A Complete Guide To ECDIS-Summer 2011

Summer 2011
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contents
INTRODUCTION
CHART UPDATING
3 Time to learn from each other
40 Data compression aids data retrieval
UNDERSTANDING ECDIS
4 Answers to frequently asked questions
EXPERT OPINION
SWITCHOVER
42 Embracing the new way in navigation
REGULATIONS
7 Choosing the right ecdis

8 Ecdis equipment - lease or buy?
48 Meeting carriage requirements for ecdis

50 IMOs ecdis mandate
TRAINING
11 MCA advice to UK shipowners
12 Non-mandatory carriage
14 Insight from training research project
PREPARATION
54 It is time to prepare for ecdis carriage regulations
PROFILE
ECDIS IN ACTION
18 Dealing with the current shortcomings
22 The shipmanagers problems
PERSPECTIVE
56 In conversation with Thomas Gunn
CHART MANAGEMENT
58 Software to make data management easier
24 The pilots view of ecdis
DIRECTORY
SOLUTIONS
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
60 Ecdis equipment and service suppliers
Adveto
Da Gama
Ecdis Ltd
Japan Radio Co
Kelvin Hughes
Maris
Raytheon Anschtz
SCD (Charts and Publications)
Seagull
Totem Plus
Transas Marine
LAST WORD
62 Can we make it better?
THE JARGON
64 Abbreviations and acronyms
Summer 2011
NORTH AMERICA
39 Thomas Gunn bolsters its North American role
A Complete Guide to ECDIS is sponsored by

Thomas Gunn Navigation. While every care has
been taken in compiling this guide, the editor,
publisher and sponsor are not responsible for the
consequences of any errors and omissions.
sponsored by
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a complete guide to ECDIS I Summer 2011 I 1
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introduction
Alan Welcome
Ecdis: time to
build on industry
experience
elcome to the second edition of

Marine Electronics & Communications
A Complete Guide to Ecdis. This
year we are focusing on implementation and
practical matters.
We are privileged to have contributions from
those with hands on experience of planning and
managing the migration from paper charts to ecdis
in a variety of shipping environments.
While there are a number of common threads,
it is clear that a successful outcome requires a
bespoke approach. Historically, the industry at
large has demonstrated that it is not too good at
this sort of thing but it must not resort to its normal
default position of ignoring mandatory equipment
issues until the last minute. Ecdis will become the
primary navigation tool for the majority of Solas
ships and it is simply too important to be treated in
an ad hoc fashion.
aren Kruse from Nordic Tankers and

Alasdair Ireland from V.Ships share their
experiences of implementing ecdis ahead
of mandatory carriage requirements, while Captain
David Elliot from Arklow Shipping provides an
insight into the rationale and practicalities of a
voluntary, non-mandatory ecdis programme.
This is certainly a situation in which it pays to
share knowledge and experience by any practical
means; everyone gains from spreading safety
critical information as widely as possible.
It was encouraging to see the level of
engagement at the Ecdis Revolution Conference
in London last year, though it was sobering to
register the degree of uncertainty and confusion
that remains in some areas. Events such as this,
along with increasing online interaction, suggest
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that more industry players are getting to grips

with the ecdis challenge, sharing their worries,
problems and solutions. Nevertheless, as we all
know, management and operational standards
vary dramatically between shipping companies
and there can be little doubt that as the ecdis
rollout progresses, a heavy burden will fall on
flag states and port state control to ensure safe
compliance in fact as well as in the letter of the law.
nvariably, when any aspect of ecdis is under

discussion, it does not take long before training
is identified as a key and possibly defining
factor. After all, it is generally agreed that ecdis
as presently constituted is far from perfect and
not necessarily always particularly intuitive
or user friendly. Consequently, it is vital that
operators understand not only how to operate their
equipment; they must fully appreciate both the
general limitations of ecdis and also the particular
quirks of the make and model of ecdis they are
using. Opinions vary as to the appropriate nature
and level of training required and how it should
be delivered. But while we may debate how the
ideal arrangement might look, it must be accepted
that training hundreds of thousands of bridge
personnel over the next seven years will prove
intensely challenging, especially as the demand for
training will show significant spikes around major
implementation dates.
In terms of equipment supply and training
provision there is everything to be said for making
ecdis arrangements well ahead of your mandatory
carriage date. When it comes to safety critical
systems, its not such a good idea to be involved in
the marine equivalent of last-minute shopping at
the filling station on Christmas Eve. ECDIS
understanding ecdis
Frequently asked
questions about Ecdis
What does ecdis stand for?
Electronic chart display and information system.
Ecdis displaying ENCs (see below) are recognised
under Solas regulations as being capable of meeting
the chart carriage requirements for international
shipping. Therefore if flag state approved, and
unlike any other electronic charts, the systems may
be used as the primary sources of navigational
information in place of paper charts.
Is ecdis training mandatory?
It has always been considered clear that under
STCW 95 ecdis systems are deemed to be included in
the term charts. Therefore it follows that if ecdis is
used as a chart the user must demonstrate the same
degree of knowledge and competency concerning
the use of ecdis as a user of a conventional chart
must demonstrate in chart competency.
The recent Manila amendments to STCW 95 have
confirmed this interpretation and provided details of
the training required. Nevertheless, it is interesting
to compare the time and effort currently invested in
training for traditional chartwork with the short time
stipulated for ecdis training. Traditional chartwork
remains vitally important but as ecdis progressively
becomes the default navigation display system it
seems sensible that the balance of initial training
should be adjusted to recognise this fact.
What are the requirements for ecdis training?
IMO approved a standardised model course for
ecdis training on the operational use of ecdis in 1999
(IMO course 1.27). This course is offered by approved
training institutions and maritime academies. This is
termed generic training and covers legal aspects and
requirements while highlighting the dangers of over
reliance on the technology. Students receive a wideranging, albeit brief, introduction to subjects, including
the presentation of data, the various functions
available, errors in display and interpretation, and
ecdis back-up. Type-specific ecdis training is also
4 I a complete guide to ECDIS I Summer 2011
required so that students will be familiar with the

equipment they actually encounter on board. This is
generally, but not exclusively, provided by equipment
manufacturers. The MCA has recently issued guidance
on the subject of ecdis training please see page 11.
What are ENCs?
Electronic navigational charts. These are official
vector charts that conform to the specifications of
the International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO)
and that are issued by or on behalf of a national
hydrographic authority. ENCs are fully compliant with
the IHO product standard. IHO member nations are
responsible for producing ENCs of their own waters
and updating them with all safety-critical information.
What is a RENC?
A regional ENC co-ordinating centre. To ensure
uniformity in the format and distribution of ENCs, the
IHO created a principle called WEND, or Worldwide
Electronic Navigational Database. WEND anticipated
that each major geographical area of the world would
have its own RENC. Each ENC-producing nation
would send its data to the local RENC, which would
be responsible for validating and distributing the ENCs
to end-users. It hasnt quite worked out like that so far.
There are only two RENCs operating worldwide,
Primar-Stavanger in Norway and the UK-based
International Centre for ENCs (IC-ENC). However,
there are two RENC offices in the IC-ENC framework.
The UK Hydrographic Office runs the headquarters
office and the Australian Hydrographic Service
manages the second.
What are RNCs?
RNC stands for raster navigational chart, which is
a digitally scanned copy of an official paper chart.
RNCs can only be issued by or on the authority of
a national hydrographic office. RNCs may be used
in ecdis, most likely in areas where ENCs are not
yet available. However, if ecdis is using RNCs, this
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must be in conjunction with an appropriate folio of

up-to-date paper charts.
How are ENCs kept up to date?
In common with paper charts, ENCs (and RNCs)
must be kept corrected by notices to mariners issued
by hydrographic offices. This is achieved by applying
regular update information to the chart data via a
data file.
The update file may be transferred wirelessly
or by a suitable medium such as a CD. The
updating process is automatic although ecdis has
the capability for manual updating. This can be
employed if the digital update is not available.
What is a VAR?
A value added reseller. RENCs appoint VARs
to act as specialist distributors, developing their
own services revolving around ENCs. VARs will
generally include additional complementary
electronic products, providing these tailored services
through their own distribution networks.
What are MIOs?
Marine information overlays. These provide
additional information for ecdis that is not contained
in the ENCs. MIOs provide valuable supplementary
information not regarded as critical for navigation.
What is ECS?
Electronic chart system. An ECS is any arrangement
of hardware and software for displaying electronic
charts that is not a fully compliant ecdis which
is approved for navigation on a specific ship by
the appropriate flag state authority. When a vessel
operates with ECS the paper charts remain the official
basis for navigation, so the vessel must retain and use
a full folio of up-to-date paper charts on board.

Nevertheless if a shipping company provides an
ECS for use on board, it has a duty to ensure that the
officers are competent in its operation even though
it is not the primary means of navigation.
How do I obtain ag state certication?
Flag states differ in their approach. The best advice
is to contact your flag state at an early stage to
ensure that you understand its specific requirements
and to confirm that the equipment you plan to use is
acceptable. As things stand, it is necessary to obtain
a certificate of equivalency to allow ecdis to be used
to fulfil the Solas chart carriage requirement. The
certificate shows that the vessel has a type-approved
ecdis fitted in accordance with IMO requirements
and that it is provided with an approved backup system. There will also be crew training and
documentary requirements such as SMS to fulfil.
When must I have approved ecdis on my ship?
An amendment to Solas chapter V regulation 19.2 states
that ships on international voyages must be fitted with
ecdis according to the following timetable (below).
Where can I nd relevant regulations and
ofcial advice?
Until recently this has generally not been so
easy, but you can now take advantage of www.
ECDISregs.com. Its stated mission is to provide
a full, free-to-access library of publications and
documentation of regulations pertaining to
ecdis and related subjects. It also offers an ecdis
regulations notification service. ECDIS
Ships may be exempt if taken out of service within
two years of the relevant implementation date
TIMETABLE FOR ECDIS CARRIAGE REQUIREMENTS

Ship type
Size
New ship
Passenger ships
500gt
1 July 2012
No later than first survey after 1 July 2014
Tankers
3,000gt
1 July 2012
Dry cargo ships
50,000gt
1 July 2013
20,000gt (new ships)

20-50,000gt (existing ships
1 July 2013
10,000gt (new ships)

10,000-20,000gt (existing ships
1 July 2013
3,000-10,000gt
1 July 2014
No retrofit requirements to existing ships <10,000gt
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choosing hardware expert opinion
Shopping for ecdis

Ecdis should deliver safer navigation and ease
the workload. But your choice of equipment will
have a marked bearing on the extent to which these
benefits are delivered.
Will the system interface with the other bridge
equipment? The ability to copy co-ordinates from
Navtex, for example, is invaluable when plotting
temporary areas. The ease of use and the transfer
ow do you go about buying ecdis for your
functionality contribute to the safety of navigation.
ships? First of all you must learn your
Remember that ecdis is no more than an aid to
subject well and get to grips with the
navigation. Navigators must develop the routine
requirements of your flag state and the ports your
of regularly checking and verifying the vessels
vessels may visit.
position and progress. The standard requires some
When it comes to purchasing hardware, does it
provision of the necessary navigation tools, but what
matter which make and model you choose? After
is it like to use them? How effective is your chosen
all, they are all type approved. Probably much
ecdis as a platform for non-GNSS navigation? How
more than you think, because the performance
do you lay off compass bearings and cross them
standards against which ecdis are tested represent
with radar ranges? Would you be comfortable
a minimum level of performance and functionality.
repeating that process every 15 minutes? If not, will
So, although all type approved products are
your sea-going staff want to be bothered?
acceptable in the regulatory sense, they are
Ecdis can make life easier, but if the software is
certainly not equal.
badly designed, navigators will not be at ease with
Find opportunities to obtain hands-on experience
it. The performance standards specify what must be
and compare a range of products. Reading
done but not how to do it.
manufacturers brochures is not enough. Ecdis is
Speed is important and this is linked to hardware
important, safety-related equipment and should not
specification and future proofing. How quick is the
be purchased without proper consideration.
system when scrolling, zooming and loading new
Investigate the extent to which a system is
charts? The performance standard requires these
future-proofed. How easily can the hardware and
functions to be delivered in less than 5 seconds,
software be upgraded? Ecdis are essentially desktop
but that is slow! Imagine counting slowly to five
computers, so bring your relevant
in a critical navigational situation.
experience to bear on the technical
Is the hardware specification
specification, and remember how
sufficient to allow the software to
often you find the need to upgrade
process the high volume of data
computers at home and in the office.
that the system may be required
Consider the medium term
to display? A slow system is a
commercial viability of the
dangerous system.
manufacturer. If the company
Find out how long it takes to
folds and upgrades cease, your
undertake chart updates. Is there
ecdis may not be able to respond
an option for direct SENC updates?
to regulatory changes and so
Some systems take hours while
its ability to satisfy flag state
others take minutes. Time, effort
Mike Pearsall: ecdis should
requirements could be lost with
and money invested at this stage
not be purchased without
potentially serious flag and port
will repay handsomely in the long
proper consideration
state control implications.
run. ECDIS
Mike Pearsall, business development

manager with training and
consultancy company Ecdis Ltd,
offers some expert advice to those
tasked with selecting ecdis hardware
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expert opinion: choosing hardware
Is it best to rent or buy?

Leasing ecdis equipment may be
the best way to ensure continued
compliance while avoiding unpleasant
surprises, Andy Norris suggests
the need for continued compliance, Dr Norris says he

can see it leading to problems. Consider the situation
if a software upgrade cannot effectively be handled
by the existing hardware. This is something we are
all familiar with in our offices and homes, but for
onboard safety critical equipment it is a more serious
matter. Will it be necessary to buy a new ecdis or will
it be possible to replace the outdated and inadequate
internal hardware?
Neither solution is easy or cheap, and you
would need to consider whether upgrading internal
hardware may lead to issues with continuity of your
equipments type approval. Even so, the type approval
issues are unlikely to be insurmountable and this
approach could deliver a cost effective means of
extending a units useful life.
While shipowners can do their best to future-proof
by sourcing well specified systems, that can only help
to a limited extent and the expense and logistical
challenges of an unforeseen fleet refit or upgrade
would be unwelcome at the very least. Furthermore,
a difficult situation would arise if the manufacturer of
your ecdis equipment went out of business. Deprived
of support and upgrades, your expensive investment
could quickly become unviable.
One way of addressing such problems, suggests
Dr Norris, would be to move to a business model
in which shipping companies lease their ecdis
hardware, rather than purchasing it outright as is
generally the case at present. That way all hardware
and software upgrades remain
the responsibility of the supplier
and come as part of the package,
removing the danger of unexpected,
unplanned costs. Whats more, a
well organised leasing company
should be able plan and manage
upgrade activity in such a way as
to incur the minimum of shipboard
disruption. ECDIS
nyone under the impression that the move

to ecdis involves a one time fit and forget
transaction could not be further from
the truth, according to Andy Norris. Ecdis must
operate with ENC data prepared to International
Hydrographic Organisation (IHO) standards. These
standards can be subject to changes which in turn
require updates to ecdis software in order for it to
continue to function correctly.
Some older systems may still be unable to
display archipelagic sea lanes and particularly
sensitive sea areas because the IMO requirement to
do so was introduced after they came into service.
In fact this change in standards served to highlight
the problem and in consequence IMO issued a
safety of navigation circular (SN1/circ 266) requiring
manufacturers to provide a mechanism to ensure
that their software maintenance arrangements are
adequate. Not surprisingly, this requirement was
incorporated in the latest, 2008 version of the type
approval standards.
Furthermore, the circular leaves no doubt about the
legal importance of the matter, noting that if an ecdis
is not updated for the latest version
of the IHO standards, it may not meet
the Solas chart carriage requirements.
This functionality will certainly be
put to the test in a few years time with
the eventual introduction of the new
IHO data standard S-101, planned to
replace the existing S-57 standard. In
addition to delivering a major revision
to existing ecdis software it could
well find some systems insufficiently
powerful to run the upgrade in a Dr Andy Norris: ecdis equipment
must be able to accommodate
satisfactory manner.
amendments to standards
While he appreciates and supports
Dr Andy Norris is the author of

Ecdis and Positioning, published
by the Nautical Institute
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training
Type-specific training is
still a tricky problem
Training guidance has been
published by the UKs Maritime and
Coastguard Agency
arine information note (MIN) 405,

published by the UKs MCA, sets out
to clarify acceptable forms and levels of
ecdis training for personnel on UK-flagged vessels
which have ecdis as their primary means of
navigation. It makes no reference to ecdis training
for pilots, but you can find information on that
subject on page 24 of this guide.
The master and all navigational officers of
such UK-flagged vessels are required to have
completed both generic and ship-specific
equipment ecdis training. Generic training is
fairly straightforward as it must be delivered via
an officially approved method.
Completion of any one of the following,
together with reference to MIN 405, should satisfy
port state control officers that the holder meets
the required ecdis generic training requirements:
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course (operational or management) completed
after 1 January 2005
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(second 2004 or subsequent edition)
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ecdis course 1.27, approved by the MCA
DQ HFGLV SURJUDPPH EDVHG RQ WKH ,02 PRGHO
ecdis course 1.27, approved by the maritime
administration of an EU member state.
MCA says ecdis ship-specific equipment training
should relate to the ecdis equipment actually fitted
to a ship, so it will be necessary to undertake such
training for each different system an individual is
required to operate.
This training should build on the MCA-approved
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MIN 405 will apply to training for the Sperry Marine

bridge system on UK-flagged ropax, Spirit of Britain
generic training. It should be delivered by the

equipment manufacturer, its approved agent or a
trainer who has attended such a programme. Trickle
down training, one officer training another and so on,
is not acceptable because it results in an incomplete
transfer of knowledge of the equipments capabilities.
There is no MCA approval system for shipspecific equipment training and MIN 405 does
not specify exactly how it should be delivered. It
appears to be up to manufacturers and trainers
to develop solutions, which could include CBT or
onboard training, and demonstrate that they are
fit for purpose. This still leaves matters less than
perfectly clear for UK shipowners seeking to employ
ecdis as the primary means of navigation.
Paul Hailwood, director, Hailwood Consultancy,
has particular expertise in assisting shipping
companies with the transition to ecdis and
integrated navigation systems. He says, I believe
that type-specific training should be approved by the
manufacturer. Taking the example of a UK-flagged
ship; when the shipowner approaches the MCA to
discuss an application to operate with ecdis as the
primary means of navigation, I would expect the
shipowner to identify type-specific training for each
officer with a signed and approved certificate from
the ecdis manufacturer. This is significantly different
from onboard familiarisation training conducted
between the officers. ECDIS
training
Arklows fleet features 18 fully ecdis compliant vessels
Early adoption increases

safety and efficiency
A forward looking shipping company
reaps the benefits of its voluntary
ecdis roll-out
n terms of its attitude to ecdis, Arklow Shipping

demonstrates an unusually pro-active approach.
Founded in 1966, the company has built up a
fleet of modern single deck, box hold, and container
fitted general cargo vessels ideally suited for the
carriage of fertilisers, grain, steel, aggregates, china
clay, wood pulp, coal and chemicals, among others.
Currently the fleet of 41 vessels, ranging from
3,000 to 14,500 dwt, operates mainly within northern
Europe but the company is gearing up to trade
further afield.
What sets Arklow apart from the herd is that
although none of its vessels fall under the scope
of mandatory ecdis carriage, it already has 18 fully
ecdis compliant vessels sailing without a full folio
of paper charts and the intention is to add five more
ecdis equipped vessels during 2011.
Arklows marine superintendent, David Elliot,
says there are good strategic and practical reasons
for adopting this policy.
In 2004 the company embarked on a
newbuilding programme, intended both to replace
older tonnage and also to increase the size of
the fleet. Our owners wanted the newbuildings

equipped to meet regulatory requirements up to
2020. E-navigation and ecdis were factored in as
likely future requirements.
On the practical side, manning levels in our fleet
range between seven and 10 crew and our vessels
average between four and five cargoes per month.
Our crews deal with a high workload and meeting
the ILO hours of rest requirements is a major
exercise in time management. We recognise the
value of technology that can reduce that workload
while delivering enhanced navigational safety.
Capt Elliot acknowledges that the manageable
size and nature of the company and the stability of
its personnel act in its favour when implementing
ecdis, particularly in the vital matter of delivering
effective training.
Training is crucial, not just for the crew but also
for relevant members of the management structure
ashore. To achieve a smooth transition from paper
charts to ecdis it is essential that key shore staff
receive appropriate training.
The ISM code puts the responsibility on
shipowners and operators to ensure that personnel
are given appropriate training and familiarisation
with their duties prior to sailing, while the STCW
convention requires navigating officers to possess a
thorough knowledge and ability to use navigational
charts. That applies as much to ecdis-running
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ENCs as it does to paper charts.

handovers at sea. He says that although this
Initial generic training does not present any
inevitably eats into leave periods, dedicated staff
particular problems for Arklow, but it is vital
accept the need to make this sacrifice to ensure the
that this is followed by effective type-specific
continued safe operation of their vessels.
training. In the early stages of the companys
Paper charts must be retained on board until
ecdis implementation, type-specific training was
everyone associated with the vessel is competent
necessarily carried out ashore, but now the policy
and confident with the ecdis fit. For our first ecdis
is to provide it on board, and with good reason. To
equipped vessel we kept paper charts on board
be really useful, type-specific training must include
for six months, but this has been progressively
familiarisation with the actual, onboard hardware
reduced and now we are down to, typically, six to
installation. All the hardware issues we have
eight weeks.
experienced have been with simple matters such
It doesnt end there, because whenever a
as loose wires. It is important to have the practical
superintendent or training officer visits a vessel,
knowledge to deal with these glitches. Overall,
the ecdis and onboard procedures are checked
he says, the system rarely fails and if it does it the
for proper operation. Furthermore, superintendents
problem can generally be traced to improper use.
make check voyages to observe the standard of
Capt Elliot says that ideally there should be
navigation on board.
common ecdis equipment across a fleet and this
Capt Elliot says he is well aware of reported
was one aspect of the implementation plan. In
accidents and incidents attributed wholly or in part
practice, and for a variety of reasons there are two
to the use of ecdis and ECS. He says that in virtually
systems in use but he says the crews have adapted
all cases it is not the equipment but rather its
well. Even so, the company aims to avoid chopping
improper use that resulted in bad outcomes and this
crews between vessels with different systems.
just reinforces his determination to deliver proper,
Furthermore, crews also have to adapt to changes
effective training and monitored performance.
resulting from system software upgrades.
Approval of the training plan is just one aspect of
With regards to the onboard changeover from
the consultation process with the flag state regarding
paper to ecdis, he says it is vital to recognise
an application to sail without paper charts. There is
and respect the different rates at which people
plenty more to do including a significant revision
become familiar with the technology and
of ISM in the light of the move from paper to ecdis,
accept that this variation can be considerable.
including crew familiarisation records, performing
Thoughtful deployment of navigation officers
and recording of passage planning, route validation
can help with this process, which becomes easier
and scrutiny, the portfolio of cell licences and
as you approach critical mass with trained and
updating chart cells.
experienced personnel.
Capt Elliot concedes that ecdis is not perfect. In
Not surprisingly the younger ones are quicker
particular he notes that the lack of standardisation
to adapt and so we find that mixing
is a particular problem when
young second mates with older
integrating a pilot into the bridge
masters works well. And it works
team. Pilots cannot be expected to
both ways. While the older, sceptical
be familiar with all available systems,
masters learn to operate and
so I support the idea of a common
appreciate the system, they pass on
HMI such as S-mode.
their innate caution to the younger
Overall he says, for Arklow
personnel, teaching them to trust
Shipping,
implementing
and
nothing in isolation and to check
embracing ecdis has been and
and check again.
continues to be a very positive
We do whatever is necessary
development. Our crews like
Capt David Elliot: Training
to ensure that our masters are
it, it enhances the safety of our
is crucial for crew and
comfortable and confident with
operations, and we see genuine cost
shore managers
ecdis. This can involve extended
savings. ECDIS
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training
Research seeks to plot a

course for better training
Many shipowners appear to be
reluctant to invest in ecdis training,
according to research carried out by
Capt Zakirul Bhuiyan, senior lecturer
in marine simulation at Warsash
Maritime Academy
or all its advantages, ecdis is only as

effective as its operator. IMOs mandatory
carriage requirements for ecdis have created
a challenge for the shipping industry to provide
good quality ecdis training in order to deliver
competent operators.
In view of the urgent importance of effective
ecdis training, I have conducted a research project
to investigate the need to improve ecdis training
for merchant ship navigators. The research has two
main objectives: to assess the adequacy of the ecdis
training currently provided, and to determine ways
of improving the current ecdis training in line with
future requirements.
Research data was collected from a questionnaire
completed by 149 serving navigating officers of
various ranks attending professional courses at a
maritime institute. I also used 11 structured interviews
to gather the views of professionals directly or
indirectly involved in deck officer training on board
and ashore, including maritime college lecturers,
shipping company managers and surveyors.
70 per cent of responding students have used
some form of electronic chart systems on board,
including approved and non approved charts. Only
18 per cent had sailed with ecdis as the primary
means of navigation and 9 per cent were confused
about the difference between ecdis and ECS.
65 per cent of the participants had received
some form of ecdis training, but the results indicate
interesting views as to how and why it was
provided. When joining vessels equipped with ecdis
Capt Zakirul Bhuiyan: not all training providers follow

the suggested length of the IMO model course
for the first time, 52 per cent said they had picked
up the training on board after joining the vessel (ie,
essentially unstructured, on-the-job).
33 per cent of the generic training holders had
received this training as a part of their certificate of
competency, although at the time of survey, it was
not a direct requirement of the STCW 95 code (the
Manila amendments to the STCW convention and
code will change this situation).
25 per cent received training from the ecdis
operator course, normally following the IMO model
course. 24 per cent received training in accordance
with the requirements of their companys ISM
code. 47 per cent of students said their training was
approved by the administration, 21 per cent said it
was not, while 32 per cent were not sure about the
status of their training.
The research showed that the suggested length
of the IMO model course is not always followed
by training providers, while equipment-specific
training lacks guidelines or regulations and there is
no regulatory body to draw guidelines on the typespecific training performance standards.
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There is no harmonised training available

worldwide with different countries carrying out
training using their own interpretation of the
requirements. Although the duration of the IMO
recommended model course 1.27 is 40 hours, in
practice most of the current ecdis courses include
only 20 to 24 hours of training, in order to reduce
the costs. Research also shows that the courses are
normally poorly defined with no consideration for
the definition of the appropriate equipment.
When students were asked for suggestions, 42
per cent of them stated that the practical part of the
training should be extended in the course and 30
per cent felt the familiarisation of the equipment
needs more time. Encouragingly, 79 per cent believe
all deck officers should get proper training before
serving on a paperless ship and 77 per cent said
more training is essential to become competent and
confident to serve on a paperless vessel.
Regarding students practical onboard
experience, 42 per cent commented that ecdis
often or always causes information overload. This
overload on operators is quite alarming, as ecdis
should be used for the best information display. This
can only be achieved when the ecdis settings are
properly configured.
When using ecdis, navigators should be able to
recognise the optimised navigational information
required in any situation including effective
management of the alarm system, safety settings
and integrity of the system.
About 70 per cent of participants had very poor
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understanding of ecdis back up arrangements, even

though its role should be defined very clearly in the
safety management system (SMS). When questioned
further, 78 per cent commented that risk assessment
was not included in the training courses they had
undertaken. About 46 per cent of students said
that ecdis alarm management was not included in
their training.
88 per cent agreed or strongly agreed that over
reliance on ecdis has contributed to some recent
marine accidents. Furthermore, ecdis can become
more of a liability than a benefit if watch officers are
unfamiliar with the systems in use, or are confused
by the information presented.
The survey indicated that operational guidance
on ecdis was provided on 91 per cent of the
participants vessels, which shows a positive
attitude to safety management. However, the actual
effectiveness of these guidelines is an area which
requires further study.
On the subject of ecdis and GPS, 86 per cent
of survey participants said that GPS can be relied
upon, indicating that ecdis users are confident
about the reliability of GPS. But this result also
demonstrates that in many cases mariners have not
been made fully aware of the dangers of placing
total and absolute reliance on GPS for the safe
navigation of their vessels. GPS is not infallible; it
is susceptible to interference and loss of accuracy
(for example in piracy areas). It is quite possible for
large errors caused by an unhealthy satellite to go
undetected for many hours which may be further
training
A bridge simulator is a valuable ecdis training tool
aggravated by jamming and spoofing.

The transition from paper chart navigation to
paperless ecdis navigation will require emphasis
throughout an officers training period. A full
integration of ecdis training is needed within the
professional certificate structure. Organisational
policy should establish the training standards with
which ships officers must comply. A risk assessment
procedure including what if type questions and
quality control guidelines should be available on
board and ashore for each ship. It is essential that
masters, navigating officers and shipowners raise
their level of ecdis awareness.
It is evident from the research that all training
professionals agree on the need to incorporate
detailed assessment procedures in the training to
determine whether a certificate can be awarded.
78 per cent of participants believe that ecdis
training should be a part of continuous professional
development, although some of the interviewees
argued that if officers are continuously using ecdis
they do not require refresher courses and navigators
learn more from practical experience with the
equipment than they do in college.
The speed at which modern technology is
developing may mean that those who have not
attended an academic training course in, say, the
past 5 years, ought to receive refresher training on
all modern equipment, including ecdis. More to the
point, ecdis trainers should themselves be required
to attend refresher courses at least every 5 years in
order to maintain up-to-date knowledge and ensure
that they are complying with the legal aspects and
the implementation of the appropriate standards.
Regarding ecdis equipment itself, 85 per cent
of students and the majority of interviewees are in

favour of a harmonised approach from the different
manufacturers. With so many makes and models
available, generic training can only advise students
of the functions available and that somewhere in the
menu system those functions can be found. Without
some form of harmonisation, officers will need to
top up with type-specific training throughout their
careers as they change between vessels fitted with
different systems.
In my opinion, the best option for addressing this
problem is the idea of Standard mode on every bridge
in the future. When it is pressed each component
would return to a default display with which every
operator is familiar. The whole concept of developing
S-mode is to produce a common recognisable set of
controls. The first stage in the development will be
an initial study of user requirements, followed by the
creation of a few working models for simulator trials
around the world involving practicing mariners.
Such harmonisation will be an advantage for
pilots and navigators changing ship or company.
Furthermore, it might concentrate innovation on the
needs and capabilities of the ecdis operators and make
new technology solutions more user-friendly. A regular
review of harmonisation standards should ensure that
the latest innovations are taken into account.
Many shipowners appear to be reluctant to
invest in training, adopting the attitude that the
navigators will be trained by using the equipment.
This is unsatisfactory and grossly inadequate. The
additional expenses of travel, accommodation and
the attendees unavailability for work are a major
drawback for many ship operators. Due to the
officer shortage, promotion occurs more quickly;
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less experienced officers tend to make more mistakes

causing more hazardous situations. Onboard officers
retention rates are in decline in many companies, as
manning agents are engaged in wage warfare in an
attempt to lure officers.
However, adequate training prevents incidents
and accidents and gives the crew the confidence
to operate equipment competently and handle
emergencies effectively. Training costs should be
seen as an inescapable long-term investment that
will contribute towards future profits.
The absolute responsibility for enforcing the IMO
ecdis carriage and training requirements will remain
with the flag states. A voluntary audit system may be
considered in the future, which would then provide
guidelines to address the training shortcomings.
In my view the governments of many developing
countries often lack the resources and expertise
to implement measures with the same speed as
developed countries. IMO should address this
imbalance by assessing the needs of countries and
matching them to expertise, funding and training,
which may be made available by donor countries.
One of the important measures that should be
considered in the future by port state control is the
adoption of more focused attention during ship
inspections towards the validation of ecdis training
levels. The global nature of PSC is ideal for delivering
standardisation to the process. However, the PSC

officers also require proper ecdis training. Moreover,
the quality of deck officers training should be
monitored during ISM internal and external audits.
Open ecdis forums such as the Nautical Institute
ecdis forum are worthwhile in maintaining ecdis
training and knowledge and provide a valuable
platform for the exchange of ideas.
Finally, the research highlighted the importance
of cross checking ecdis information with input from
other sensors, most importantly a visual lookout,
as the human eye is the most valuable tool at a
navigators disposal. It is important to stress that ecdis
will be a valuable asset in assisting the navigating
officer to allow more time to keep a lookout and
provide improved situational awareness.
The research contains an element of bias as it
has been carried out at a training provider and the
interviews were conducted in the UK; so it cannot
be assumed that the responses would be mirrored
elsewhere. This limitation is addressed by a
recommendation for further research, perhaps
involving sea-going deck officers internationally.
Moreover, a qualitative study of the new
proposed IMO ecdis model course is vital to
harmonise training. This will help to achieve an
improved and universally acceptable ecdis training
structure. ECDIS
TYPE OF ECDIS TRAINING RECEIVED

40%
ECDIS training received
percentage of resposes
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
generic training
equipment specific
Part of CoC
ECDIS
operator
training
flagstate
requirement
32%
25%
6%
16%
by
manufacturer
company
requirement
other
24%
13%
22%
36%
26%
Results from a recent survey conducted by Warsash

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ecdis in action
Companies must take

ecdis seriously
Karen Kruse, marine superintendent
with Nordic Tankers, offers valuable
advice based on the implementation
of ecdis across a large tanker fleet
cdis is here to stay, despite gaps and

flaws in the IMO standards, flag state
requirements, the equipment itself and
training arrangements. Companies must take the
matter seriously and identify and address these
shortcomings in creating usable fleet solutions to
reduce the risks as far as reasonably practicable.
There is no simple way to achieve this; the task
will be dynamic and never-ending as equipment
and rules develop and change, but when the basics
are in place, building on top and revising procedures
will be much easier.
In my opinion, the three most hazardous
shortcomings of the IMO standards relate to
essential sensor inputs, safety parameter settings
and safety contour settings. The IMO standard only
requires that ecdis should be connected to systems
providing continuous position-fixing, heading and
speed information. All other sensor inputs/layers
are optional.
I highly recommend that the radar overlay
should be provided, not least because it provides
an independent means of checking the ecdis
when sailing in coastal areas. If the GPS signal or
input fails it will be quickly detected by the user,
independently of any alarm generated. However, it
must be ensured that the same conning position is
used for both ecdis and radar setup otherwise the
overlay could show discrepancies.
I also recommend the Navtex/T&P notice
overlay to ensure that the vessel can monitor
all relevant Navtex/T&Ps on its route and
that redundant warnings and notices will be
automatically deleted.
Echo sounder input allows the system to

generate an alarm for the minimum depth value
based on actual sounder data (minimum UKC
allowed). If the echo sounder input is not supplied
then the system can only give an alarm based on
depths in the ENC chart.
The ships position is invariably delivered
by GPS, but whenever possible, a second
independent positioning method of a different
type should be provided.
In the absence of two distinct position fixing
systems, I recommend that two GPS units should
be connected directly to both independent ecdis
units. The GPS signals will then show as primary/
secondary position on the ecdis and the systems
will be able to monitor and generate an alarm on
GPS discrepancies set by the operator. Otherwise
the ecdis can only give an alarm if the single GPS
signal fails.
I also recommend the use of the AIS overlay,
although radars complying to the latest standards
already have this facility. VDR must be connected
to the ecdis to provide maximum functionality in
the event of an incident.
Nordic Tankers fleet uses Transas ecdis systems

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The serious problem with

As far as practicable, install the
safety parameter settings and antisame make and type of equipment
grounding alarms is that there is
across the fleet. It will then be easier
no common terminology across the
and more affordable to negotiate
various makes of ecdis. This creates
better service agreements and
confusion in the fleet if a number of
create good general procedures.
different types of ecdis are installed
Ensure the ecdis can be connected
on various vessels. For example, the
to all the navigational sensors/
operator selected ahead and lateral
layers you choose as a company
distances required to activate
standard. Investigate whether
the other safety parameter/anti
software upgrades will be
grounding settings are variously
developed for your equipment. A
Karen Kruse: Radar overlay
known as safety domain, safety
good supplier will have an annual
should be provided
zone, safety frame and safety ring.
service agreement.
Furthermore the extent to which
Ensure equipment is approved
this parameter can be adjusted is not consistent
according to the IMO standards if in doubt contact
between makers.
your classification society. Class needs to approve
Lack of consistency is also the problem when we
the ecdis equipment and this will be stated on
consider the safety aspects of depth contours. Values
the cargo ship safety equipment certificate. Some
for these can only be chosen from a limited range of
flag states also require a special ecdis flag state
depth values and they are not handled uniformly
certificate. Decide on the bridge layout, ensuring the
on ecdis equipment. This is important because a
master ecdis is easily accessible, close to the radars
company needs to have a procedure covering the
and other bridge equipment.
most critical settings such as safety depth, shallow
All deck officers must attend an ecdis IMO model
contour, safety contour plus alarm and deep contour.
course before signing on. The company must also
After all, the whole basic ENC picture presentation
establish a training procedure for the office based
is dependent on how these parameters are set up.
supporting staff. If you can find an IMO model
Vessels should not be allowed to use less than a four
course that uses your suppliers equipment then
colour display setting. This lack of flexibility and
this provides both the generic ecdis course and the
consistency can result in a confusing and unhelpful
ship-specific course. Some suppliers provide IMO
situation for vessels with marginal draughts faced
model courses, but be aware that the standard of
with a limited choice of depth contours. These are
these varies despite fulfilling the IMO requirements.
the sort of issues that a diligent company must
Decide how you will supply type specific training.
address when implementing ecdis.
Choose how you want to receive ENCs and
While it is impossible to create an ecdis
weekly updates. This depends on your vessels
implementation checklist that fits all companies, I
communication equipment. ENC cells are normally
have made some brief suggestions that I think may
ordered via e-mail and updates can be sent by
help in developing a bespoke checklist for an ecdis
the chart supplier weekly via the communication
implementation programme.
system or by CD. To receive the weekly ENC updates
Form a company group with competent members
via the communication system you normally need
who can deal with the whole implementation
have some kind of software program (unless this
process so someone is responsible for all steps.
feature is integrated in the ecdis) installed on the
Make sure both deck and technical departments
bridge computer connected to the communication
are represented.
system, which should be provided with an antiMake a full management of change plan for
virus program.
the whole process to risk assess the equipment,
You must identify a reliable ENC chart supplier
installation, sensor inputs, training and procedures.
offering a 24 hour service and implement solid
A risk assessment from the MCA can be used
procedures for ENC supply and updating. Check
(detailed risk assessment specimen).
whether the flag state has any specific requirements.
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ecdis in action
Currently ENC cells can be purchased in three

distinct ways.
These purchasing options must be evaluated to
determine which is the most economic in regards
to the vessels trading area. Once a contract is
negotiated it can be difficult to change the chart
system on board. Furthermore, change can create
confusion on board.
To avoid chart ordering failures, agree a
maximum budget for each chart order before
the company must be contacted. A vessel must
of course never be denied any charts if it needs
them. Consider your vessels trading areas to
make sure your chosen supplier will be able meet
its service obligations.
Do not remove the paper charts on board
before the system is completely up and running,
including the software program for weekly ENC
updates/ENC ordering. Before the paper charts
are removed, I recommend that a company auditor
goes on board to audit the navigators in the use of
the ecdis system and verify that everything is
working as it should.
Implement ecdis as critical equipment and
ensure the planned maintenance system (PMS)
is updated with the manufacturers maintenance
instructions and that these are followed. All ecdis
defects must be reported immediately to the
company, which must have procedures to address
and monitor their handling. Smaller problems
with chart upload or weekly updates can be
addressed directly to the chart suppliers help

desk with the company copied in. But again the
supporting office staff needs to know what they
are dealing with.
The company must supply an ecdis failure
flow chart, which should be posted on the bridge.
Normally the suppliers can provide such a
chart but it probably will not be aligned with
your companys safe navigational procedures.
However it can be used as a basis to create a
new, better chart. It must address the actions to
be taken by the company and the vessel in the
event of various levels of ecdis failure including
complete ecdis station failure.
All navigational procedures must be reviewed
and the best way to deal with this is to read
the IMO performance standards and the ecdis
manual. Then you should be able to detect
the weaknesses and flaws and identify what
to include. If you were to ask me my opinion
of the most vital ecdis procedures that should
be addressed, this would be my list: check/
use sensor inputs, safety parameters should be
described and defined to company standards,
check GPS discrepancies alarm and maximum
company tolerance, positioning on ecdis, layers
guidance (both the two SENC layers that can be
changed and external layers such as Navtex/
radar overlay), training, bridge familiarisation
and bridge take over checklists and charts
procedure. ECDIS
Nordic Helsinki went paperless when it became technically managed by Nordic Tankers in September 2010
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7
7
ecdis in action
V.Ships ecdis training suite in Odessa
Big is not always

beautiful for ecdis
V.Ships Alasdair Ireland explains
that a large organisation can gain
economy of scale benefits, but not
with regards to ecdis
he nature, scale and complexity of the task

facing those responsible for implementing
and managing ecdis across a fleet of ships is
influenced enormously by the context in which they
are operating.
V.Ships is a large organisation by any standards,
operating virtually every type of vessel on a global
basis. Alasdair Ireland, the head of seafarer training
with V.Ships Manpower Services describes the
organisational infrastructure through which ecdis
must be handled. We have two main types of office
to manage our fleets and seafarers. In the first place
there is a network of shipmanagement offices based
in traditional shipmanagement centres. Each office
has an MD and a structure to look after the vessels
under management for specific clients. In general
terms, these offices are located in similar regions to
our various shipowner clients.
Reporting to a head office in Glasgow, these

offices negotiate annual fees and, depending on
the nature of the management agreement, they will
purchase on behalf of the client but pass the costs
along. Therefore we may or may not be involved in
influencing or purchasing the ecdis equipment that
our seafarers will be required to operate. Naturally,
we would benefit from a commonality of equipment
across the fleets, but in practice we inevitably have to
deal with a wide range of ecdis makes and models.
While the management function may have remained
rooted in some of its traditional areas, the source of
V.Ships manpower supply has shifted dramatically.
Our manpower supply offices are based in the
emerging crew supply nations, Russia, the Baltic
states and the countries bordering the Black Sea,
including those of the former Soviet Union, India
and China. The largest is in Manila and, like the
shipmanagement offices, they also report to the head
office in Glasgow, but to a different chief executive,
said Mr Ireland.
These offices are responsible for seafarer recruitment
and mobilisation, ensuring that those nominated meet
the rank, experience matrix, training and certification
requirements of the receiving office and the vessel.
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He continued, So through the integration of

forthright view of the relevant issues.
two distinct, global office networks we provide
The standard of accreditation imposed by flag
varying levels of management services for around
administrations varies, just as in the quality of
1,000 ships, over 400 of which are under full
examinations for certificates of competency and
technical management. The seafarers in our pool
standards in port state control.
are not permanent employees. While this is cost
So we cannot control the quality of external
effective, it is not necessarily the best way to
training, even though an institution may be able to
engender long-term loyalty and it can introduce
offer evidence of accreditation. Based on a survey of
issues concerning retention.
all my training centres conducted last year, I know that
V.Ships employs around 7,000 deck officers, and
all the external provision we use attests to compliance
the typical contract length means that on average
with the IMO model course, yet some courses are as
it arranges 25 handovers every day in a continual,
short as 2.5 days, when the model suggests 40 hours
year round process.
over 5 days, half of which are live on a simulator.
As ecdis is progressively rolled out across
There is a quality assurance issue implicit in
our fleets, voluntarily or in response to mandated
reliance on external training solutions, compounded
carriage requirements, we have to ensure not only
by a proliferation of external providers, some clearly
that officers and masters have undertaken approved
jumping on the bandwagon, not all of which are able
generic ecdis training, but also that they receive typeto deliver to the level we would like. In addressing
specific familiarisation appropriate to the equipment
this we are developing our own training capacity at
fitted to their next ship.
our larger centres in Odessa and in Novorossiysk but
Mr Ireland says managers and owners can have
the reality is that we still have to look outside for the
differing perspectives and while responsible owners
greater part of our generic training.
can be persuaded to pay realistically for a quality
Type-specific familiarisation is a different matter. It
service, there is understandable scrutiny and hard
relates to the seafarers next vessel and that is a factor
negotiation both when fees are set, and throughout the
that may not be decided until relatively late in the day.
management period. Furthermore, faced with a raft of
With such a variety of systems across the fleet it would
legislative pressures, it has to be accepted that ecdis
not be sensible, practical or cost effective to provide
does not always rate very highly in many peoples
outsourced, shore-based training for every system.
perception of the most pressing issues. He says it is part
Type-specific familiarisation has to be conducted
of his job to try to get them to modify that viewpoint.
on board, and it has to be quality assured, said Mr
When, and to what extent should we invest
Ireland. We are working with ship superintendents
in a training package, especially when there is no
in the management offices to develop our own
certainty that the seafarer will remain with us? We
response to this training requirement. A very solid
are bound to resort to a variety of solutions reflecting
basis for this work is the familiarisation checklist
geographic spread, vessel type,
found in Dr Andy Norriss Nautical
ecdis type, trade and the likelihood
Institute book Integrated Bridge
of ever seeing that seafarer again.
Systems vol 2 Ecdis and positioning.
Generic training is shore based
In summary, Mr Ireland says that
and so it is relatively simple to
the scale, variety and geographical
schedule. However, shore-based
diversity of operations mean that
training can only be conducted
when it comes to ecdis training
during periods of vacation between
there must be a devolution of
contracts, and although the seafarer
responsibility in order that local
receives basic pay during training,
solutions can be incorporated,
it is disruptive to his valuable time
despite the inherent problems
at home.
raised by varying standards,
Alasdair Ireland: the standard
Assuring quality in shoreregional cultural practices and the
of accreditation imposed by flag
based training is a key concern.
necessity of delivering assured
administrations varies
Mr Ireland has a pragmatic and
quality. ECDIS
www.rivieramm.com
perspective pilots
Pilots express mixed

views about ecdis
With upwards of 30 makes of ecdis
on the market, it is not feasible to
undertake type-specific training for
all the systems pilots may encounter
ermanent team members on a paperless

bridge are required, as advised in MIN
405, to have undertaken type-specific ecdis
training or familiarisation. But what of maritime
pilots vital personnel who are effectively very
temporary additions to the team?
Don Cockrill is the chairman of the UK Maritime
Pilots Association and a serving senior Thames
pilot. Speaking to MEC about the pilotage issues
raised by ecdis, he began by explaining the varying
degrees to which pilots interact with the technology.
While a deepsea pilot will inevitably make
significant use of ecdis to monitor a vessels
progress, pilots operating in dock systems,
harbours, rivers and estuarine situations will utilise
their comprehensive local knowledge, primarily
navigating visually but also making appropriate use
of radar and, particularly in more open waters such
as estuaries, ecdis systems where fitted.
Falling into the latter category, Capt Cockrill
personally (like many other colleagues) takes a
pro-active approach to the wide range of ecdis
types that he meets in the course of his work,
seeking to learn as much as he can about all of
them. He believes that the concept of S-mode is an
excellent idea that would make life much easier for
everyone, pilots in particular. He also says that he
cant envisage it being delivered in the near future
by regulation in an industry-wide manner, but
that smart manufacturers may see the competitive
benefits of providing very simple, intuitive entry
modes along with a single button escape function
to return to a familiar, basic display. However, this
could somewhat defeat the core standardisation
Capt Don Cockrill: S-mode is an excellent idea, but

wont be mandated in the near future
objectives of the concept. Of course, the IMO

performance standards already state that ecdis
should present the standard display at any time by
a single operator action.
However, the button to achieve this is not in a
standard location on the screen so the unfamiliar
user has to hunt around the on-screen operating
buttons to find it! Moreover, the standard display
is very minimal, omitting many important features
such as submarine cables. So the operator has to go
straight back into the menu system to find and add
the missing detail layers.
Another observation he makes is that scrolling
to look ahead on the small ecdis display is a
considerable hindrance when reviewing the passage
plan during the master/pilot exchange, and he
says he frequently encounters problems caused by
unfriendly labelling systems. This is particularly
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noticeable when navigators are for example,

searching for a named anchorage, formerly a
straightforward matter with a paper chart but now
a question of locating an anchorage symbol, in itself
not always so easy, and then mining deep into the
menu system. He questions why a standard facility
is not available to find a location simply by entering
its name in a search box. He accepts that perhaps it
can be done, but in his experience, no-one knows
how! He recently confirmed with six experienced
ecdis masters that if it exists it is a rare facility.
He believes it all comes down to the fact that the
underlying design of ecdis does not consider in its
primary function the human factors at play when
charts are actually used.
Whilst ecdis delivers a continual picture of a
vessels progress and so provides the bridge team
with a means of monitoring the pilots actions,
at the same time it compromises the concept of
independent monitoring by alternative means.
Furthermore, he says, ecdis itself can be distracting
and can offer a sense of security that is not always
justified. Perhaps even more worrying, he notes
that the way in which the numerous displays are
arranged on many modern bridges compromises
the basic navigational facility of looking out of the
window, both by providing obstructions to a clear
view through windows but especially at night with
their effects on night vision.
In addition to operational problems and
reservations, there are some complex regulatory issues
in play with regard to ecdis in a pilotage context.
Capt Cockrill describes how the regulatory
element of training requirements is complicated by a
lack of uniformity in the terms of pilots employment.
While some pilotage authorities require pilots to
hold a certificate of competence (COC) and keep it
validated, others see the COC simply as an initial
professional entry qualification which is not required
to be maintained once the pilot is authorised.
He says guidance from the MCA regarding
ecdis training for pilots post July 2012 states
that in order to revalidate a COC, (as explained
in the recently published MIN 405) a pilot must
have undertaken an STCW ecdis model course
(currently 1.27) or equivalent. A pilot seeking
revalidation without such training will have the
COC endorsed appropriately. Pilots without a COC
are advised to undertake some sort of unspecified
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ecdis training. The MCA sensibly acknowledges

that pilots will not be required to undertake typespecific training.
Pilots can, and do, circumvent the problem of
unfamiliarity with ecdis systems by employing
their own portable units, but as matters stand,
these units do not form part of the ships
approved navigational fit and neither can they.
Capt Cockrill explains that in certain parts of the
world, notably the US where portable units have
been in widespread use for many years, a very
pragmatic approach seems to generally prevail.
The requirement is to use the best, most up-to-date
information and equipment available. Failure to
do so is likely to be viewed seriously, although
there still seems to be plenty of potential for
disagreement about what constitutes best!
John Clandillon-Baker, FNI, is also a senior
pilot with the Port of London Authority (PLA)
and he observes a big divide in the levels of
ecdis competency on the ships he attends. In my
experience, about 20 per cent of ecdis-only ships
are using the equipment competently and deriving
the full benefits the technology can provide and
these are generally well managed cruise liners and
tankers. For the remainder however, the situation is
not so encouraging, particularly on smaller ships. I
have encountered a number of small vessels where
the officers display not only ignorance but also
antipathy where ecdis is concerned. The second
mate is sometimes the only person on board who
Capt Clandillon-Baker: the needs of the ecdis end-user

have been sidelined
perspective pilots
can operate the equipment.

A combination of the variety of ecdis user
interfaces he meets and the possibility that no-one
on a ship may be able to help him find the specific
functions he requires has meant that he has modified
some aspects of his pilotage technique.
He concedes that ecdis can be very helpful in
specific circumstances. For example, a large scale
docking display can improve situational awareness
when manoeuvring, but only if you correctly
interpret the information. He considers the classic
ship-handling example of moving a vessel onto a
berth with the bow canted across the tide towards
the berth. If the speed of approach is excessive, the
remedy is to reduce the angle made between the
vessel and the berth/tide. With an aft-mounted
GPS aerial the necessary helm movement will
show that the speed of approach has increased,
rather than decreased as was intended, despite
improving the overall situation. Therefore, if you
dont understand the proper significance of the
data provided it is easy to make incorrect and
potentially dangerous interpretations.
He says that the PLA is taking a pro-active
approach towards generic ecdis training for its
pilots, driven in equal measure by the desire to preempt regulatory requirements and to take advantage
of the practical benefits it delivers. Earlier plans to
provide such training in house have given way to
outsourced provision.
Along with his duties as a pilot, Capt ClandillonBaker edits The Pilot, the magazine of the UK
Maritime Pilots Association. In his editorial role he
has considered ecdis in some depth and shared his
findings through a series of articles.
In concluding his most recent article, he says
that as an overall concept, ecdis has the potential
to enhance navigational safety by incorporating
charting into the integrated bridge console,
displaying information specifically tailored to that
particular vessels safety parameters.
Shipowners can benefit from a number of
economic and administrative advantages while
those on board are relieved of the tedious duties of
checking and updating folios and chart correcting.
The problem, he says, is that in order to please the
manufacturers and to encourage them to develop
the systems, the needs of the end user have been
sidelined and consequently there is a bewildering
Ecdis docking display
number of different ecdis with a myriad of different

operating systems incorporating incompatible
menu systems. The situation was bad enough with
radar but chartwork is so fundamental to the safety
of a vessel that a comprehensive knowledge of not
just the concept of the vector chart that underpins
ecdis, but also the type-specific functionality, is
essential. This need is only now being addressed
seriously, but with so many different systems
and so many navigators to be trained it is almost
inevitable that there will be more incidents such
as that described in the MAIB report of the CFL
Performer grounding.
In my mini survey of ecdis-only ships that I
have piloted, all the navigators I spoke to preferred
the paper chart to ecdis and given the choice would
prefer the raster chart with its familiar display to
the vector chart. Even on the best-run vessels with
highly trained officers I have yet to find any officer
who believes that ecdis is the ultimate solution
to navigation practice. However, the momentum
to make ecdis compulsory has been driven by
those ashore who are convinced that ecdis is
the ultimate solution to navigational safety. Such
a chasm between systems proponents and end
users is regrettably a hallmark of the commercial
maritime world. ECDIS
Capt John Clandillon-Bakers ecdis articles are on
The Pilot magazine website: www.pilotmag.co.uk
The views expressed by Captains Cockrill and
Clandillon-Baker are personal and not necessarily
those of the UK Maritime Pilots Association and/
or the PLA.
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Please visit us:

Oslo, 24. - 27.05.2011
German Pavilion
Stand C01-02b
MARITIME DISPLAY SOLUTIONS
FOR COMMERCIAL, CRUISE & YACHT, NAVAL &

DEFENCE APPLICATIONS
Large screen displays

for command & control, automation, mission planning
CONRAC GmbH
Lindenstrasse 8
D-97990 Weikersheim
Tel.: +49 7934-101 226
info@conrac.de
DATA MODUL GROUP
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Widescreen monitors & marine panel computers

for ECDIS, radar, navigation & automation
Ruggedization & customization
www.conrac.de
Innovation. Experience. Flexibility. Quality.
solutions
Get the bridge crews

involved in selection
Suggestions and advice are often
given to shipowners and operators
regarding what to consider when
selecting their ecdis, but little of that
advice is related to the bridge crew
experience of operating the system,
according to Magnus Karlsson of
Adveto Advanced Technology
he genesis of Adveto started with its electronic

route planning and voyage control system,
even before there were any electronic charts
available, back in the 1980s. Advetos focus was and
is to provide the navigators with what they ask for.
To do this, bridge crew have been closely involved
in the development of its current Ecdis-4000 and its
previous three generations of electronic navigation
systems. The results are systems that incorporate
Bridge of the Styrsbolagets high speed ferry Val,

fitted with the Adveto Ecdis-4000
the bridge crews requirements for navigation and

operation, relevant functions and features, ease of
use, reliability and so forth.
Examples are the early implementation of AIS
in 1993 when Adveto, under a contract with the
Swedish Maritime Administration, provided AIS
present-ation software to eight of Gothenburg ferry
operator Styrsbolagets vessels, and how the AIS
information was presented. Other examples are the
multi view functionality with up to four different
views available, and different presentations of chart
information, alternative routes, different scales etc
are possible by just pressing a button. Advanced
predictors, unlimited alternative routes, the ecdis
control unit and alternative night presentation
(developed together with Norwegian high speed
craft captains) are but a few additional examples.
Ordering, downloading and updating ENCs directly
from and into an ecdis over the Internet were also
requirements put forward from the navigators.
Numerous recommendations were given to
shipowners and operators in the 2010 edition of A
Complete Guide to Ecdis regarding what to consider
when evaluating the different ecdis options
on the market, but only one really highlighted
the importance of the bridge crew experiences
and knowledge. Captain Nick Dunn, managing
director of HSC-M Ship Management stated, An
important consideration for HSC builders, owners
and operators when selecting and installing ecdis
and similar equipment, is the involvement of the
operating crews, as these are the people who best
understand their operating conditions.
Adveto agrees with this statement and
recommend those involved in the procurement
process to first find out what the bridge crew value
and require before looking at other important
factors when choosing an ecdis system. It leaves
one to ponder the question: what is the value
of the popular one-stop-shop argument if you
dont get the system you want in that shop? ECDIS
www.rivieramm.com
solutions
Ensuring the safe

application of ecdis
The safe and correct operation
of the ecdis is vital, says Steve
Monk of Da Gama Navigation, an
independent company of master
mariners with a wealth of experience
in advising vessels on which
equipment they should fit, providing
crew training and assisting in the
development of riskassessments
Ecdis system information should be backed up by
ates are drawing ever nearer for the

compulsory implementation of ecdis
with manufacturers devising new ways
of making their equipment more attractive to the
user, procurement managers becoming confused
by the choices available and bridge watchkeepers
endeavouring to make sense of the regulations and
training requirements.
Although IMO will tell you the dates for the
fitting of ecdis have been known for long enough,
were only just beginning to witness the rush to meet
compliance. With this comes a steady rise in the
number of training centres but with clear evidence of
a distinct variation in standards with some providers
claiming to be able to squeeze the official 40 hour
five day IMO course model into just two or three
days. Practical experience and knowledge would
recommend candidates look very carefully at exactly
whats been offered and dont just choose the shortest
course, as its likely to be the weakest.
Many believe that with a continual GPS feed, the
position of the ship as shown on the electronic chart
must be correct and therefore the vessel must be
safe. However, all too often accident reports indicate
an over-reliance on, or a failure to correctly set up
the ecdis as contributing to the cause of an incident
during which the bridge team had no reason to doubt
they were in danger. If nothing else, operators should
remember the ecdis is only an aid to navigation.
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visual references
Additionally, the ever increasing number of

computer screens now bombarding the OOW with a
wealth of information means the bridge team forget or
dont have time to do the one thing thats likely to keep
them safe look out of the window. Da Gama is not
against advances in technology and the use of ecdis,
however it strongly suggests bridge teams remember
the fundamentals of navigation and always question
the accuracy of the ecdis by effectively trying to prove
youre not where the computer says you are. Using
visual references will always help.
As mentioned, a risk assessment has to be
completed and submitted to flag state for approval
to navigate primarily by electronic means and to that
end every watchkeeper should be fully conversant
with its content. They should regularly fix the ships
position by alternative means including visual
or radar to demonstrate knowledge of the ecdis
fallback modes and in line with most company
policy, are advised to be tested annually in the
safe and correct operation of the equipment by the
means of external evaluators.
To assist in the development of constructive
feedback in the use of ecdis Da Gama requests any
equipment, training or general comments are left at
www.ecdisrevolution.org to help promote the safety
of your fellow professional mariner. ECDIS
solutions
Ecdis Ltds e-Navigation Centre in Fareham, UK
Ecdis Ltd offers a

variety of solutions
Multiple manufacturers equipment,
a variety of training courses and
industry experience are the standout qualities of UK-based Ecdis Ltd,
according to Mike Pearsall, business
development manager
niquely, Ecdis Ltd provides purchasing and

training solutions for 10 out of the 24 ecdis
systems available on the market today,
including Transas, Kelvin Hughes, PC Maritime,
JRC and Totem Plus. Strong partnerships with
major manufacturers allow buyers to view and
compare the considerable differences between this
equipment, housed in a special facility located in
the south of the United Kingdom. The e-Navigation
Centre is home to simulators, over 15 marinised
ecdis terminals and a supplementary collection of
specialist electronic navigation equipment.
Furthermore, the company offers a wide range
of approved and bespoke courses, including MCA
(static) and DNV (available globally) approved IMO
1.27 generic courses, type-specific courses to satisfy
ISM requirements and tailored courses for pilots,
accident investigators and inspecting officers. With
customers including the Port of London Authority,
Swedish Accident Investigation Board and Vela
Marine International, their pedigree is clear.
As the only organisation that specialises solely in
all things ecdis, the team of consultants and trainers
are comprised solely of professional mariners trained
and practised in traditional methods of navigation,

but all of whom have made the seaborne transition
to go digital and adopt paperless navigation.
The experience brought by such individuals
remains hard to come by in an emerging world of
electronic navigation, where confusion still reigns
amongst many as to the legal differences between
ecdis and ECS, the requirements for maintaining
a system as the primary means of navigation, and
how a system can be operated without a GNSS
input. The latter is crucial to understand; ecdis must
satisfy Solas chapter V carriage requirements for
equivalency to paper charts. What you could do on
a chart must be easily replicated on an ecdis.
Fortunately, amendments to STCW, coupled with
the recent release of training guidance documents from
a number of flag state authorities (available at www.
ecdisregs.com), will, believe it or not, make it easier for
shipping managers to make the transition safely and
more easily. Naturally, the aim is to achieve compliance
with minimal cost, so getting it right in the first instance
will make considerable savings down the line.
Purchasing an ecdis is a major investment in terms
of integration, training and future-proofing not
something you want to get wrong. Can you gauge
the effectiveness of a crucial navigation aid, simply
by looking at brochures? Why settle for the first
system you look at? You most likely wouldnt make
a major investment such as purchasing a car without
test driving a few first; ecdis neednt be any different.
Contact Ecdis Ltd today to discuss your
fleet requirements and arrange your visit to the
e-Navigation Centre. ECDIS
www.rivieramm.com
solutions
Benefit of experience
and extensive network
Japan Radio Co Ltd's (JRC)
professional, multi-functional
ecdis does not only meet IMO
requirements, but is one of the
worlds most advanced and futureproof e-charting solutions available
today, says Frank van der Ham
RC has been involved with ecdis development

for 20 years. The technology integrated
in the JRC ecdis is the result of years of
in-house experience. By having its ecdis designed
and manufactured in house the company maximises
quality assurance and is able to ensure long-term
spare parts availability.
Its high-end ecdis line up consists of the JAN-701B
and JAN-901B, which feature 19in and 23in displays.
For small ships and workboats, JRC offers the fully
type approved (black box configured) JAN-2000 ecdis.
All new JRC ecdis models come standard
(ex-factory) with the Admiralty Vector Chart Service
pre-loaded range of official global ENCs and are
ready for ARCS and C-Map with e-Token driver.
JRC and UKHO offer this integrated service with
direct access to the UKHO portfolio of ENCs, making
it easier to obtain the data required for passage
planning and voyage execution.
JRC ecdis incorporates two Tornado processors,
which are exclusively developed and designed in
house to bring a new level of performance and
reliability to ecdis operation.
The Tornados have the power of eight
conventional processors, and allow radar overlay
on the JAN-701B and JAN-901B. Priority objects on
the vector charts are not hidden but overlaid on the
radar image. At the same time, brilliance and clutter
controls of the radar images continue to be operable.
Ecdis is a total change from paper charts,
therefore key to implementation is training. JRC is
www.rivieramm.com
JAN-901B
JAN-2000
JAN-701B
JRC's ecdis systems can be monitored shoreside using

its remote maintenance system
working together with various dedicated training

establishments that provide both generic and JRC
type-specific courses. JRC continues to increase
Ecdis training partners globally.
Also the JRC ecdis systems can directly be
connected via LAN to JRCs VDR and S-VDR. This
way, you can easily backup important data, without
additional interfaces.
JRC has a unique remote maintenance system
(RMS), which connects bridge equipment to
a maintenance server so the equipment can be
monitored from land. As a result, JRC has the ability
to cost-effectively and accurately determine the
operating status of all ecdis systems while at sea.
The advanced nature of JRCs new ecdis
system allows easy route planning and editing in
a variety of ways, including use of the table editor.
Dedicated menus assist in effective route planning.
Users can import favourite or commonly used files,
even from earlier ecdis models, using the industry
standard CSV format.
Ever since its founding, JRC has constantly
worked to enhance both product sales and its
after-sales field service, and that is why it is
able to provide strong support. JRC has a global
network that includes overseas branches, sales
offices, and over 50 service agencies and 190
service locations. ECDIS
solutions
Making the move to ecdis

Kelvin Hughess EcdisPlus offering
is the only complete ecdis solution,
says Steve Mariner, director of
business development
o use ecdis for primary navigation

whether by choice or in response to the
mandatory carriage schedule a number
of requirements have to be met to ensure that
the vessel can be operated safely. Solas requires
all ships to carry nautical charts and nautical
publications to plan and display the ships route
for the intended voyage and to plot and monitor
positions throughout the voyage.
Flag states do not have a uniform approach to
ecdis approval with governments differing in two
main areas: firstly, whether an ecdis using ENCs
can in fact qualify as a ships primary system
for navigation, and secondly, what constitutes
acceptable back-up arrangements.
Furthermore, training requirements can vary,
meaning that it is important to contact the vessels
flag state authority at an early stage to ensure that
its specific requirements are understood and to
confirm that the equipment intended for installation
is acceptable.
Kelvin Hughes EcdisPlus is a turnkey package
that can be tailored to individual requirements. It can
range from the supply of ecdis hardware through
to a complete package including data, training,
an update service and of course the management
of paper charts and digital licenses as required.
EcdisPlus can take a single ship or an entire fleet
through the ecdis approval process, including
managing the flag state certification procedure and
implementation of a data management process.
With over 30 manufacturers currently
offering ecdis products, the choice of hardware
is important. It is necessary to consider the scope
and effectiveness of the through-life support that
is likely to be available and it makes sense to equip
a fleet with identical systems so that personnel
can move easily between vessels. Kelvin Hughes
Kelvin Hughes MantaDigital ecdis hardware uses a

three-button and trackerball interface
MantaDigital ecdis hardware is designed for easy,

intuitive operation and uses the successful threebutton and trackerball human/machine interface
that has been employed in Kelvin Hughes products
for over 10 years.
A single ENC supply source is often the best
solution for most vessels. Kelvin Hughes can
provide the most cost-effective data from a variety
of ENC vendors including AVCS from the UKHO
and ENCs from Primar and Jeppesen.
Kelvin Hughes can provide expert advice and
practical, cost effective solutions with regards to
ecdis backup. Paper chart and publications supply
and management are offered alongside ecdis.
The company also offers five-day training
courses based on the IMO 1.27 course model at
facilities in the UK, Egypt and Singapore. If a
student subsequently sails on a ship equipped with
a Kelvin Hughes ecdis, this course also fulfils any
requirement for type-specific ecdis training.
Solas requires that all charts used for navigation
be corrected weekly. The ChartCo package provides
direct updates to ships at sea via the Internet, e-mail
or satellite broadcast. This service covers both paper
and electronic data and ensures that vessels have
the appropriate charts in their outfits and are kept
up to date.
EcdisPlus is a global service able to manage both
equipment and data to ensure that your vessels are
always kept legal and safe. ECDIS
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solutions
Port delays and carbon

footprints minimised
that the various flag states handle such requests
somewhat differently.
The Zero downtime Ecdis concept from Maris
has been devised to avoid potential delays. It
consists of the offer of a hot or cold spare third
ecdis delivered direct to the ship so that it can
always proceed to the next port of call, even if up-todate paper charts are not available. The defective
hile some shipowners intend to back up
unit can then be shipped to the manufacturer at the
ecdis with up-to-date traditional paper
shipowners convenience for repair.
charts, many have accepted that it will
Available via subscription, the new service was
be necessary to install dual systems for back up,
part of the suppliers campaign to support customers,
in case one ecdis fails. However, to be allowed to
and the phase-in of mandatory ecdis, said Steinar
sail in the event of such a failure, even a shipowner
Gundersen, Maris deputy chief executive (corporate).
pursuing a policy of ecdis redundancy will have to
The third ecdis can either be installed as a hot spare
keep up-to-date paper charts in reserve.
online with the dual ecdis systems or as a cold spare
One leading member of the International
supplied as a plug-in unit, which the crew can install.
Association of Classification Societies said, It is
In the case of a cold spare it will come complete
important that the ship takes all reasonable steps
with application software, updating all application
to repair broken equipment at the first opportunity
software, settings and electronic charts and will
or port. However, in some ports, the ship may be
be self-configured to the exact settings of the ship,
unreasonably delayed waiting for spares or service.
drawing on the ships remaining ecdis.
According to Solas V/22, 16.2, while malfunctions
Mr Gundersen said that the remaining ecdis
will not necessarily make the ship
could then be packed away and
unseaworthy or provide a reason
returned to Maris before going to
for delaying the ship in ports where
a warehouse as a reconditioned
repair facilities are not readily
unit to be sent to a new customer
available, suitable arrangements
with a similar subscription and
must be made by the master to
the need for a replacement unit.
take the inoperative equipment
He said that Zero downtime
or unavailable information into
Ecdis service would do away
account in planning and executing
with the need for service engineers
a safe voyage to a port where
to fly all over the world to
repairs can take place.
rendezvous with vessels in port.
The leading class body
The potential for delays will be
commented, In such cases, a
eradicated, but this will also mean
master may request class/flag for
that our engineers minimise their
permission to sail eg, to the next
carbon footprint. Maris places a
port for repair, perhaps carrying
high priority on both service and
Zero downtime Ecdis involves
some extra paper chart if requested
the environmental impact our
supplying three Maris ecdis units
by the flag. Our experience is
services make. ECDIS
Maris has launched Zero downtime

Ecdis, a new product support
service devised to ensure that,
once mandatory, ecdis systems are
available at all times
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solutions
How to make ecdis

fitting a success
Raytheon Anschtz ecdis offers
intelligent features in particular for
retrofit installations that outrun the
basic functions, says communications
marketing manager, Martin Richter
modern ecdis offers helpful functions and

information for planning and monitoring
routes, aimed at increasing safety at sea.
Many older vessels do have already some kind of
electronic chart; however, most of this equipment
is not compliant with the upcoming equipment
carriage requirements.
Shipping companies are now facing the challenge
of deciding on an ecdis solution which will keep
its promises when installed on board. Andreas
Lentfer, business development director at Raytheon
Anschtz, says, As we remember from the GMDSS
retrofitting and the AIS retrofitting, a lot of new
companies join the maritime world, promise a
lot and then disappear again quickly. Shipowners
definitely need guidance to find the best and most
economic but reliable solution for each individual
ship. Shipowners also can decide to install two
ecdis units (double ecdis).
Modern ecdis display data from navigation
sensors on board, integrate AIS targets, make tidal
predictions, feature several mariners tools and
provide a 24-hour log of data. However, usability
is most critical for the installation of a new ecdis on
board. Therefore, a well defined system layout with
integrated help functions as well as shortcuts to the
most important functions is essential for the success
of ecdis installations.
The comprehensible and easy handling of the
Raytheon Anschtz ecdis is supported by the use
of the well-known menu structure of windows
applications and comfortable server functionalities.
For retrofit, the ecdis offers further interesting
The Anschtz NautoPilot 2000 series features a

certified track control system
features, said Mr Lentfer.

Work and time can be saved by taking advantage
of the NSC ecdis online updating service. Connected
to the ships broadband, the chart update will only
take two minutes.
The ecdis can process three chart standards (ENC,
C-Map and BA-ARCS). In double ecdis installations,
all routes and charts are duplicated automatically. The
automatic route planning reduces workload and saves
time. It needs just a few clicks to plan a safe route. Of
course, individual settings can always be included.
Current Navtex messages can be displayed on
the ecdis screen. Message printing is possible, thus
separate Navtex printers are no longer needed.
Another benefit for all ships with an Anschtz
autopilot is addressed by Mr Lentfer, For vessels that
already have installed the Anschtz NautoPilot 2000
series, the installation of an ecdis offers the outstanding
benefit of having a certified track control system, which
is able to guide a ship fully automatically along a track
with an accuracy of 25m. At Raytheon Anschtz
several years of experience with the adaptive autopilots
of the NautoPilot 2000 series have shown that this
accuracy is maintained not only on straight route
sections, but also during track change. Track control
proceeds independently while the officer on duty can
concentrate fully on the traffic. ECDIS
www.rivieramm.com
solutions
One-stop-shop to meet
ecdis requirements
SCD (Charts and Publications)
John Foord details how the
company provides hardware,
software and training
cdis represents the most significant change to

basic navigation in memory, yet many are still
unprepared or misinformed. SCD has been
spreading the gospel for some time and has found
many ship owners/operators have yet to make plans,
whilst others are unaware of the full ecdis picture.
Some still confuse them with electronic navigation
systems, feeling they are compliant. To be certified,
the system must have three key elements: typeapproved software, type-approved hardware and
type-approved digital charts. Owners must also have
crew who are certified and trained in both generic
and type-specific courses.
SCD has put together the complete ecdis service,
demonstrating the system, explaining the regulatory
requirements, fitting the systems, training the users
(both generic and type-specific), supplying the digital
charts, and very importantly, providing a full back up
Components are provided separately for the

Navmaster 800 to enable flexible installation
www.rivieramm.com
service including a 24/7 helpline.

The firms most popular system is the Navmaster
which offers the very latest in ecdis technology
and now comes in two model varieties. One is
the Navmaster 800 with a 24in screen where the
components are provided separately (including
screen, rack and keyboard) to allow ultimate
flexibility when fitting to any bridge to suit individual
requirements, particularly useful for retrofitting. The
new Navmaster 1000 comes as a single more compact
unit with a 21in screen.
Despite the fact that in annual terms, the cost of
an ecdis and the digital charts represents a very tiny
proportion of vessel running costs, many owners
are holding back on investment until the stipulated
deadlines. However they are missing out on the
obvious benefits that persuaded IMO to make them
mandatory. With this in mind SCD has devised an
alternative payment option allowing owners to take
up its rent/purchase scheme, which assists vessels
managers to stay within restricted monthly budgets.
These start from as little as US$629 per month which
includes the equipment, support and ENCs.
As the roll out period nears there will be a
vast number of seafarers to be trained and current
facilities may not meet that demand. To this end
SCD has recently fitted Lowestoft College with the
Navmaster software, to enable the facility to deliver
both generic and type-specific approved courses.
The company also has an agreement for Ecdis
Ltd to provide bespoke training to shipowners
requirements, particularly the larger fleet operators
who have their own training establishments.
SCD, now part of the Gardline Group, is an
Admiralty International Agent of many years
standing. It fully understands a vessels operational
requirements and the need to be flexible and to react
at short notice. The company is proud to provide this
Fairway Scheme to vessels on a global basis, a costeffective solution for maintaining safe navigation
and compliance with regulatory authorities. ECDIS
solutions
First product-specific
ecdis training module
speed up the ability of shipowners to meet what will
become statutory obligations.
Maris deputy chief executive (corporate), Steinar
Gundersen, said, As the first in the world to offer
product-specific ecdis training through Seagull, we
will meet the IMO model course 1.27 and be certified
to replace less efficient training ashore.
Hence forward, the Maris Ecdis900 CBT module
will be available as part of software released by
pproved by a number of flag states,
Seagull, as well as being physically delivered and
Seagulls existing ecdis onboard training
supported technically. Mr Ringstad said, Currently,
this agreement is unique to the industry, but I am
course includes training in the use of ecdis,
sure its significance will not be lost on regulators,
chart projections, chart accuracy, chart types, chart
shipowners and other manufacturers.
datum, chart updating, sensor inputs and control,
Mr Gundersen said the new approach would
alarm and warning strategies, radar and ARPA
only require those operating Seagull onboard
information on ecdis, and route planning.
training to access an activation key code from the
Under a new agreement with Maris, Seagull will
CBT specialist. Orders may come from the Seagull
re-design the Maris Ecdis900 Application Trainer to
network or from Maris. Maris distributors may sell
be included in the Seagull library of CBT-modules as
it as well and route their orders to Maris, which will
product specific training to meet the latest revisions
in turn pass on orders to Seagull.
to the STCW convention, working on Seagulls
The training system, which will be available via
existing CBT-based training administrator.
an annual subscription per ship and upgraded for
Seagull managing director, Roger Ringstad, said
as long as the subscription is held, will be based
that the need for product-specific ecdis training was
on self-tuition by navigating officers while on board
becoming clear. Used by qualified navigators these
under supervision by the ships master or an approved
systems increase the safety of navigation. However
assessor and supported by an ecdis onboard workbook.
in the hands of unqualified operators they may
The ships master or the approved
contribute to misunderstandings and
assessor will confirm that the
even accidents. Understanding the
candidate has performed satisfactorily,
philosophy, limitations and features
endorse the course training records
of ecdis is a must.
and send them to the Seagull training
Shore-based ecdis facilities can
centre for assessment.
hardly offer the type of productThere, an instructor will verify that
specific training that key flag states
a complete set of documents has been
are increasingly seeking, because there
received and that all training records
are too many different ecdis makers
and written responses to the workbook
and an unlimited number of software
meet the required minimum standard,
versions and system configurations.
We are preparing to take our generic Roger Ringstad: understanding on completion of which the instructor
the philosophy, limitations and
will issue and submit to the vessel a
ecdis training package forward so that
features of ecdis is a must
course certificate. ECDIS
it can be product-specific, in order to
Training company Seagull and

electronic navigation specialist
Maris have reached an agreement to
develop a comprehensive productspecific computer-based training
ecdis module
www.rivieramm.com
solutions
Ecdis as a collision
avoidance tool
Totem Plus introduces a new ecdis
with artificial intelligence which
interprets Colregs and accurately
advises on which course to steer to
avoid collision
he last decade saw the evolution of ecdis from

a simple chart plotter to an intelligent safety
tool. Safety in navigation means avoidance
of collisions and groundings, and indeed the risk
reduction of groundings by ecdis systems is already
well established. This reduction was shown clearly by
the 2007 DNV technical report.
Collision avoidance, on the other hand, is still
lacking and limited mostly to monitoring targets and
trial manoeuvres. There is still a large margin for human
error in adhering and interpreting the international
regulations for preventing collisions at sea (Colregs).
To minimise such errors, a revolutionary system was
developed by Totem Plus: Totem Ecdis with built-in
Colregs Adviser.
Using Totem Ecdis in its Colregs Adviser mode, the
system automatically analyses the data and advises
the OOW on the best action to take. The closest
point of approach (CPA) of all vessels is taken into
account together with the stipulations of the Colregs.
If required, course to steer advice will be given to the
OOW automatically.
The course to steer advice is based on a precise
calculation of the parameters of all the ships in the
vicinity, their CPA and time to closest point of approach
(TCPA), and their status according to the Colregs.
On the navigable circle the OOW can see clearly the
dangerous sectors (in red) and allowed domains (blue).
All the information is calculated automatically and is
continuously refreshed.
To offer the correct advice, all AIS and ARPA
targets within the required alert range are constantly
processed and analysed for close proximity. The alert
www.rivieramm.com
Course to steer advice is automatically available
range is set by default to 12 miles (open sea) but can be

changed by the operator. The same principle applies
to the CPA, which is set by default to 1 mile. Other
relevant values, eg, minimal distance to act on port
crossing, have default values that can only be changed
by the master.
In addition to the course to steer information, the
system gives an alert on approaching from port or
overtaken situations where the target is the give way
vessel. In such situations no course to steer advice is
given as the ship is required by the Colregs to maintain
its course and speed as a stand on vessel, and the
approaching vessel should take action to give way. In
agreement with Colregs, once the approaching ship is
below the distance set for warning, the system advises
the OOW on the necessity to give such vessel a warning
signal. If the give way ship is below the threshold set for
action to be taken, advice will be given on a new course
to steer in accordance with the Colregs stipulations.
The Colregs Adviser module of Totem Ecdis
provides an excellent tool to help and/or reinforce
decisions related to collision avoidance. In addition,
it aids in taking proper action in due time and thus
eliminates excessive helm and course alterations. Safe
and efficient ship handling will result in fuel saving and
schedule keeping. Totem Ecdis is fully approved by
DNV to the latest regulations. ECDIS
solutions
Transas sees ecdis from

another perspective
navigation data. All this can be made visible just by
a single key operation.
Other mandatory systems like a bridge navigation
watch alarm system (BNWAS) can be integrated with
ecdis. Running several applications like radar, ecdis,
conning, AMS, E-logbook on the same workstation
gives the officer quick access to all information in a
single position. Ecdis also provides redundancy and
uring the last two decades there has been a
improves efficiency by avoiding duplication of work,
constant flow of new carriage requirements
such as route entry in several systems. Integration
for bridge equipment; in most cases burdening
of ecdis with the vessels communication system
shipowners and crew. Ecdis can reverse this situation
enables online communication from ship to shore for
if it is properly installed, optimised and manned by
the exchange of data and reports.
a well-trained crew. It can bring added value to a
The 2007 DNV report, Effect on ENC Coverage on
shipowner and crew, in addition to enhanced safety
Ecdis Risk Reduction, evaluated that ecdis is a costand fulfilling the ecdis carriage requirements.
effective risk control option for large passenger ships
Tools for automatic route and voyage planning
and all other vessel types involved in international
trade, with a significant potential to save lives by
can be integrated as a part of your ecdis. Optimising
reducing the frequency of collision and grounding.
the schedule by taking into consideration the latest
The grounding frequency reductions achievable from
weather forecast (weather routeing) and using
implementing ecdis vary between 11 per cent and 38
integrated environmental databases for tides and
per cent for the selected routes. This variation is due to
currents will allow the vessel to proceed along the
variations in ENC coverage.
route at the safest economical speed and arrive at its
According to DNV, ecdis represents a net economic
final destination on time.
benefit itself. Soren Andersen, marine superintendent,
Ecdis provides unique tools for management of
SQE, Nordic Tankers Marine comments, With the
charts and nautical publications in digital format.
new IMO requirements, dual ecdis without paper
This includes ordering updates as well as the
charts as a back-up will save money. Its an easy
preparation of reports. Within a few seconds they can
calculation not even that ENCs are cheaper than
be sent ashore or be included as an integrated part of
paper charts but if you go halfway you will have
the voyage plan by showing the current status of the
double expenses for both paper and ENC. With
vessels charts and nautical publications.
Transas ecdis implementation in Nordic Tankers we
Ecdis combines information from different
also reduced time for chart corrections and passage
sources in one display. Optimised chart presentation
planning by 5 to 10 hours
gives
a
perfect
per week.
background for display
Proper transition to
of vital information.
ecdis takes time. So do
This could be weather
as many shipowners have
information,
online
already done get started
targets, no go areas, for
Stena Line is one customer taking
now to benefit from your
example piracy or Marpol
advantage of Transas ecdis systems
ecdis installation. ECDIS
areas, and additional
Anders Rydlinger, product manager

for navigation, Transas Marine, says
that ecdis can be much more than
just an electronic chart display and
information system
www.rivieramm.com
source: Thomas Gunn
North America
Thomas Gunn bolsters

its North American role
Strategic Vancouver tie-up helps
to extend chart suppliers reach in
Canada and the USA
homas Gunn Navigation Services Ltd (TGNS)

has strengthened the services it provides
to the US and Canadian markets by joining
forces with Vancouver-based Maritime Services Ltd
to form Thomas Gunn Maritime Services Inc.
This strategic tie-up combines the ongoing
experience of ex-seagoing staff of both companies
together with a high level of existing in-house
expertise to ensure that customers in this important
geographical region receive the highest level of
chart advice and service available.
Maritime Services Ltd is an ideal partner for TGNS
for this initiative. Located near the Port of Vancouver,
its portfolio of services makes it a key provider of
marine safety and survival equipment services in the
area. Its 1,189m2 office complex houses a broad range
of charts, publications and marine electronics as well
as the capabilities for fully approved liferaft servicing
and its new aerospace servicing facilities.
By working together, both companies will be
able to offer Canada and North America-based
shipowners and managers a comprehensive range
of products and services as well as the right targeted
advice to ensure efficient, safe and trustworthy
vessel operation.
These include Thomas Gunn Maritime Services
own innovative outfit management service which
helps ships ensure that their index of charts and
publications are kept up-to-date by the supply of
updates and new editions.
Other benefits to this service include:
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www.rivieramm.com
The type-approved Nav ecdis will form part of the

Vancouver partnerships offering
with paper notice to mariners and tracings, or

electronically via TGNS unique Voyager service
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state regulations
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navigational announcements
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offers are tailored to the specific needs of its customers.
Thomas Gunn, founder of the company and
managing director, welcomed the tie-up, saying, As
the leading digital supplier in the world, we believe
this has been achieved again by working closely
with our clients to develop the right solutions and
the most economic solutions, both for the carriage of
electronic charts and digital publications.
Having added our fully type approved TG
Nav ecdis to our product portfolio, we can now
truly provide the one-stop-shop solution to our
clients. It makes sense. And with our in-house
digital products department and our eight-strong
team of IT developers, we have the infrastructure in
place to develop ongoing innovative solutions for
e-navigational needs of the future, he added. ECDIS
chart updating
Small can be efficient

for data retrieval
UKHOs worldwide series of Admiralty charts
and publications. Published weekly in several
formats but best known as the weekly booklets, it is
despatched directly from the UKHO.
But as Mr Gunn stressed, You can imagine
the difficulties involved because when you are
supplying charts to a vessel, it is like hitting a
he passing into force in 2008 of IMO rules
moving target. The ship may be loading oil or
making the implementation of ecdis on
bunkers in a short port berth time window and
board all ships mandatory by 2018 was
you have to connect with the agent to get the charts
what the chart and navigation sector was waiting
delivered on board the ship.
for. But as Thomas Gunn, managing director of
When a vessel comes into port, the captain,
Thomas Gunn Navigation Services Ltd stressed,
officers and crew are inundated with extra workload,
what the industry is demanding is an effective
not to mention the numerous inspections by above
way of compressing data so that a shipboard
all port state control (PSC). The first thing a PSC
broadband connection can handle e-mail updates
inspector does is go onto the bridge and look at
to paper and electronic charts, as well as the allyour charts to see when they were last corrected.
important Hydrographic Office notice to mariners.
If a tanker has been on a long passage and has not
I established the company 33 years ago in Aberdeen
received any navigation data from the chart agent
and we have been an Admiralty chart distributor for
for three to four weeks, then it could be in trouble.
the last 30 years, supplying paper charts, navigation
The answer clearly lies in broadband and e-mail
publications and for the last 10 years, electronic
connectivity between the ship and shore. And as
charts, he said.
Mr Gunn contends, the processes are improving as
We
couldnt
have
developed
our
more and more ships become connected.
Voyager software until recently because of the
Our IT department has developed Voyager so
inadequate level of broadband
we now receive the information
communications on board the
directly from the UKHO to our
worlds ships. E-mailing data
server and our software in turn
to vessels was always quite
turns that paper book into a digital
difficult but now with the advent
book so we can send it directly
of Fleet 77 and other modern
to the ship. We have developed
communications on board ship, it
this compression module which
has made the job a lot easier.
means larger pieces of data or cells
For many years Thomas
can be sent to the ship in smaller
Gunn has been supplying the
compressed data sizes, he added.
Hydrographic Office-produced
Thomas Gunn has not stopped
notice to mariners to all vessels
there: while versions one and
trading worldwide. This is an
two of Voyager relate to the
Thomas Gunn: modern
important document containing
transmission of paper charts
communications have made
all the corrections, alterations
and notices to mariners, version
e-mailing data to vessels easier
and
amendments
for
the
three, which is under test at the
Data compression is necessary

to update navigation charts, and
Thomas Gunn is leading the way in
software development
www.rivieramm.com
source: Thomas Gunn
moment, relates to digital products where the

file sizes can invariably be significantly larger.
Data compression rates for versions one and
two are up to 60 per cent of the original file size.
This has resulted in over 1,000 ships signing up
to the Voyager package. Transmitting electronic
chart updates for ecdis is the future and work
is underway through version three to come to
a point where even larger 30MB files can be
compressed to an extent that they can be e-mailed
to the bridge.
The UK Hydrographic Office, which has
140 distributors worldwide, has confirmed that
Thomas Gunn is the most prolific distributor of
digital charts. And the company itself revealed that
sales of digital charts have doubled over the past
two years with this trend set to continue.
Over recent years Thomas Gunn has invested
heavily in technology and personnel to create its
own in-house digital products department and has
boosted its in-house IT resources to meet changing
customer requirements and the modern demand for
digital charts. In addition the firm has been very
pro-active in its customer support.
Mr Gunn added, We regularly hold seminars
for our existing customers, either in-house or at their
offices wherever they are in the world, gathering
their superintendents together and giving a two-hour
presentation with a question and answer session
following. Its all about getting ahead of the ecdis
mandate. Forward-thinking shipping companies
realise the benefits of making their officers familiar
Thomas Gunn is a prolific distributor of digital charts

www.rivieramm.com
Thomas Gunns software turns chart updates from the

UKHO into a digital format
with the use of electronic charts and digital products

ready for when they become compulsory so that
they are trained and up to speed.
Demand for digital chart supply is widespread
throughout the shipping industry but Thomas Gunn
reports it is particularly strong at present from the
tanker, chemical and gas carrier markets.
A worldwide customer network also boosts
Thomas Gunns sales figures. In addition to its own
wholly owned offices in Aberdeen, London, Piraeus,
Turkey and Vancouver, the company has formed
global partnerships in strategic locations around
the world.
Mr Gunn said, What it takes to hold on to that
number one slot is continued focus, continued
quality of advice and service to our customers, a
high degree of market knowledge and knowledge of
the impending needs of the market. We are fortunate
to employ a number of highly-experienced former
masters and officers who help us to ensure that
what we are delivering meets our customers needs.
We are always striving to go forward and expand.
Mike Robinson, UKHO chief executive said,
The success of the industrys transition to
digital navigation relies on its ability to navigate
confidently with official ENCs. The UKHO has
placed huge emphasis on delivering that coverage
and today there is official berth-to-berth coverage
between 2,165 trading ports worldwide and more
than 10,600 charts. But the successful sale and
implementation of those ENCs is down to our
partners such as Thomas Gunn, who provide
shipping companies with the insight and support
they need to make every stage of navigation safer
and more efficient. ECDIS
switchover
Embracing the new way

in navigation
The switch to electronic charts
requires cost and training
considerations, as well as finding
the optimum ways of installing the
equipment and updating charts
he shipping industry is bracing itself for

one of the biggest challenges in recent years
when the mandatory ruling requiring the use
of electronic chart display and information system
(ecdis) equipment on board all large ships comes
into force in a programme to be rolled out from

next year.
Already many owners, managers and suppliers
are preparing for the change which will have huge
cost implications as well as presenting some ships
with a completely new way of navigation when
they switch from paper to electronic navigation
charts (ENC).
Although some companies have been using
electronic charts for some time, the number is quite
small just 7,500 vessels out of the 50,000 or so ships
currently in the market are using Admiralty Vector
Chart Service (AVCS) official data, according to the
www.rivieramm.com
source: Thomas Gunn
Navigating through the choppy waters

of ecdis transition needs preparation
UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) figures.

The IMO ruling, which was adopted in 2009,
states that from 12 July 2012 all new passenger ships
above 500gt and all new tankers over 3,000gt built
on or after that date must have an ecdis fitted. The
amendments to the International Convention for the
Safety of Life at Sea (Solas) were brought in to make
navigation much safer and efficient.
One such company already preparing for the
switchover is Thomas Gunn Navigation Services
Ltd. For 30 years the Aberdeen-based firm has
been supplying Admiralty charts, paper charts and
navigation publications, and for the last decade has
been supplying electronic charts too, as well as the
HO notices to mariners.
Mike Bailey, general manager for Thomas
Gunn, said the mandate was primarily as a result
of the desire to create safer navigation, but also
down to general evolution of navigation aids
which has been very much driven by technology.
www.rivieramm.com
Weve been sailing on paper charts for hundreds

of years but whenever you put a position on a
paper chart it is always historical you are not
there any longer. Electronic charting gives you that
real-time information of where the ship is, and the
culmination of technology is now allowing us to go
down that route.
He continued, Weve had electronic charts
within the industry for quite a few years in
various unofficial formats as an alternative to
paper charts. Theyve provided us with situational
awareness, allowing us to look at conditions
like where we are and enabling us to make an
informed decision to take avoiding action or to
place the ship in a position of safety.
Although Thomas Gunn and many other
companies have already dipped their toe in
the water with regard to electronic charts, Mr
Bailey believes it is not something the industry
in general has been expecting for a long time. I
switchover
think maybe IMO

Some of the
and UKHO and a
training is being
number of the big
made available in
organisations saw
computer-based
this as the way the
training
(CBT)
industry would go
modules, which can
but, if you speak
be done on board
to the shipowners,
ship or on the web
its probably only
when the seafarer is
in the last 12 to 18
at home, while other
months that this
sessions will be
subject matter is
carried out at shore
hitting home.
training centres. The
The
cost
training takes about
implications
are
three days for each
the major concern
of the two parts.
Electronic charts give real-time information of a ships location
for
shipowners.
Mr Bailey said
There will be many
Thomas Gunn was
involved not only in buying the equipment, but
offering a CBT package for its products, and
also the training requirement that goes with it.
already some training centres were in the process
Each ship must carry a back up in case the ecdis
of getting approval from the various manufacturers
fails, and they can do this by having a dual ecdis
to run training courses at their establishments.
system or carrying paper charts as a back up.
They are also having to gain approval from the
According to Mr Bailey, a basic dual ecdis
flag states, because it is the flag states that have to
system will cost most shipowners at least 20,000
approve the training.
per ship, and that is just for the equipment and
Ecdis consists of a database of ENCs together
not the installation or training involved. For
with the hardware and software needed to display
much more expensive brands the costs will be
the chart data as well as the ships course, speed and
even higher.
position. The way in which the charts are purchased
With regards to the expenditure, does Mr
will be a completely different concept to ordering
Bailey think the smaller companies will find
paper charts.
it more difficult to implement the mandate?
A shipowner in the past has said right, my
It depends on what route they take with
ship is going to be trading in these certain areas or
compliance, he explained.
worldwide and we put the paper charts on board
Its such a massive subject regarding what
these ships. With AVCS you have got a licensing
they could do to comply with the regulations.
framework which is either three, six, nine or 12
They could just buy a single ecdis and retain the
months, explained Mr Bailey.
paper back ups. There are cost impacts, yes, and
All of the charts are broken down into cells.
there is also the training aspect.
The actual cell can be delivered to the ship in
Under IMOs requirements each ship would
about 10 minutes electronically, so the shipowner or
have to send a number of people for training in
shipmanager does not need to go and buy worldwide
how to use the ecdis system. These would include
coverage of AVCS, said Mr Bailey. That would cost
all of the ships navigating officers, comprising a
them 60,000 to 100,000. What he does is buys cells
master, chief officer, second mate and third mate,
that he needs for a certain area. If he knows the ship
plus their reliefs.
is only going to be there for three months, then he just
They will all have to undertake both aspects of
buys the three months licence.
the training generic ecdis training and type-specific
The ship will basically have all the cells on
training, according to the certain manufacturers
board ship. With AVCS products there are nine
model they are using.
base discs that go out in the package and the ship
www.rivieramm.com
source: Thomas Gunn
installs these into the ecdis, in both the main unit

and the back up.
All you are doing is requesting a permit to
activate those cells within the database when
you need them. So, if you are going on a voyage
from New York to Southampton you would just
request the cells covering this passage, explained
Mr Bailey.
The ship would send an e-mail requesting
activation of the cells to a distributor such as
Thomas Gunn and then they would receive the
permit file, which is loaded into the ecdis. As with
paper charts there is a need to continually update
electronic charts with any new data that could
affect the ships passage.
At the moment, Thomas Gunn sends weekly

updates to paper charts in two ways. One is
the paper format which goes out in the mail to
the ship and it also uses its Voyager system to
take the paper updates and send them over in a
digital e-mail solution.
With the ENCs there is also a need to update
them and we are just in the process of launching
Version 3 of Voyager that will have the capability
of sending the updates in a digital format to the
ships for their AVCS, said Mr Bailey.
The problem is the file size and when youve
got AVCS you could have a couple of hundred
active cells that need updating on board your ship.
To do the updates, the actual file size can be quite
Training will be vital to ensure navigators can operate ecdis safely

www.rivieramm.com
switchover
large, up to 2MB, so what we are focusing on is that

ecdis during service, though this would not be
when ships are at sea and using satcom systems
the ideal solution due to the costings involved to
they will only update cells for the particular route
the shipping company. They could just carry on
they are on at that moment and wait until they get
with the paper charts, as they have done, while
to a port to do the rest.
the ecdis system is being fitted, but this would
Once at the port they will get the weekly update
probably be the last resort for fitting it.
disc in the mail or if they can use wi-fi solutions,
Once installed, the ecdis will form part of the
and many ports these days have wi-fi set ups, they
ships safety equipment and thus even though
can do the bulk of the updating and download then.
there is no requirement to have an annual check
Internet connection therefore needs to be efficient
on it alone, it will be inspected by a class surveyor
and Mr Bailey now believes it is even more important.
going on board to do the safety equipment
Because of the cost implications, broadband has
certificate reviews.
been fairly slow to be taken up within the industry
Despite there being months, and in many
although momentum is gathering
pace now.
About three years ago, he said, a
broadband solution for a ship was
Located in Hamburg, Germany,
costing around 30,000 per ship
with ECDIS training ofces in
for hardware and about 3,000 a
St. Petersburg, Riga & Odessa
(and Manila opening soon).
month for connection. Now some
of the hardware is being provided
at a minimal cost and packages
where you can buy 300MB
broadband data for a month will
ECDIS, UKLAP, Security
cost 1,200 to 1,500. There has
been a significant reduction in the
and more.
actual costs which is making it
more attractive to the owner, said
Mr Bailey.
Already Thomas Gunn has
www.marineserve.de
been involved with a couple of
newbuildings in China and it has
also done some retrofits, even
though older ships will not require
www.safebridge.net
ecdis for a few years yet, as the
timetable is being rolled out until
2018, with more ships coming into
line each year depending on their
Maritime training reaches a new dimension.
gross tonnage.
The ecdis equipment will be
ECDIS training anywhere and anytime.
fitted to many ships during class
surveys to minimise the amount
of time they are taken out of
service for. It has to be fitted by
an approved manufacturer s
technician and takes about three to
four days to install.
But, said Mr Bailey, a technician
could also go on board and fit the
Maritime Training
Web Based Training
www.rivieramm.com
source: Thomas Gunn
cases years, until ships have to fall in line with

the new mandate, owners are already looking
ahead and finding ways of adapting to the new
ecdis regulations.
Its happening, said Mr Bailey. Our ENC
sales are increasing all the time. We have been proactive and held quite a few seminars for our major
clients where we go in and bring this mandate to
their attention and try to educate them.
There are a lot of myths out there about ecdis
and we are trying to dispel these myths. We are just
trying to be factual and its not going to be a cheap
exercise but we are trying to educate these people
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about how they go about buying their electronic

charts and making sure they do get as much value
for money from us.
We are not just going out there and selling
huge folios of AVCS cells where its good for
our revenues but does not actually present the
shipowner with a good solution.
He said many shipowners and seafarers had
apprehensions about ecdis and admitted to
having some himself. It is welcome but there are
reservations. I have reservations about it because
you have to be aware of the limitations of the
equipment. Its about using it sensibly and being
fully trained in how to use it. I
think weve got to hope that the
legislation, and the training aspect
of the legislation, meets that.
Inspection regimes such as port
state control will be responsible for
looking at this, to see that people
are trained and certified in the use
of ecdis.
So, does Mr Bailey believe
there will be any companies
who do not comply with the
new ruling by the dates given in
the mandate? No, there wont
be, because it is so tight with
regards to the size of vessels,
tonnages and the implementation
date. No-one will be able to slip
through the net.
Despite many shipowners
embracing the new mandate
and welcoming the advances in
technology Mr Bailey believes
paper charts will still be around
in years to come. There will be
some companies that will not go
down the route of dual ecdis.
They will still want paper charts
on board and, to be honest, I still
believe that even for a ship that
says it is going totally paperless,
thats a bit of a myth. They will
always carry maybe 20-odd
charts just to get them home
should everything fail on board
ship. ECDIS
regulations
Meeting carriage
requirements with ecdis
There are many rules and regulations
shipowners must consider when they
are rolling ecdis installations out on
board their fleets
nly a type-approved ecdis operating with

up-to-date ENCs and with appropriate
back up may be used to replace paper
charts on a vessel. Where ENCs are not yet available,
IMO regulations allow flag states to authorise the
use of RNCs (together with an appropriate folio of
paper charts). In all other cases the vessel must carry
all paper charts necessary for its intended voyage.
From the regulatory perspective, the most
important statement about the legal status of ecdis
is contained in the amended Chapter V of the Solas
convention set into force on 1 July 2002. Ecdis is
specifically referred to in regulation 19 Carriage
requirements for ship borne navigational systems
and equipment.
However, in order to replace paper charts,
such systems must fulfil considerable technical
requirements laid down in ecdis performance
standards:
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where these are available
WKH JUDSKLF GLVSOD\ RQ WKH VFUHHQ PXVW PHHW WKH
equipment-independent specification
WKH HTXLSPHQW PXVW VXSSRUW WKH IXOO UDQJH RI
navigational functions that can be performed on the
traditional paper charts.
No electronic system is completely failsafe. IMO
performance standards therefore require that the
overall system includes both a primary ecdis and
an adequate independent back up arrangement
that provides independent facilities enabling a
safe takeover of the ecdis functions in order to
ensure that a system failure does not result in a
critical situation.
Solas regulations state that chart data must

beofficial
However, there are various interpretations as to

what are the minimum functional requirements, or
what constitutes adequate back up arrangements.
There are two commonly accepted options: a second
ecdis, connected to an independent power supply
and a separate GPS position input, or an appropriate
up-to-date folio of official paper charts for the
intended voyage.
Some flag states may permit other options
(eg, radar-based systems such as chart-radar).
Shipowners should consult their national maritime
administration for specific advice in interpreting
MSC 232/82 and show that with regards to
equipment and SMS procedures, compliance has
been achieved, and measures are in place to allow the
mariner and vessels to comply with this mandation.
Unlike paper charts, ecdis is a sophisticated
system which, besides the navigational functions,
includes components of a complex, computerbased information system. In total, the system
includes hardware, operating system, ecdis software
(kernel and user interface), sensor input interfacing,
electronic chart data, rules for presentation and
display, status and parameters of alarms and
indications, etc. All these items are accessed through
an appropriate human-machine interface.
As with any type of shipboard navigation
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source: Thomas Gunn
equipment, it is only as good as those who use it

and what it is being used for. In the case of ecdis
and electronic charts, if the mariner is well trained
then the system provides the information flow
that the mariner needs to make good decisions
and therefore contributes significantly to safe and
efficient navigation.
Ecdis and other electronic charting systems are
increasingly complex. Without proper training,
these systems will not be used to their full potential
and could under some circumstances increase the
hazard to navigation. The Standards of Training,
Certification and Watch-keeping (STCW) and
International Safety Management codes put the
responsibility firmly on the shipowner to ensure
that mariners on their vessels are competent to
carry out the duties they are expected to perform.
To encourage effective ecdis education, IMO
approved a standardised model course on the
operational use of ecdis in 1999 (IMO course
1.27). This course is offered by approved training
institutions and maritime academies. Some flag
states have developed their own training courses
in ecdis in order to be able to recognise the training
certificates. Type-specific ecdis training is provided
by equipment manufacturers.
Navigating with ecdis is fundamentally
different from navigating with paper charts.
Important bridge work-processes are significantly
affected, in particular, voyage planning and voyage
execution task.
Ecdis provides a number of additional planning
functions and features such as safety contours,
alarms, click-and-drop facilities for waypoints
and markers, etc. Whilst in many ways ecdis
makes voyage planning easier it is still possible
to make errors, however these are likely to be of
a different type to those encountered when using
paper charts.
Even though ENC coverage is increasing rapidly,
many vessels will, to some degree, have to operate
a dual or even triple system with ENCs, paper
and raster charts. The format of the voyage plan is
likely to differ from the traditional alphanumeric
lists of waypoints used with paper charts and
should include information on the usability of
connected electronic navigational devices such as
GPS and AIS and their actual alarm settings.
It is essential to make use of the in-built automatic
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check functions provided by ecdis when validating

and approving the voyage plan. Thought should be
given to ensuring that a backup to the voyage plan
on the ecdis is available in case of equipment failure.
It is important that there is good communication of
the voyage plan to all bridge officers so that they are
prepared for the intended voyage.
At the beginning of the voyage, as well as at
any change of watch, the officers should review
the voyage plan and agree the selected pre-settings
of functions, alarms and indicators to be used on
the ecdis.
If the ecdis is used for real-time navigation, the
statutory requirements regarding monitoring of the
progress of the voyage and marking of positions will
need to be considered:
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record-keeping purposes?
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tracks marked on the paper charts correspond with
the ecdis information?
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shipping company been adapted for the use of ecdis
and is everyone concerned with the navigation
familiar with these adaptations?
There is a tendency to put too much trust in
computer-based systems and believe whatever is
on the display. It is essential that officers do not
become complacent, understand the limitations of
the equipment, and employ the basic navigational
skills to cross check the information displayed by all
other means available; especially by looking out the
window and watching the radar! ECDIS
In-built automatic check functions help to validate

and approve the voyage plan
preparation
IMOs Maritime Safety Committee drew up the requirements for fitting ecdis in 2009
Preparing yourself for

ecdis mandation
Each fleet must investigate how
and when it will be affected by
the phasing-in of IMOs Solas
requirements for ecdis
009 brought confirmation of the timetable

for the mandatory adoption of ecdis and this
means that for large sectors of the industry
going digital is no longer an interesting option, its
a must, with an immovable timetable attached. As
a result, companies affected by the first phase of
adoption in 2012 need to start their planning now,
claims the UK Hydrographic Office.
There are a number of steps and considerations

to be made to ensure that there is a smooth
transition from paper to digital navigation. The
most important thing is finding out how each
fleet will be affected although the legislation
will eventually apply to almost all large merchant
vessels and passenger ships, it will be phased by
vessel type and size so it is vital to know when
your ships will be affected. The first phase affects
new passenger ships and new tankers.
According to the UK Hydrographic Office,
developing an implementation strategy is key, as it is
important to recognise that the transition from paper
to electronic navigation is a fundamental change in
the way ship navigation will be conducted, its not
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source: Thomas Gunn
simply a case of fitting another piece of hardware

to ensure compliance with a carriage requirement.
Key things to consider include the purchase
and installation of ecdis equipment, amendments
to bridge procedures, co-ordination between ship
and shore, and the selection of a chart service
that best meets operational needs and fulfils the
carriage requirements.
One of the most important elements is training.
Arranging and acquiring the appropriate training
certification can take several months and as a
minimum you should be able to satisfy your flag
state and any independent audit authorities that
your crews are proficient in using ecdis to maintain
safety of navigation.
Although the main aim of ecdis is safety, it can
also increase operational efficiency that in turn can
lead to bottom-line savings. Navigators and marine
superintendents regularly report a steady flow of
benefits from using ecdis, including the fact that
updates to chart data can be virtually instant.
The International Maritime Organization
(IMO) approved amendments to the International
Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (Solas)
mandating the fitting of ecdis at the 86th session
of the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) in June
2009. The amendment to Solas means that all large

passenger, tanker and cargo ships will be obliged
to fit ecdis on a rolling timetable that begins in
July 2012.
Step 1: find out how your shipisaffected
Fitting of ecdis will become mandatory in a rolling
timetable that begins in July 2012. The legislation
will be phased by vessel type and size to eventually
apply to almost all large merchant vessels and
passenger ships. The timetable for newbuilds is
based on the date the vessels keel is laid. Existing
vessels will be required to fit ecdis in advance of the
first survey after the implementation date. There are
no requirements for existing cargo vessels of less
than 10,000gt. Flag states may exempt vessels that
will be taken permanently out of service within two
years of the implementation date.
Step 2: consider the implementationstrategy
It is important to recognise that the transition from
paper to electronic navigation is a fundamental
change in the way ship navigation will be conducted,
not simply a case of fitting another piece of hardware
to ensure compliance with a carriage requirement.
To successfully fit ecdis on a vessel or across a
Tankers built from July 2012 onwards must install an ecdis

www.rivieramm.com
preparation
fleet and operate it in a safe and efficient manner

requires consideration of a number of interrelated
elements. As well as decisions on the purchase and
installation of the ecdis equipment thought must be
given to training and to the amendment of bridge
procedures. Lastly, but importantly, is the selection
of a chart service that best meets operational
needs and fulfils the carriage requirements. All of
these factors need to be taken into account when
developing the implementation strategy for the
fleet. It will depend on the types of vessel in the
fleet as well as the mix of new and existing vessels
and the trading pattern they operate.
Step 3: choosing the correct ecdis fit
There is a large range of ecdis equipment available,
from those that are part of an integrated bridge
system, through to small stand-alone units that
could be more appropriate for retrofit to vessels
that have limited bridge space. The IMO standards
require that vessels must carry a backup to ecdis that
can take over the chart-based navigation functions
in event of system failure. The fitting of a second
ecdis or the carriage of paper charts are widely
accepted as back up that will meet requirements.
Depending on the flag state, other solutions such as
the carriage of a chart radar or other type-approved
electronic back-up may be accepted. Owners and
managers will need to decide whether to fit vessels
with single or dual ecdis systems. Fitting a dual
Bridge procedures may need to be amended to

accommodate ecdis
system will allow a significant reduction in the

paper charts carried (in some cases down to zero).
If using paper charts as a back up to a single ecdis
a vessel is likely to require the carriage of a full (or
only slightly reduced) folio. However if the owner
intends to install and operate with ecdis, they will
need to work closely with the maritime authority
so that its vessels are registered with to ensure they
comply with all the requirements.
Step 4: choose the right chart solution for you
Only official electronic navigation charts (ENC)
from an authorised supplier meet Solas carriage
requirements for charts in ecdis. These must be kept
fully up to date for the latest notices to mariners
(NM). Owners should be looking for a chart
service that is compliant with the new regulations,
provides the best coverage for their vessels areas of
operation, provides flexibility both in terms of the
charts bought and their licence periods and includes
a regular update service.
Look also for a chart supplier who can provide
official raster navigational charts, such as ARCS, for
areas where ENCs are not available. This will enable
a fleet to always navigate with official data.
Step 5: get crew trained
Training is a key element in the successful and safe
transition to electronic navigation.
Flag states will normally, as a minimum, require
that ships officers attend an approved generic ecdis
operator training course based on the IMO standard
model. In addition, the ISM Code requires that ships
officers have familiarisation training for all safety
equipment fitted on board. This requirement can
be met through type-specific training provided by
the ecdis manufacturer. As a minimum, an owner
should be able to satisfy its flag state, and any
independent audit authorities, that its crews are
competent in the use of ecdis to maintain safety
of navigation. The UKHO is developing training
material, including computer-based packages, to
assist the mariner to read and interpret ENCs with
the same confidence they have with paper charts.
Step 6: get flag state certification
It is essential to understand a flag states
requirements for certification. Under existing
regulations owners will need to obtain a certificate
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source: Thomas Gunn
of equivalency to allow ecdis to be used to

fulfil the Solas chart carriage requirement. The
certificate is proof that the vessel has a typeapproved ecdis, fitted in accordance with IMO
requirements and an approved back up system.
Owners should check that their flag state will
accept the type-approval certification for the
ecdis equipment they wish to fit. Where ecdis
has been fitted this should be indicated on the
record of equipment attached to the vessels safety
equipment certificate; this will also give details of
the back up that is to be used. Owners should also
talk to their classification society and insurance/
P&I club to see if they have any further specific
requirements. Flag state requirements may change
following the adoption of carriage requirements
for ecdis, so it will be important to remain in close
contact with them.
Arranging training and acquiring certification could
Step 7: demonstrate compliance for port

state inspection
As well as having to satisfy the initial requirements
of a flag state when installing ecdis, port state
control will be checking to ensure compliance
with the new regulations. Inspections might
require physical demonstrations of competency
by crew as well as evidence of inclusion of ecdis
operation procedures in an owners onboard
safety management systems. This is in addition
to basic certification described in step 6. Some
commercial operators vetting schemes will have
similar demands and non-compliance with their
requirements could put a ship off-hire.
Step 8: co-ordinate shoreside
and shipmanagement
Close co-ordination between ship and shore
is vital for successful implementation. Identify
all the stakeholders class society, insurers,
charterers and include them in the plans
as early as possible. Its worth conducting a
full analysis to determine how ecdis on board
vessels could change ways of working onshore.
Practical areas to look at include management
of chart data and passage planning. Successful
implementation will require a re-write of a
companys safety management system, which
is likely to be best achieved through structured
consultation between onboard and ashore staff.
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take months
Step 9: start now!

There is a lot to do so dont wait for the deadline.
Arranging training and acquiring certification can
take three months but an owner might need as
much as six months to implement its strategy
depending on whether the vessel is a newbuild
or retrofit. The sooner the strategy is adopted, the
sooner an owner will have a realistic expectation
of costs and issues. If a ship is affected by the first
phase adoption in 2012, planning should start now.
Step 10: the aim is safety but the result can
also be efficiency
Ecdis has been shown to contribute significantly
to safety of life at sea, but it can also increase
operational efficiency that in turn can lead to bottom
line savings. Navigators and superintendents
regularly report a steady flow of benefits from
using ecdis. Updates to chart data can be virtually
instant. Navigation tasks and bridge workload
can be optimised, situational awareness improved
and stress reduced when navigating in congested
waters where most accidents occur. Ecdis also
offers data reporting and auditing tools that
can eliminate redundant practices and improve
voyage planning, delivering tangible fuel savings.
Early adopters will be the ones that see the
advantages soonest. ECDIS
preparation
Planning for the switch

to electronic charts
Shipowners must take action now
if they are to be ready for the
mandatory ecdis carriage regulations
s amendments to Solas stipulating the

carriage of electronic chart display and
information systems (ecdis) on board loom
ever closer, chart suppliers will play a fundamental
role in assisting shipping companies to get to grips
with a new method of navigation which some
seafarers have yet to experience.
Michael Cauter, deputy chief executive of the
UK Hydrographic Office, said that during this
transitional period where electronic navigation is
being adopted on a rolling basis to 2018, companies
should respond sooner rather than later. My
concern is some people are looking at this as one
of a number of impending regulatory changes and
treating it as a reactive issue, ie, well do digital
navigation as and when we need to. There are many
potential safety and economical benefits of digital
navigation but you only really get those benefits if
youve been through a planned transition.
Describing the use of electronic charts as a
different way of navigating, Mr Cauter said the
need to train crew and get supply chains in place
will be paramount. He explained if companies
start planning their transition now, benefits such as
situational awareness and improved access to chart
updates and information can be realised. There
are shipping companies whove been managing
their own transition for the last five, six or seven
years and are now navigating predominantly with
digital charts, with a huge number of commercial
and safety benefits. Im concerned people are not
investing time into planning how theyre going to
integrate a real change in the way they navigate and
access the potential benefits, he said.
Irrespective of when shipping companies believe
Owners must prepare crew to use ecdis from

nowonwards
the switch to ecdis will impact them, Mr Cauter

said the need to begin planning now is clear and
he advised companies should communicate with
those in industry who can offer advice on what this
means in practice. He said, Dont plan for a sudden
switch, plan for a phased transition. Weve seen a
number of shipping lines which have gone through
a phased transition where theyre increasing their
costs in the first year or two, buying paper and
digital materials through the transition, but theyve
got a clear business case and within a few years it
pays back.
Thomas Gunn, managing director of Thomas
Gunn Navigational Services, said improved
situational awareness is the biggest advantage
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source: Thomas Gunn
and the main drive behind electronic navigation,

particularly due to information which can be used
to enhance decision-making processes on the bridge.
Describing the need for to take an early stance in
planning the changeover to ecdis, Mr Gunn advised
shipowners to talk to navigation companies such
as his own, to gain a more in-depth understanding
of the process of switching from paper to electronic
navigation methods.
Its a fairly complete concept change from
paper folio coverage to ecdis, he said. Weve
provided seminars for customers, trying to bring
this information to superintendents and the
message is getting there slowly. I think its a case of
acknowledging the need and the mandate ecdis is
going to come in over a phased time scale and the
sooner they start talking to the likes of ourselves and
buying into the concept, looking at how to comply
with the mandate, the better for them.
In April, Thomas Gunn Navigation Services
will release Voyager 3 the third version of the
companys popular TGNS Voyager, a service which
has been tested and approved by the UK Maritime
and Coastguard Agency and UKHO, in addition to
gaining approvals from a number of flag states. As a
fully automated onboard chart management system,
Voyager gives the mariner a personalised database
of publications, charts and notices to mariners
(NTM) within a clear folio system. Weekly updates
are provided to the ships index containing NTMs
and tracings, provided through e-mail or Internet.
Data is sent to the service user via weekly updates
and an emphasis on reducing file sizes is key as file
compression is used and only files of relevance to
the vessels chart outfit are supplied.
April will also see the launch of the companys
TGT e-Data service which provides chart updates
from not just the UKHO but also from the US,
New Zealand, Australia, Canada and Japanese
hydrographic offices. Mr Gunn said the company
is also in discussion with a number of other
hydrographic offices to include their data sets into
our TGT e-Data service. The service also boasts
a range of additional features including advanced
compression technology, where up to 60 per cent
reduction in file size can be achieved.
Mr Gunn described the need for shipping
companies to act on ecdis requirements now, If
they leave it until the last minute, the training
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Training will assist navigation officers to create

passage plans using ecdis
aspect is a huge hurdle which needs to be overcome.

There are more and more solutions out there we
have products which can help with the transition,
weve got the people, the technology and the
understanding so its really about buying into
ecdis and getting on board now. By speaking with
distributors you can plan ahead.
In the wake of a widespread move towards
e-navigation, training is also a pertinent concern,
but is the industry doing enough to ensure seafarers
are competent with these new technologies? Mr
Cauter said, Im a firm believer that regulation is an
important but blunt tool. The most important thing
is if we can promote the significance, importance and
benefits of training to shipowners and managers,
the market demand will pull this through. With the
model course, IMO has taken an early stance on
recognising the need for training and other bodies
are also spending time thinking about this.
Training will always need to be personalised
for a particular environment or vessel that is not a
role for the regulator. Commercially the benefits of
investing in training are clear but personally I am
not happy with the investment made in training
around digital navigation today. I think a number
of shipping companies have taken rather short-term
views but I think we are seeing the people who are
making that investment improve their turnover
of staff. Its more about trying to encourage the
philosophy of shipping companies to embrace the
benefits of training rather than seeing this as a
regulatory must-do. ECDIS
profile
Human dynamo driving

the company forward
navigation and become a compass adjuster. This
led him to complete a foreign going masters
course at South Shields College, obtaining his
ticket in London and becoming a qualified
compass adjuster aged just 21.
For Mr Gunn it was the allure of going to sea to
homas Gunn has the energy, drive and
calibrate the compass aboard a variety of vessels
ambition of at least three people and has led
which held the biggest attraction. The Gunn
such an eventful life that the mere mention of
family has a long tradition of being involved with
it would exhaust lesser mortals. At the helm of this
the sea so it was in my blood, he explained.
family-owned international market leader, Thomas
But quickly this ambitious young man had a
Gunn inspires a team of more than 140 staff and
burning desire to reach out on his own and set up
spearheads the digital developments within Thomas
his own company. At the age of only 22 he moved
Gunn Navigation Services (TGNS).
lock, stock and barrel with first wife Linda to
In his role as managing director this human
Aberdeen, Scotland, where the pair began Thomas
dynamo circumnavigates the globe, holding
Gunn Navigation Services with Mr Gunn calibrating
regular face-to-face meetings with the companys
compasses for the large fishing fleet and growing
worldwide clients and attending a multitude of
number of oil industry-related vessels.
industry events to ensure he stays firmly abreast of
Id done a lot of research and realised there was
latest developments.
an opening for someone to work out of the north
Yet he also manages to find time to ski, cycle,
east of Scotland, he recalled. Moving to Aberdeen
run, sailboard, spend time with his family and
was bold move and at the time people thought I was
devote time to community groups and charity
mad leaving Northumberland because I had a good
events to give something back.
job there. But I was always looking for something
This ability to grasp life by the throat and
different. Youve got to do something with your life
squeeze every inch out of it has characterised his
the worlds my oyster! And, he adds, Gunn is a
maritime career and enabled him to build from
Scottish surname so deep down I was going back
scratch a company which is now
to my roots.
the worlds leading international
Dedication and drive built
agent for Admiralty charts.
the business. He drove 70,000
Its a far cry from his early days
miles a year in those early days
in North Shields, Northumberland
developing a customer base while
where the young Mr Gunn, whose
Linda took care of the financial
father and grandfather had
and back-office aspects. It was
served at sea, started his working
interesting times, enthused Mr
life as an apprentice at specialist
Gunn, I didnt know anyone at
navigation instrument maker
first. It was flying by the seat of
Lilley & Gillie.
your pants.
He gained wide experience in
But that was it, we worked
all disciplines within the company Thomas Gunn: as a company we
hard and we never looked back. I
before choosing to specialise in try to be a leader
did 11 years with no sick days and
Family firm Thomas Gunn owes

much of its success to the man
whose name is on the building
www.rivieramm.com
source: Thomas Gunn
no holidays you just

got on with it. But I
enjoyed every minute
of it!
Work
flooded
in. Mr Gunns can
do attitude earned
him industry respect
and
built
lasting
relationships
with
customers.
Pretty
soon he found himself
using his navigational
knowledge to help
source charts and
equipment
for
customers on the
basis that you never
say no, and this led Version 3 of TGNS Voyager chart management system is due to launch in April
to the companys
appointment as a UKHO chart agent in 1981.
As a company we try to be a leader, he explains
Over the years Mr Gunn has gathered a loyal
with modest understatement. We have our own
and dedicated team of people who have enabled
research and development department and our own
him to grow the company from local market leader,
IT guys and we have the facility to provide solutions
through national success to become an international
for our customers.
force to be reckoned with.
While he firmly believes there will always
He began by taking on an apprentice of his own
be a requirement for regular charts, Mr Gunn
16-year-old Martin Goodrum who remains with
has invested significantly in developing the
the firm 28 years on as a senior compass adjuster
firms digital capabilities. Version three of the
and service engineer. Other staff have served
companys Voyager fully automated on board chart
with the company for up to 25 years each and this
management system is set to be launched in April
level of commitment enables TGNS to provide its
testimony to his declaration that you cant just
customers with a knowledgeable and consistentlystand still.
high service.
This dynamic 56-year-old has no plans to retire
Along the journey Thomas and Linda Gunn were
while he still has a hunger for business and as long
joined by experienced and well-respected director
as Im fit and able to do these things. However, in
Doug Anderson whose move from London to
his daughters Emma and Claire and grandchildren
Aberdeen represented an important turning point
Lucas and Thomas, he has a ready-made chain
in the company and enabled Mr Gunn to focus on
of succession able to ensure TGNS remains a
greater international business development.
family firm at the cutting edge of customer-based
Despite years of consolidated growth and
navigational solutions provision.
expansion, Mr Gunn still leads from the helm
But today Mr Gunns hectic life has more balance
and meets every new employee for an in-person
and when hes not in the office or travelling the
discussion as part of their induction process as
globe you can find him on the beach with wife
well as chairing regular team meetings when his
Cherie and daughter Ellie or running in the Scottish
extensive travel plans allow.
forests with his dogs or maybe touring Europe on
Thirty-three years later TGNS is going strong
his Harley Davison with his biker friends.
and developing market-leading ecdis technology to
One place you wont find him is asleep in front of
meet modern navigational needs.
the TV this dynamo never stops! ECDIS
www.rivieramm.com
chart management
Chart management
systems beyond ecdis
Voyager is a fully automated chart management system
Thomas Gunn is launching two new

software programs which organise
publications, charts and notices to
mariners into a database
n a world where navigators often have to

work with both electronic chart display and
information systems and traditional paper
charts, Thomas Gunn Navigational Services (TGNS)
has met the challenge of using advanced technology
to provide British Admiralty corrections for both
systems. Digital transmission of corrections enable
navigators to easily and efficiently update both
ecdis and paper charts with the latest information,
dispensing with the unwieldy number CDs and the
burden of time consuming paperwork.
Extensive sea trials of two new products to be
launched this spring are in the final stages and Thomas
Gunn, managing director of TGNS said, We have
become the leading distributor of Admiralty digital
products in the world, by listening to our clients needs
and working closely with them to develop the right
solutions and the most economic solutions. With our
in-house digital products department and our eightstrong team of IT developers, we have the infrastructure
in place to develop ongoing innovative solutions for the
mariners e-navigational needs of the future.
In April, TGNS will release Voyager 3 the
third version of the companys popular TGNS
Voyager Software, a service which has been tested
and approved by the UK Maritime and Coastguard
Agency and UKHO, in addition to gaining approvals
from a number of the worlds leading flag states.
As a fully automated onboard chart management
system, Voyager gives the mariner a personalised
database of publications, charts and notices to
mariners (NTM) within a clear folio system. Weekly
updates are provided to the ships index, containing
NTMs and tracings, provided through e-mail or the
Internet. Data is sent to the service user via weekly
updates and an emphasis on reducing file sizes is
key as file compression is used and only files of
relevance to the vessels chart outfit are supplied.
Voyager 3 will include all the current functionality
of Voyager 2, but with the additional capability
to receive vessel specific updates for AVCS and
ADP. Furthermore, Voyager 3 will also allow users
to add and remove charts to their index, and
www.rivieramm.com
source: Thomas Gunn
Training the key to successful transition

With over 30 years in the industry, Thomas Gunn,
message is getting out there, but slowly. I think its a
managing director of Thomas Gunn Navigational Services
case of acknowledging that whilst there is a mandate
(TGNS) is ideally placed to comment on developments
to comply with, there is also a genuine need for
in electronic navigation systems and the benefits that
heightened awareness, and that very real benefits are
improved automation and integration can bring. With its
to be gained from embracing these new technologies,
heritage of traditional paper based folio coverage, TGNS
at the same time as understanding the limitations.
has the specialist knowledge to develop high quality,
Despite ecdis coming in over a phased time scale, if its
cutting edge, electronic onboard chart management
left until the last minute the training aspect will become
systems and Mr Gunn is passionate about the benefits
a huge hurdle which cant be tackled overnight.
he has seen to the industry as a whole.
I believe for many navigators there is a fear of relying
Describing the need to take an early stance in the
on computers as a whole which needs to be overcome
changeover to electronic navigation methods he said,
maybe they arent used to them in their private lives
Improved situational awareness is a massive advantage
and so find it difficult to welcome them into their working
to mariners and can significantly enhance decision-
environment. We need to demonstrate the enormous
making processes on the bridge. We urge shipowners
benefits that can be gained from the technology not
to talk to navigation data suppliers, such as ourselves,
only from ecdis itself but also from online updates
to gain a more in-depth understanding of the process of
that are available for both digital and paper based
switching from paper to electronic navigation methods,
navigational systems.
and the benefits to be realised.
There are more and more solutions out there we
Its a fairly complete concept change from paper
have products which can help with the transition, weve
folio coverage to ecdis. We provide a programme of
got the people, the technology and the understanding so
training and seminars for our customers and are trying
its really about buying into ecdis and getting on board
hard to bring the information to superintendents the
now, said Mr Gunn.
request additional ENCs. 1,600 vessels are currently

subscribed to the Voyager service and demand for
the third version will be strong.
April will also see the launch of the TGNS TGT
e-Data service which provides chart updates from not
just the UKHO but also from the US, New Zealand,
Australia, Canada and Japanese hydrographic
offices, with further data sets to be added in the near
Weekly Voyager updates are provided to the

shipsindex
www.rivieramm.com
future, regarding paper-based outfits.

TGT e-Data is a fully editable onboard chart
management system which will provide mariners
with a personalised database of charts, publications
and NTMs organised in a convenient folio system,
and supplies weekly updates to the ships index and
NTMs and tracings via e-mail.
Thomas Gunn, managing director of TGNS
said, TGT e-Data is a living, breathing product
which will evolve to meet the needs of navigators
worldwide. We are in discussions with a number
of other hydrographic offices to include their data
sets into our TGT e-Data service and believe that
weve got a specific market for regions where
there could be operators relying on not just British
products but who also carry data on board their
ships from other regions. Our service also boasts
a range of additional features including advanced
compression technology, where up to 60 per cent
reduction in file size can be achieved, making it
the most technically advanced digital NTM service
available. ECDIS
digest
ferry
directory
BRAZIL
GREECE
Fundao Homem do Mar

www.fhm.org.br
Cosmos Nautical Training Centre

www.cosmostraining.gr
CHINA
Epsilon Hellas
www.epsilonhellas.gr
Headway Technology Co Ltd

www.headwaytech.com
CYPRUS
Vanos SA
www.vanos.gr
Transas Marine International

www.transasmarine.com
UAE
Elcome International LLC
www.elcome.ae
Emirates International
Maritime Academy
www.eima.ae
ISRAEL
Uniteam Marine Ltd

www.uniteammarine.com
Totem Plus
www.totemplus.com
DENMARK
INDIA
Danelec Marine A/S

www.danelec-marine.com
Bibby Ship Management (India) Pvt Ltd

www.india.bibbyshipmanagement.com
Charity & Taylor

(Electronic Services) Ltd
www.ecdis-and-radar.com
Furuno Danmark A/S

www.furuno.dk
JAPAN
ChartCo Ltd
www.chartco.com
Isic A/S
www.isic-systems.com
FINLAND
Aboa Mare
www.aboamare.fi
Unigraf Oy
www.unigraf.fi
FRANCE
Sodena SAS
www.sodena.net
Furuno Electric Co Ltd

www.furunodeepsea.com
Japan Radio Co
www.jrc.co.jp
THE NETHERLANDS
Datema Nautical Safety
www.datema.nl
JRC Europe
www.jrceurope.com
NORWAY
UK
Blackpool & The Fylde College
www.blackpool.ac.uk
Da Gama Navigation Solutions

www.da-gama.co.uk
Ecdis Ltd
www.ecdis.org.uk
John Lilley & Gillie Ltd
www.lilleyandgillie.co.uk
Kelvin Hughes Ltd
www.kelvinhughes.com
PC Maritime Ltd
www.pcmaritime.co.uk
Hatteland Display AS
www.hatteland-display.com
South Tyneside College

www.stc.ac.uk
Baytek Industriesysteme GmbH

www.baytek.de
Jeppesen
www.jeppesen.com/marine
Thomas Gunn Navigation Services

www.thomasgunn.com
ChartWorld GmbH
www.chartworld.com
Kongsberg Maritime
www.km.kongsberg.com
Todd
www.intelligentnavigation.com
Maris
www.maris.no
VideoTel
www.videotel.co.uk
DNV Maritime Partner

www.dnvmp.com
Warsash Maritime Academy

www.warsashacademy.co.uk
Primar
www.primar.no
US
GERMANY
Conrac GmbH
www.conrac.de
Interschalt Maritime Systems AG
www.interschalt.de
Kadlec & Brdlin GmbH
www.kadlec-broedlin.de
MSG MarineServe GmbH
www.marineserve.de
REPUBLIC OF PANAMA
MTC Marine Training Center GmbH

www.mtc-simulation.com
Islamorada
www.islamorada.com
Raytheon Anschtz GmbH

www.raytheon-anschuetz.com
PHILIPPINES
Safebridge GmbH
www.safebridge.net
SAM Electronics GmbH
www.sam-electronics.de
SevenCs GmbH
www.sevencs.com
Idess Maritime Centre (Subic) Inc

www.idess.com
Global Maritime and

Transportation School
www.gmats.usmma.edu
Maritime Professional Training
www.mptusa.com
Sperry Marine
www.sperrymarinenorthropgrumman.com
SWEDEN
Adveto AB
www.adveto.com
Consilium Marine & Safety AB
www.consilium.se
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Ltd will not be held responsible for any
loss, damage or inconvenience caused by
reliance placed on the data contained in it
or through omission or errors.
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and RADAR.
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knowledge and skills, so that our
answer will be a helpful one.
So! - Give us your question,
and let us together nd out, if
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last word
Why so complicated?
Modern expectations may signal the
future course for ecdis
by Alan Welcome
lthough mandatory ecdis is just

around the corner for some sectors of
the industry, only a small proportion
of mariners currently have experience of
using ecdis for primary navigation. But this is
changing, and as more companies, ships and
their crews encounter ecdis, the more questions,
reservations and concerns emerge. Many of the
specific issues can be encapsulated in the single
catch-all question why is it so complicated? A
good question too; after all, ecdis has been a long
time coming and it wouldnt seem unreasonable
to expect a mature, user-friendly system at our
present stage of digital development.
But ecdis continues to be an awkward issue
and part of the problem surely stems from the
fact that two of the elements fundamental to
its progress operate at vastly different speeds.
While the regulatory wheels, including those at
the IMO, grind very slowly indeed, the scale of
progress in the electronics industry has roughly
followed the spectacular expansion of Moores
Law suggesting that the number of transistors on
an integrated circuit will double every 18 months
or so. Where is the computer you were using in
November 1995 when the IMO adopted the first
ecdis performance standards?
Rarely has bridge equipment generated such
polarised views, though it is probably worth
remembering that radar was initially treated with
deep scepticism by many experienced mariners.
Opinions of ecdis range from enthusiastic acceptance
to those who would like to see the mandatory
implementation programme put on hold pending
the resolution of a raft of perceived problems.
Properly used, ecdis should be a force for
good, enhancing safety at sea. But nobody can
Shawn Freeman: One suggestion is to tie the antigrounding parameters to the route plan
seriously imagine that ecdis will always be used

properly. Although it is widely understood that
ecdis has the facility to provide timely antigrounding warnings, this is only true if the
operator has configured the system properly.
Furthermore, charting limitations often seem to
present problems in relatively shallow waters
where the functions would deliver the greatest
benefits. Shouldnt we expect such a system to
default to a safe mode, automatically providing
alarms based on, say, a vessels maximum loaded
draught with an additional safety margin and
its manoeuvring characteristics. Furthermore,
provided with vessel specific data, it shouldnt be
difficult to enable a system to question or reject
inappropriate user settings.
And nobody can ever have suggested that paper
charts are far too big and ecdis would be best served
by a much smaller display! The display size was
dictated by the hardware available in the day and it is
one of the main areas of dissatisfaction, particularly
during the voyage planning phase. Bigger displays
are now available at a reasonable price, but how
www.rivieramm.com
long will it be before the minimum size of display is

my car? I enter my destination, and it spits out
revised to acknowledge this availability?
the best recommended route.
Then there is the understandable call for some
Mr Freeman says the anti-grounding features
level of standardisation to allow personnel troublealso attract criticism. Their limitations have
free movement between different makes and models
resulted in annoyance with alarms that are
of ecdis. This is countered by the equally reasonable
not relevant. He says this is dangerous as it
claims that the combination of standardisation
introduces a crying wolf syndrome which is not
and regulation would virtually stifle imaginative,
conducive to safe navigation. One suggestion
competitive development.
is to tie the anti-grounding parameters to the
Ecdis seems to be a partially successful attempt
route plan. Narrow channels dont require
to conflate the time-honed practice of traditional
the same parameters as coastal transits with
navigation with a particular take on digital
undefined channels. When tied to the route, the
technology. But shouldnt there be more to it? How
parameters could be programmed to adjust to
about the people who will have to work with it
values appropriate to the circumstances, triggered
throughout their time at sea?
by components in the route plan.
For a taste of the aspirations of those at the
Mr Freeman says that his observations lead him
beginning of their maritime careers I am grateful
to believe that an intuitive system really means
to Shawn Freeman (USCG Ret), currently a part
we want something we are used to and familiar
time electronic navigation instructor at the Mid
with. Put another way: how can I use what I
Atlantic Maritime Academy in Virginia Beach,
already know to accomplish what I want?
Virginia. He says his younger students regularly
The younger generation are familiar and
comment on the limitations they encounter with
comfortable with Microsoft and Internet type
ecdis/ENC and they would certainly like to be
human interfaces. The speed and availability of
dealing with systems much more in keeping
iPhone type applications impress young minds
with their wider experience of
and demonstrate what they can
modern technology.
expect from their technology.
One of the comments I
These are the influences that
frequently hear from students
shape a young mariners notion
in my ecdis course relates
of intuitive. Applications such
to the information system
as Google maps, Google earth,
element of ecdis. They say it is
Google street view and plain
much easier to pull out a paper
Google search may be the
chart to find a relevant chart
direction ecdis will follow.
note than it is hunting for the
Others are concerned that
information on an ENC, only
the cartographers art will
to find out that it references
disappear. It should survive, in
some other publication.
the medium term at least, as there
One student put it in a
will be a continuing demand for
nutshell, saying, Why cant I
paper charts. It would be very
Google my ENC and ask direct
satisfying if these skills were
questions such as, where is
ultimately to be combined with
Thimble Shoals Light? Where
a far more mature descendant
are the anchorages for this
of ecdis/ENC to produce a truly
harbour? Which harbour has
elegant, intuitive navigational
these features? Instead, I have
environment, supporting all
to hunt and click to find what
navigational techniques and
I am looking for.
encouraging
a
pro-active
Another asked, Why cant
Young seafarers are familiar with
approach to the conduct of
the ecdis work like the GPS in
iPhone-type technology
ships. ECDIS
www.rivieramm.com
abbreviations & acronyms
Abbreviations and
acronyms
Useful abbreviations and acronyms, most of which are used in this guide
AIS
automatic identification system
ARCS
Admiralty raster chart service
MAIB
Marpol
arpa
automatic radar plotting aid
MCA
AVCS
Admiralty vector chart service
MGN
BWT
ballast water treatment
CCRP
consistent common reference point
CIRM
international radio maritime committee
COC
Colregs
MIO
MNTB
MSC
Marine Accident Investigation Branch (UK)

marine pollution convention
Maritime and Coastguard Agency (UK)
marine guidance note
marine information overlay
Merchant Navy Training Board
(IMO) Maritime Safety Committee
certificate of competence
NARAS
navigation radar and ARPA simulation
international regulations for
Navtex
navigational and meteorological

warning broadcast service
preventing collisions at sea

DGPS
differential GPS
NI
DR
dead reckoning
NMEA
National Marine Electronics Association
deadweight tonnage
NOAA
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
OMBO
one man bridge operation
dwt
ecdis
Administration (US)
electronic chart display and information system
ECS
electronic chart system
ENC
electronic navigational chart
eLoran
enhanced long range navigation system
FSA
formal safety assessment
GIS
geographic information system
Glonass
GMDSS
GNSS
P&I club
PMS
PSC
officer of the watch

protection and indemnity club
planned maintenance system
port state control
RCDS
raster chart display system
global maritime distress and safety system
RENC
regional ENC co-ordination centre
global positioning system
GT
gross tonnage
HMI
OOW
global navigation satellite system
global navigation satellite system
GPS
The Nautical Institute
human machine interface
RNC
S-mode
SENC
SMC
raster navigational chart

simplified or standard mode
system electronic navigation chart
safety management certificate (ISM Code)
hydrographic office
Solas
(international convention for the) safety of life at sea
HSC
International code of safety for high-speed craft
STCW
(international convention on) standards of training,
IACS
International Association of Classification Societies
HO
IBS
integrated bridge system
ICS
International Chamber of Shipping
IEC
International Electrotechnical Commission
certification and watchkeeping

T&Ps
UKC
UKHO
IHO
International Hydrographic Office
UKMPA
ILO
International Labour Organisation
UPS
IMO
International Maritime Organization
USCG
temporary and preliminary notices

under keel clearance
United Kingdom Hydrographic Office
United Kingdom Maritime Pilots Association
uninterruptible power supply
United States Coast Guard
Standardised model course on the
VAR
value added reseller
operational use of ecdis
VDR
voyage data recorder
INS
integrated navigation system
VHF
ISM
International Safety Management Code
IMO course 1.27
WEND
very high frequency

worldwide electronic navigational database
www.rivieramm.com
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THE NAVMASTER 800 FROM SCD

Get ECDIS onboard from

For more information, please contact John Foord at

Tel: +44(0)1394 382675

(Charts & Publications) Ltd

SCD & NAVMASTER 800 WEVE GOT ECDIS COVERED

3 Time to learn from each other

40 Data compression aids data retrieval

7 Choosing the right ecdis

48 Meeting carriage requirements for ecdis

56 In conversation with Thomas Gunn

24 The pilots view of ecdis

60 Ecdis equipment and service suppliers

A Complete Guide to ECDIS is sponsored by

Production Manager: Ramesh Mahbubani

Circulation Manager: Joanne Collett

2011 Riviera Maritime Media Ltd

Join our LinkedIn ECDIS

a complete guide to ECDIS I Summer 2011 I 1

elcome to the second edition of

aren Kruse from Nordic Tankers and

that more industry players are getting to grips

nvariably, when any aspect of ecdis is under

required so that students will be familiar with the

must be in conjunction with an appropriate folio of

a full folio of up-to-date paper charts on board.

TIMETABLE FOR ECDIS CARRIAGE REQUIREMENTS

No later than first survey after 1 July 2014

No later than first survey after 1 July 2015

Dry cargo ships

No later than first survey after 1 July 2016

20,000gt (new ships)

No later than first survey after 1 July 2017

10,000gt (new ships)

No later than first survey after 1 July 2018

No retrofit requirements to existing ships <10,000gt

a complete guide to ECDIS I Summer 2011 I 5

BCM / BPM / BQM

Please visit our

ECDIS READY HARDWARE

6 I a complete guide to ECDIS I Summer 2011

choosing hardware expert opinion

Shopping for ecdis

Mike Pearsall, business development

a complete guide to ECDIS I Summer 2011 I 7

expert opinion: choosing hardware

Is it best to rent or buy?

the need for continued compliance, Dr Norris says he

nyone under the impression that the move

Dr Andy Norris is the author of

6000 ships since 1989

Sir Derek Bibby Maritime Training Centre

conducts the ECDIS Course

10 I a complete guide to ECDIS I Summer 2011

arine information note (MIN) 405,

MIN 405 will apply to training for the Sperry Marine

generic training. It should be delivered by the

Arklows fleet features 18 fully ecdis compliant vessels

Early adoption increases

n terms of its attitude to ecdis, Arklow Shipping

the fleet. Our owners wanted the newbuildings

ENCs as it does to paper charts.