Nautical Institute launches ECDIS guidance
The Nautical Institute professional body for qualified mariners has launched guidance to the industry on the transition from navigating with paper charts to navigating with ECDIS to help navigating officers meet the challenges of the change.
The timely publication
From Paper Charts to EDIS – A Practical Voyage Plan,
by Captain Harry Gale FNI, technical manager at The Nautical Institute, was presented at the International Maritime Organization’s Sub-Committee on Standards of Training and Watchkeeping (STW). ‘The ECDIS concept is a total change from using paper charts and the transition from paper charts to electronic charts will pose a challenge for the industry, particularly for those who have no current experience of electronic charts, said Captain Gale. ‘Important bridge procedures are significantly affected, and these require careful analysis and consideration if ECDIS assisted groundings are to be avoided.’
The Nautical Institute’s document has its place in helping paper taught officers make ECDIS work for them. It will also help new entrants to the industry understand how to use the system within generally accepted navigational principles.
The paper includes contributions from serving seafarers with ECDIS experience who give their views on its operation and who help to contribute to the knowledge of the practical operation of all aspects of shipping through The Nautical Institute’s Sea Going Correspondence Group (SGCG).
‘Now that IMO has approved a timetable for the mandatory carriage of ECDIS, we can expect paper charts to be phased out on most ships due to their high purchase and maintenance costs’, Captain Gale added.
From Paper Charts to EDIS – A Practical Voyage Plan by Captain Harry Gale FNI, ISBN 978 1 870077 98 9, price £15, is available from The Nautical Institute, www.nautinst.org/publications
