Electronic Chart Display and Information System

ECDIS (Electronic Chart Display and information system)

Electronic Chart (including charting systems for land or recreation use) is very broad term to describe the data, the software and the electronic system, capable of displaying chart information, which may or may not be equivalent to the paper chart required by IMO SOLAS.

ECDIS (S52 & S57) is an approved marine navigational chart and information system, which can be used and accepted as complying with the convention paper charts required by regulation V/20 of the 1974 IMO SOLAS Convention. The performance requirements for ECDIS are defined in the Performance Standard for ECDIS.

ENC (Electronic Navigational Chart) is the data base, standardized (S57)as to content, structure and format, issued for use with ECDIS on the authority of government authorized hydrographic offices. The ENC contains all the chart information necessary for safe navigation and may contain supplementary information in addition to that contained in the paper chart (e.g. sailing directions) which may be considered necessary for safe navigation

ECDIS is very useful to provide continuous position fixing if GPS is connected and navigation safety valuce can be pre-input to provide warning when close to dangers to navigation.