The International Maritime Organization (IMO) changed chart carriage requirements for certain kinds of ships on international voyages on 1 July 2012. These changes mean that ships can now carry ECDIS and electronic navigational charts (ENCs) to meet the chart carriage requirement of the International Convention on the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS).

By 1 July 2018, almost all vessels on international voyages will be required to carry an approved ECDIS.

Ships calling at Australian ports

Marine Notice 7/2017 offers guidance on ECDIS for ships calling at Australian ports and draws attention to the latest IMO Guidance on the use of ECDIS. More detail can be found in the IMO ECDIS—guidance for good practice.

Flow charts

These flow charts help port state control inspectors to assess the carriage and use of ECDIS on board ships. The flow charts outline potential implementation and operational issues with ECDIS.

ECDIS data presentation and performance check for mariners

Edition 4.0 of the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) ECDIS presentation library became mandatory for all ships carrying ECDIS on 1 September 2017.

Changes introduced in Edition 4.0 of the IHO ECDIS presentation library invalidate the older tests contained in the ECDIS data presentation and performance checks published in 2011. The IHO provides instructions on how to check that your ECDIS is operating on edition 4.0 of the IHO ECDIS presentation library.

Source: amsa