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ECDIS Procedures

If the vessel is equipped with an electronic chart display and information system all navigational Officers shall have received a training course according to IMO Model 1.27 and in addition a type specific training for the on board system which can be done on board directly using

the ISM form F-4 (also refer to IMO STCW.7/Circ.24/Rev.1). Was the IMO Model Course carried out on that type of ECDIS which is installed on board the vessel a crew member serves at,

same is considered as the type specific training which is following STCW.

All navigational Officers shall be duly familiar with the System and function to ensure a safe

navigation at all times.

Due to screen resolution of ECDIS precision of charted objects on ECDIS may not be substantially different from that of paper charts.

When planning a passage on ECDIS the following should be considered carefully:

Availability of and access to the required updated and charts for the intended voyage. This

should include identification of areas where ECDIS may need to be in Raster Chart display

system.

Passages and voyage plans can be reused but need to be checked, updated and verified that

they remain safe and do not require any changes. When planning the voyage, the largest scale

shall be used.

A maximal acceptable cross track distance (XTD) should be applied to each leg of a route. This

should comply with any requirements in the SMS and be appropriate for the area.

Safety depths and safety contours should be calculated and setup in accordance with the UKC

requirements in the SMS.

ETA information should be set up manually or using route planning tools. If this is set incorrectly it may affect tidal data and time dependent information associated with the route.

Current and tidal data, if integrated with ECDIS and up to date, should be applied to the route

and information relating to the vessel´s characteristics should be checked and confirmed as

correct. This includes information about draught, rate of turn radius and vessels dimensions.

Where ECDIS is integrated with radar and a radar image overlay (RIO) feature available the

alignment of the radar picture with charted features can be used to further verify the ship´s

position.

A detailed review of the passage plan route should always be carried out in conjunction with

an automated route scan when using ECDIS.

The passage plan should be saved and backed-up to ensure unauthorized access. The passage

plan may be inserted directly in the ECDIS System but then need to be confirmed by a Logbook

entry with signature of all navigational Officers.

Over reliance on ECDIS should be avoided particularly if detrimental to keeping of a proper

look out.

All Officers shall be familiar with update procedures and adjusting waypoints if deemed necessary.

ECDIS Anomalies:

A few ECDIS operating anomalies have been identified and subsequently addressed through

software updates.

An integrated “ECDIS Data Presentation and Performance check in Ships” alerts watch keeping officers to the possibility, that the installed ECDIS may require an update from the manufacturer.

ECDIS is a complex system and it is possible that further anomalies may be identified. However, it is also possible that through misinterpretation of information and inappropriate system settings OOW´s can also affect the safe and efficient operation for navigation and related systems.

In case of an ECDIS failure all navigational Officers shall be familiar with restart and failure

handling procedures according to the maker´s manual.

Depth Contours and Safety Depth

Before commencing any voyage, the navigational Officer must set an appropriate value for

the Safety Contour, Safety Depth, Shallow Contour and Deep Contour, based on the vessel’s

draft and required UKC, taking into consideration the quality of the ENC data available and

expected operating conditions. The above-mentioned values must be evaluated and carefully

checked along the voyage. Below, you find the calculation for each value.

  • Shallow Contour: Maximum Draft(static) + CATZOC accuracy correction
  • Safety Depth: Maximum Draft(static) + UKC (Company’s Policy) + Squat (Maximum) +
  • CATZOC accuracy correction - Height of Tide

  • Safety Contour: same as Safety Depth
  • Deep Contour: Two to four times Maximum Draft(static), (depending on the depth
  • of water available); in any case not less than 20m

    The Safety Contour marks the division between

    „safe‟ and „unsafe‟ water. If the navigational

    Officer enters a specific value for Safety Contour,

    the ECDIS may automatically choose the next

    available deeper depth contour as Safety Contour.

    If ECDIS can accept only whole values without

    decimals, then the Safety Depth must be rounded

    to the next higher whole number.

    Considering the above guideline on setting the

    contour values, it becomes evident that the area

    between Shallow Contour and Safety Contour may

    be navigable but can be dangerous and shall be

    navigated with extreme caution only.

    Whenever a vessel must cross a Safety Contour, it shall be done safely and the OOW must

    ensure that suitable display settings are enabled and all possible dangers are shown. Alarms

    for crossing Safety Contour and Safety Depth must be kept on.

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    ISM
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