Navigational Charts News

The International Hydrographic Organization - Singapore Innovation and Technology Laboratory (IHO-Singapore Lab) is conducting trials of next generation IHO S-100 standards and dual format Electronic Navigational Charts (ENCs) on a prototype S-100 ECDIS [2] aboard the Italian Navy's training ship, Amerigo Vespucci.This is known as the “dual fuel” mode within the international hydrographic community, where S-100 ECDIS supports both current S-57 and new S-101 ENC formats.This trial marks the first time that the dual format mode is used for navigation in the Malacca and Singapore Straits.

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (“K” Line) has adopted NavFleet as a fleet monitoring system platform provided by Navtor A.S., and witnessed by Norwegian Embassy in Japan, “K” Line signed a MoU with Navtor regarding the development of “K” Line 24/7/365 global fleet monitoring and support system through the use and functional expansion of NavFleet on August 25.Navtor is Norway-based company developing the maritime DX business that is well known as a provider of electronic navigational charts…

Teledyne Technologies Incorporated announced today that it has acquired ChartWorld International Limited and affiliates. ChartWorld, headquartered in Cyprus, with additional locations in Hamburg, Singapore, Vancouver and Tokyo, is a provider of digital marine navigation hardware and software provided through a subscription-based model. Terms of the transactions were not disclosed.Commercial maritime subscribers to ChartWorld’s software as a service (SaaS) receive free type-approved Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (ECDIS), a lifetime warranty and global 24/7 support.

In February 2021, LNG carrier Christophe de Margerie, escorted by a nuclear icebreaker, became the first large-capacity cargo vessel to transit the eastern sector of the Northern Sea Route (NSR). The voyage demonstrated that year-round safe navigation is possible along the entire length of the Northern Sea Route (NSR).In the last five years, cargo traffic along the NSR has grown almost fivefold, reaching 33 million tons in 2020. Last year, there were 64 voyages on the NSR compared with 37 in 2019.

In November 2019, the Office of Coast Survey (OCS), part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), announced the start of a five-year program to “sunset” all raster and paper nautical charts.NOAA has produced electronic navigational charts (ENCs) since 1993. In the 2019 notice, NOAA writes that “ENC sales increased 425% since 2008, while sales of paper charts are now half of 2008 levels.”For NOAA and mariners, a focus on electronic charts and publications promises many advantages. With a singular focus, NOAA can use its resources more efficiently.

NOAA is continuing with the sunset plan for paper and raster nautical charts in August and September. A set of 15 charts covering the eastern half of the North Slope of Alaska will be moved into last edition status on August 5, 2021 and will be canceled on February 2, 2022. Another set of 14 charts covering the western half of the North Slope will be moved into last edition status on September 2, 2021 and be cancelled on March 2, 2022.This set of charts has been fully supplanted by new electronic charts as part of NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey Raster Sunset Plan…

A new paper published by the Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF) on Wednesday provides guidance to enhance policies and procedures regarding the safe use of electronic chart display and information systems (ECDIS).With more vessels using electronic navigational charts (ENCs) for primary or secondary navigation, there have been several significant navigational incidents over the last decade where one of the contributing factors has been ECDIS-related, the U.K.-based safety association said.The new paper…

ChartWorld are JRC are cooperating on the addition of ChartWorld’s Information Overlay service, known as CIO+ onto JRC ECDIS. CIO+ is a data overlay shown in ECDIS as a user chart, loaded on top of Electronic Navigational Charts. CIO+ is a tool to help the Bridge team with the task of developing and executing efficient voyage plans by automating the process of applying additional data in ECDIS by means of User Chart objects.CIO+ is currently available for JRC ECDIS 9201 for both…

The Government of Mauritius has organized an event at Port Louis to mark the successful completion of hydrographic survey by Indian Navy ship INS Darshak over the past one month.The aim of the survey was to publish navigational charts and electronic navigational charts of the region as part of the ongoing cooperation between the two nations.The function was attended by senior functionaries of the Government of Mauritius.Commanding Officer, INS Darshak Capt J Gurumani and Tanmay Lal, the High Commissioner of India to Republic of Mauritius handed over the preliminary hydrographic fair sheet of Souillac in southern Mauritius and Deep Sea Block of South-East of Mauritius to the Minister Louis Steven Obeegadoo…

ChartCo is expanding its OneOcean digital solution with its new ’Fixed Price Pay As You Sail’ (PAYS) system.The brand-new product will be launched on July 1, 2019ChartCo is expanding its OneOcean digital solution with its new ’Fixed Price Pay As You Sail’ (PAYS) system which is the first such system to allow budgetary certainty and global ENC data for planning and navigation purposes.Vessels using PAYS will be tracked and only charged for ENC permits according to the routes they actually sail.

Network Innovations and its inland waterways connectivity solution eliminates “dead spot” coverage woes. And, not a moment too soon.The bane of inland operators – or at least one of many – has always been the dearth of reliable and economical vessel-to-shore communications. Even in America’s heartland where cellular coverage is routinely billed as seamless, so-called ‘dead spots’ persist. Sometimes, this happens at the worst possible moment for an operator who has myriad far flung assets on dozens of remote inland waterways. For a long time, satellite service has not been deemed economically feasible for inland operators. Beyond that, unlike blue water deep sea operators, there was little need to download data or employ software solutions in every day operations.

To demonstrate multilateral cooperation between littoral states and stakeholders to improve navigational safety in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore (SOMS), Phase Two of a Joint Hydrographic Survey was formally launched via a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed today at the 10th Co-operation Forum held from 2nd to 3rd October 2017 at Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia. Besides the littoral states, the survey is supported by the Malacca Strait Council (MSC) of Japan. Phase Two, which is a continuation from Phase One, will cover the remaining areas of the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) within the SOMS which are shallower than 30m. The data obtained from the survey would be used to produce up-to-date…

E-navigation specialist NAVTOR said it has set its sights on the U.S. shipping market with a new office opening in Seattle. The Norwegian business, which has built a global network of facilities since forming in 2011, has, until now, serviced the territory from its Egersund headquarters. However, growing demand Stateside for the firm’s product portfolio has prompted the team to establish NAVTOR USA Inc. NAVTOR launched its ENC service to market in 2012 and, since then, has built a global client base on the back of its mission of making life simpler for navigators…

Mobile satellite communications company Inmarsat said it has partnered with satellite communications provider Network Innovations and maritime transportation provider Dunlap Towing to install Fleet One across its fleet of 12 vessels. For Dunlap, the Dutch Harbor and Pacific Coast routes in Alaskan waters have traditionally been challenging and its existing service did not offer the reliability required to transmit important operating and safety reports, communicate back to shore or make critical inter-fleet voice calls, according to Inmarsat.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd (RCC) has signed a deal with NAVTOR to install the NavBox navigation solution across its entire corporate fleet of 49 vessels, in a deal which spans RCC's six different operating companies. E-navigation specialist NAVTOR launched NavBox in 2013. The solution, which complements NAVTOR’s range of electronic navigational chart (ENC) based services, automatically downloads, distributes and updates all vessel navigational charts and publications, cutting administration time, while ensuring the very latest, compliant charts are always at hand.

Danelec Marine is rolling out its new DM700 series Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS) for marine navigation at the SMM maritime trade fair in Hamburg, Germany, held from September 6-9. The DM700 ECDIS provides a basic ECDIS solution that fully complies with the new IEC and IHO performance standards which will be mandatory in all ECDIS ship installations beginning August 2017. Danelec Marine introduced its new-generation DM800 ECDIS in 2015. With the addition of the new DM700…

The United Kingdom Hydrographic Office is to release five new Electronic Navigational Charts (ENCs) for the expanded Panama Canal. The new ENCS are produced by the Panama Canal Authority (PCA) and provide end-to-end coverage of the Canal at a scale of 1:10 000. They contain new survey data and up-to-date information for the expanded Canal, which will receive its first official transit on June 26. Jason Scholey, Senior Product Manager at the UKHO, commented: “The Panama Canal serves a vital purpose for international shipping and world trade.

Digital Marine Solutions (DMS) has completed acquisition of the assets of the Marine Division of Jeppesen, a Boeing company. Digital Marine Solutions is owned by the Altor 2003 Fund. Under the terms of the agreement the Jeppesen Marine and C-MAP portfolio will continue to operate as a separate entity under the C-MAP brand name. Operating with its own dedicated resources and management team lead by CEO Egil Aarstad, the new organization’s immediate focus will be on maintaining sales and service to customers that already purchase from C-MAP/Jeppesen Marine across its Recreational…

Driven by the SOLAS-mandated transition to ECDIS, the adoption of digital navigation is the most visible sign of how navigational practices are being transformed. Additional tools are also playing an important role in supporting bridge teams and delivering accurate navigational information to the bridge. We are now halfway through the transition period under the timetable set out in the amendments to the SOLAS Convention adopted in 2009, requiring the mandatory carriage of ECDIS for ships engaged on international voyages.

Maritime services group Global Navigation Solutions (GNS) has agreed terms with E.R. Schiffahrt, a Hamburg-based ship management company with activities in container and bulk segments, to supply Electronic Navigational Charts (ENCs) and the GNS navigation management software, Voyager. GNS is supplying ENCs and Voyager to the entire E.R. Schiffahrt fleet of 98 vessels at one fixed annual price, enabling the E.R. Schiffahrt ship management team to manage their annual ENC purchasing via a single purchase order and invoice. GNS said it used detailed analysis of each individual vessel’s trading pattern and chart usage to calculate the annual fixed price, an approach that enables E.R. Schiffahrt to ensure each vessel gets accurately charged for the ENCs it needs. In addition, the E.R.

The United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO) and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) have announced a new bursary training scheme in Marine Cartography and Data Assessment. Organized jointly by the UKHO and MPA over a five-week period from April 18, 2016 at the MPA Academy in Singapore, the course will train attendees on compiling and maintaining navigational charts. Drawn from 10 nations, the course attendees will comprise employees of their national hydrographic offices, port authorities and/or related national agencies involved in the production and maintenance of navigational charts. The course will equip students with skills to create and maintain paper and digital charts utilizing computer-aided cartography applications.

Coast Survey has issued provisional charts for barge operators and others traversing Alaska's challenging Yukon River, relying solely on satellite images to create the electronic navigational charts that only display shoreline and shoals (shallow areas). The ENCs, which display no depth soundings, will give the mariners annually updated information to help their navigation along the changeable river. "The Yukon was literally uncharted," Kampia told the group. "After some analysis and brainstorming, we decided to create a prototype ENC using only satellite data.

NOAA Coast Survey gives commercial navigation systems better tool to receive updated nautical charts. Accessing up-to-date nautical charts on electronic systems and mobile apps is about to get easier, as developers start adopting NOAA Coast Survey's new Chart Tile Service prototype. Navigational chart users should not notice any difference in how their charting systems operate - except that service providers will be able to quickly update the charts with hundreds of corrections applied weekly by NOAA, so users will have the corrected versions faster than ever before. Coast Survey released the NOAA prototype chart tile and metadata service on December 7.