etc and hence less
likelihood of any confusion.
• Marking and writing notes on paper charts is simple whereas on ECDIS we
require specific knowledge of the method of inputting and placing such data
on the chart.
• Requires no complicated instrument for the display and use of the chart
• Not subject to glare from external light sources.
• They are expensive.

• Difficult and time consuming to correct.
• Need to be stored carefully so as not to fold or crumple.
• A separate correction log must be maintained to monitor the status of
corrections and updates.
• Subject to warping and distortion in humid conditions.
• Regular use leads to punctures and tears in the paper.
Zone of confidence [ZoC]
ZOC Category
1 2 3 4
POSITION
ZOC1 DEPTH ACCURANCY3 SEAFLOOR COVERAGE
ACCURANCY2
= 0.50 + 1%D FULL AREA SEARCH
DEPTH (M) ACCURACY (M) UNDERTAKEN.
± 5 M + 5% 10 ± 0.6 SIGNIFICANT
A1
DEPTH 30 ± 0.8 SEAFLOOR FEATURES
DETECTED4 AND
100 ± 1.5
1000 ± 10.5 DEPTHS MEASURED.
= 1.00 + 2%D FULL AREA SEARCH
DEPTH (M) ACCURACY (M) UNDERTAKEN.
10 ± 1.2 SIGNIFICANT
A2 ± 20 M
30 ± 1.6 SEAFLOOR FEATURES
100 ± 3.0 DETECTED4 AND
DEPTHS MEASURED.
1000 ± 21.0
= 1.00 + 2%D FULL SEAFLOOR
COVERAGE NOT
DEPTH (M) ACCURACY (M) ACHIEVED; UNCHARTED
FEATURES,
B ± 50 M 10 ± 1.2 HAZARDOUS TO
30 ± 1.6 SURFACE NAVIGATION
100 ± 3.0 ARE NOT EXPECTED
1000 ± 21.0 BUT MAY EXIST.
= 2.00 + 5%D
FULL SEAFLOOR
DEPTH (M) ACCURACY (M)
COVERAGE NOT
C ± 500 M 10 ± 2.5 ACHIEVED, DEPTH
30 ± 3.5 ANOMALIES MAY BE
100 ± 7.0 EXPECTED.
1000 ± 52.0
FULL SEAFLOOR
COVERAGE NOT
WORSE THAN
D WORSE THAN ZOC C ACHIEVED, LARGE
ZOC C
DEPTH ANOMALIES MAY
BE EXPECTED.
UNASSESSED – THE QUALITY OF THE BATHYMETRIC DATA HAS
U
YET TO BE ASSESSED
Risk of over-reliance
Introduction
Traditional navigational skills sometimes appear

to be superseded by over-reliance on new
technological advances and automated features.
The Watch Officer must always be wary how the

system is actually performing in regard to
accuracy and reliability. This requires an
awareness of the deficiencies and risks of the
overall system and its components. It must be
recognized that the quality of the sum of the
information is essentially dependent on the
reliability of the each component of data and
technology. Similar to any system, an ECDIS is
not infallible. It has the same shortcomings that
exist in any technical device.

Training Chapter Objective
Recognition of the facts that:

• a potential risk of improper functioning of the
system and of data being inaccurate is
inherent to the system
• displayed hydrographic data is not more
reliable than the survey data on which it is
based
• displayed sensor data is not more reliable than
the respective sensor systems it originates
from
• ECDIS is only a tool that supports the mariner
in the performing of the navigational tasks
• errors/inaccuracies in one subsystem may
influence the performance of other
subsystems and potentially render the ECDIS
useless

Grounding of the ROYAL MAJESTY
near Nantucket USA

Grounding of the ROYAL MAJESTY near Nantucket

USA
The ship sails from Bermuda towards Boston
The GPS is connected to the Gyro Compass and Speed log (!)
When departing Bermuda the GPS antenna connection breaks.
The GPS switches to DR and keeps sending positions to the IBS
system
The IBS uses this position from GPS for track steering
The IBS is using DR to check the GPS – it matches well!
The IBS is not capable of using the Loran-C receiver
The Loran-C position is different from the GPS position
The ship is in open waters for 31 hours
The vessel passes a buoy, as expected, but cannot read the buoy
number
There are still no islands or racons visibleto make a landfall fix
Depths are too unreliable to assist in positioning
1,5 hours later red and yellow lights are observed.
The OOW does not check which lights they may be
2 hours later the OOW fails to see the BB buoy
Instead the vessel travels on through „white and blue“ waters
30 minutes later the vessel had run aground
When the vessel ran aground they could observeNantucket on the
radar on the12NM scale
Royal Majesty grounded about 17 miles west of intended route
Use all available means
The use of ECDIS does not relieve the

officer of the watch from his duty to use all
available means.
The ECDIS is a single unit that consolidates
several sensors and the navigation chart.
Any error in a sensor, the chart or the ECDIS
itself, may lead to a dangerous situation.
The officer of the watch should therefore
conduct regular checks of all connected
sensors, the back-up ECDIS and use sight
and hearing as well as all available means to
fix ships position and progress.

Sensor errors
The main sensor for your ECDIS is the EPFS.

The officer of the watch should familiarize him or
her self with the EPFS, know its menus and where
the antenna is located.
A quick check of the unit should include:
• Power on
• All cables and connectors appear OK
• Several satellites are being tracked, and they
have an OK value for SNR – (signal strength)
• The HDOP value is low – normal might be 0,5 –
3, high is any value above 4
• RAIM settings are OK and indicate safe
• (receiver autonomous integrity monitoring)
• Position is being updated every second
• Chart datum is set to WGS-84
• If DGPS is in use – the station in use is near by
• If DGPS is in use – corrections are being
received for most satellites

Sensor errors
Whenever considered safe, periodical tests should

be conducted, to demonstrate error modes and back-
up arrangements.
Turn your primary EPFS off
wait to see how long time it takes for any alarm
to trigger
see how the ECDIS reacts, what happens with
position fixing
With your primary EPFS in normal operation, block

the antenna entirely, by placing a bucket or similar
on top of the antenna.
See what happens with SNR, HDOP, RAIM
Wait to see how long time it takes for any alarm
to trigger
See how the ECDIS reacts, what happens with
position fixing
If a second EPFS is installed, also try the same on

this unit.

Sensor errors
Gyro input will control the alignment of the ship‘s

contour and heading marker, and may therefore
influence both ships position and what the officer of
the watch is expecting to see in different directions.
A simple check like steering towards (or taking the
bearing of ) a visual charted object will quickly
determine any errors.
Gyro and log input will together dictate the
direction and length of own ships vector.
If the difference between the two vectors (gyro-log
versus COG-SOG) are large, it should be
determined if this difference is due to ship‘s drift or
due to sensor error.

Chart errors
ENC charts are normally based on new surveys and

are always in WGS-84.
The ENC production is however new to most
countries and there have been a few instances where
ENC charts have contained errors and updates to
ENCs have been slower than updates to paper charts.
In any case, there might still be shallow areas that
have not been found yet, and due to sand drift,
silting, earth quakes, dropped objects, etc. depths
might have changed since they were last surveyed.
Route planning and navigation should preferably be
performed along the same tested shipping lanes and
with the same safety margins as in the days of the
paper chart
Your echo sounder is still a valuable tool to confirm
or challenge depth below keel.

ECDIS errors
Your ECDIS is an industrial type computer and has been

through tough testing for before being approved to be put
onboard a ship.
Even so, something might fail. A single component failure
may affect a single function or the whole ECDIS.
Most errors should be immediately obvious to the officer
of the watch, and also detected by the back-up ECDIS but
in rare occasions an almost invisible „freeze“ of the
computer might occur, and may go undetected for some
time.
There have also been events where duplicate units of other
marine equipment have had the same software fault
whereby they both stopped working at the same time.
It might be advisable to reboot ECDIS computers
periodically, with different re-boot times for main ECDIS
and back-up units.

Human errors
The change from paper chart based navigation to ECDIS is a

major shift.
Initial studies show that marine safety is in fact improved
with ECDIS. Even so, we will most likely see an ECDIS-
aided collision or grounding.
Only when a large group of ships is using ECDIS for primary
navigation will we see the full effect of the ECDIS on
navigational safety and the behavior of masters and officers.
The shipping industry should therefore remain humble,
investigate accidents and near misses properly and cooperate
closely with research projects and studies, ready to change
training, equipment design and procedures accordingly.
Each officer or Master should commit fully to the new
technology and take in all the benefits, while still maintaining
a hint of skepticism. New training and procedures should be
adopted and ample feedback be given to the company.
During planning and navigation he should always remain
focused on the overall goal of improved safety of life,
property and the environment. With all available means.

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ECDIS On Board

Extracts from TRANSAS presentations

Background and Legal history of ECDIS

• In 1995 the first IMO Resolution allowed ECDIS to be

• In July 2002 SOLAS Chapter 5 was amended and for the

• In June 2009 Amendments to SOLAS regulation V/19, to

Extracts from TRANSAS presentations

SOLAS Chapter V, Safety of Navigation

Regulation 19: Carriage requirement for

19.2.1.5: All ships irrespective of size shall have

*An appropriate folio of paper nautical charts may be used

Extracts from TRANSAS presentations

SOLAS Chapter V, Safety of

Regulation 27: Carriage requirement

Nautical charts and nautical publications,

Extracts from TRANSAS presentations

IMO ECDIS Performance Standard A817(19)

Electronic Chart Display and Information

Extracts from TRANSAS presentations

Time line for ECDIS mandatory carriage

New Passenger Ships >500gt

New Tankers >3000gt

New Cargo ships >10000gt

New Cargo ships >3000gt

Existing Passenger ships >500gt

Existing Tankers >3000gt

Existing Cargo >50000gt

Existing Cargo >20000gt

Existing Cargo >10000gt

Extracts from TRANSAS presentations

What is the difference between ECS and ECDIS

CAN BE USED AS AN usageCAN BE USED FOR

Typical System Layout

• A typical System Layout and

*Minimum sensors are required to be

Extracts from TRANSAS presentations

Conclusion of requirements to comply with SOLAS V/19 & 27

• Official documentation of type-approval

Extracts from TRANSAS presentations

Chart data format, origin, updating, legal status and usage

Data Origin Existence Data Updating Status of Regulatory

Extracts from TRANSAS presentations

Link between IMO, IHO and IEC

IMO IHO S-57

Training requirements for ECDIS

All navigation officers onboard are required to

Extracts from TRANSAS presentations

Rules and regulations connected to

Extracts from TRANSAS presentations

New ECDIS Standards

Extracts from TRANSAS presentations

New ECDIS Standards

Extracts from TRANSAS presentations

New ECDIS Standards

Extracts from TRANSAS presentations

Principal types of Electronic Charts

Vector charts – lines, areas, symbols, text placed in different layers,

Extracts from TRANSAS presentations

Different types of Electronic Charts