ECDIS procedures guide 2018

In line with STCW requirements, navigating officers are required to maintain competence in their watchkeeping routines and practices when using ECDIS. The ECDIS Procedures Guide provides a framework, as well as supporting background information and useful checklists, to aid officers in fulfilling these requirements and to help companies implement best practices in the use of ECDIS on board their ships. Information on the majority of ECDIS operations and techniques is included, such as chart updates, route creation and checking and ECDIS safety functions. This is supplemented by a useful ECDIS Management Card and example logs for chart spot checks, manual corrections and chart updates. Key additions in the 2018 Edition:IHO S52 4.0 Update to Regulations and Procedures (in effect Sep 2017 onwards)Discussion and advice on the significant operational impact of PL 4.0Type Specific Procedures for display setup for the most commonly used manufacturersQuick Reference guide to all Leading Type Specific ManufacturersNew Charting Formats and introduction of S100 are discussedGuidance for on board competence training and assessmentPreparation for Navigational AuditsPSC Inspections on ECDISList of previous ECDIS observations and knowledge gapsList of ECDIS Alarms and Warning Codes and new procedure for addressing severity and impact on vessels navigational risk assessment.

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EC DIS

Procedures Guide

2018 Edition

By: ECDIS Ltd

Updated and revised by:

Mark Brester, Managing Director, eMaritimeGroup

First published in 2012 by Witherby Publishing

Second edition published 2018

ISBN: 978-1-85609-777-2

© Witherby Publishing Group Ltd, 2012-2018

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

Notice of Terms of Use

All rights reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers

While the advice given in this book (ECDIS Procedures Guide) has been developed using the best information currently available, it is intended purely as guidance to be used at the user's own risk Witherby Publishing Group accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of any information or advice given in the document or any omission from the document or for any consequence whatsoever resulting directly or indirectly from compliance with or adoption

of guidance contained in the document even if caused by failure to exercise reasonable care

This publication has been prepared to deal with the subject of ECDIS Procedures Guide This should not, however, be taken to mean that this publication deals comprehensively with all of the issues that will need to be addressed or even, where a particular issue is addressed, that this publication sets out the only definitive view for all situations

Extracts from IMO Resolutions have been included with the kind permission of the International Maritime Organization The quoted material may not be a complete or an accurate version of the original material, and the original material may have subsequently been amended

This document is copyrighted and may not be reproduced in whole or in part without prior permission from ECDIS Ltd

WARNING: These procedures are a recommendation only and ECDIS Ltd does not accept any liability when using this document

The recommendations within these procedures are generic and do not relate to a specific ECDIS or vessel

THIS PRODUCT IS NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION

NOTICE: The UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO} and its licensors make no warranties or representations, express or implied, with respect to this product The UKHO and its licensors have not verified the information within this product or quality assured it

This product has been derived in part from material obtained from the UK Hydrographic Office with the permission of the UK Hydrographic Office and Her Majesty's Stationery Office

© British Crown Copyright, 2018 All rights reserved

Signature Page

The undersigned are stating that they have read and understood these ECDIS Procedures

iii

Contents

Foreword

About the Author

About the eMaritime Group

ECDIS Procedures Guide

1 Introduction

1.1 Use of ECDIS

1.2 Equipment

1.3 System Configuration and Maintenance

1.4 Charting and RCDS Mode

1.5 Sensor Inputs

1.6 User Guide

1.6.1 Requirement for Awareness of Procedures

2 IHO S-52 4.0 Upgrade and Alarm Management

2.1 The S-52 4.0 Upgrade

2.2 Overview of Changes

2.3 Error and Alarm Management

2.3.1 Operator Configured Alarms

2.3.2 System Alarms 2.4 Alarm/Warning/Indicator Defect Priority Table

2.5 Reference Guide to PL 4.0 Changes

2.5.1 Detection and Notification of Navigation Hazard

2.5.2 Standardised Automatic Update Symbols

2.5.3 New Temporal Attributes Symbol

2.5.4 ECDIS Display Date Dependent Features

2.5.5 Ability to Turn ON/OFF Isolated Dangers in Shallow Water

2.5.6 Shallow Water Pattern

2.5.7 SCAMIN

2.5.8 Hover-over Function

2.5.9 Anchorage Area, Fairways, Nautical Publications

2.5.10 ECDIS Legend 2.5.11 ECDIS Chart 1

2.5.12 IHO S-64 Edition 3.0(02)

3 Training

3.1 Generic ECDIS Training

3.2 Type Specific and Familiarisation Training

4 Use of ECDIS for Navigation

4.1 Over-Reliance on ECDIS

4.2 Cross-Checking ECDIS Position

4.3 Use of Radar Information Overlay (RIO)

4.4 T&Ps and the use of Admiralty Information Overlay (AIO)

4.5 ECDIS Safety Functions

4.6 Safety Depth and Safety Contour

4.7 Shallow and Deep Contour

ECDIS Procedures Guide 2018 Edition

8.4 Bridge Management Card

9 Administration and Records

9.1 ECDIS Data Recording

9.2 Backup Procedure

9.3 Records

10 ECDIS Observations Based on Ship Inspections and their Implications for

Competency Assurance

10.1 Training and Continuous Assessment of Competency of Ship's ECDIS Operators

10.2 Competence Check of ECDIS Operators

ANNEXES

Annex A Familiarisation Checklist

Annex B Safety Depth and Safety Contours

Annex C Type Specific ECDIS Course Content

Annex D Chart Spot-Check Log

Annex E Manual Corrections Log

Annex F Chart Update Log

Annex G ECDIS Management Card

Annex H ECDIS Alarms, Alerts

Annex I Type Specific Procedures for ECDIS Display Set-up

Foreword

In 2004, when they fitted my vessel with ECDIS, the few manufacturers on the market looked fairly similar

Inappropriate as it was, the perceived need for training and procedures started and stopped with the

The revised 2018 Procedures Guide has encapsulated the changes in navigation software It gives best practice and guidance on how to utilise the equipment for safe navigation It addresses the type specific safety critical menus and the number of alarms that need to be managed by identifying their significance It also contains an overview

of ECDIS observations, highlighting lack of knowledge regardless of the certificate the officer may hold as well as the significant changes S52 PL 4.0 brought to the display in late 2017

Most importantly, the industry now has an up-to-date procedures guide, made relevant for all of the leading manufacturers and with reference to the latest regulation changes This will ensure that ECDIS operators who join different vessels, with different ECDIS units, will still have a standardised procedures guide that is relevant industry-wide

Mark Broster

vii

About the Author

The lead author for this 2018 Edition was Mark Broster of ECDIS Ltd, supported by the navigation team in the eMaritime Group

After making the transition from paper to ECDIS navigation at sea himself in 2004, Mark spent the next decade developing the IMO 1.27 ECDIS model course and writing the first of many 'type specific' syllabuses, including the Type Specific White Paper He has always been clear to point out that equipment alone in no way makes a ship safer or more efficient In his words "Robust training and procedures make ECDIS navigation safe"

In 2016, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh presented his Fellowship into the Royal Institute of Navigation 'In recognition

of his significant and innovative contribution to the development of modern digital navigation and bridge team training in the global maritime industry.'

He is also an Associate Fellow of the Nautical Institute and a Committee member of the London branch, a Fellow

of the Institute of Marine Science and Technology and a Fellow of the Institute of Leadership and Management He

is a Freeman in the Honourable Company of Master Mariners and winner of the prestigious annual Navigators and Directors award for his contribution to the safe integration of ECDIS to the Royal Navy Fleet

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ECDIS Procedures Gui e 2018 Edi ion

,Ab1out the eMaritime Group

X

The eMaritime Group is a collective of maritime based services that has been utilised for the production of this report They include ECDIS Ltd itself, ECDISregs and eMaritime exchange (global portal for seagoing users of ECDIS that solves issues and questions through crowd sourcing and sharing knowledge) The full range of resources utilised can be found at www.eMaritimeGroup.com

Their free downloadable app, which is available on both Apple and Android, is called the eMG app

ECDIS Procedures Guide

.

1 Introduction

This Guide provides recommendations for how ECDIS should be configured and used as a ship's primary means

of navigation To achieve compliance with international regulations, a ship may navigate with ECDIS as its primary means of navigation if:

• Sufficient official data adequate for the intended passage is installed (ENC and RNC)

• the installed ECDIS is type approved

• a second type approved ECDIS is installed as a backup (or a flag State approved portfolio of paper charts iscarried)

• adequate generic and type specific training has taken place

• any additional requirements laid down by the flag State are fulfilled.

When used correctly, ECDIS provides enhanced navigation, situation and spatial awareness compared to

navigation using paper charts It is a system that is capable of displaying the past, present and predicted position

of a vessel by utilising all available sensor information However, the techniques required to use ECDIS differ, in part, to those required when using paper charts For safe navigation using ECDIS, the following must be achieved:

• All ECDIS operators must have completed generic and type specific ECDIS training

• the use of official and up to date ENCs

• the use of all available sensors and navigation aids to support accurate, safe navigation and prevent the reliance on any one sensor

over-• the use of all techniques and equipment to cross-check GNSS derived positions

• the use of dead reckoning (DR) and estimated position (EP) in the event of GNSS equipment failure

• appropriate configuration and understanding of all safety settings.

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ECDIS Procedures Guide 2018 Edition

1.2

4

ECDIS operational techniques and methods of cross-checking will vary, depending on the area of navigation:

a Pilotage and Confined Waters During pilotage and confined waters navigation, the system is to be used in

conjunction with radar information overlay (RIO), if available, to confirm GNSS positions The ECDIS operator is

to ensure that additional fixing methods, such as visual and radar, are used to confirm GNSS positions During restricted visibility the ECDIS operator should use ECDIS together with a dedicated radar display.

b Coastal Navigation While operating in coastal waters, the ECDIS operator should monitor the radar coastline

layer on the chart using the RIO, where practical, and cross-check the position of the ship using visual or radar means to prove the accuracy of GNSS.

c Ocean Navigation The primary source of positional information will be GNSS, checked periodically using

celestial means when possible.

Equipment

Type approved ECDIS units are capable of displaying the full range of official electronic charts in conjunction with navigation sensor information Each ECDIS unit will also be capable of independent operation and is provided with an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) to ensure continued operation in the event of short power failures (minimum of 30 minutes)

CHAPTER 1 Introduction

It is essential that ECDIS is configured appropriately prior to sailing and on passage

The ECDIS operator is to ensure that the systems are configured appropriately, with special regard to chart priority, sensor offsets, ship specific data and security settings

The ECDIS operator is to ensure that all appropriate EN Cs for the area of operation are installed and updated All ENC updates are to be logged in an appropriate manner and the systems annotated with the number of the latest update installed Following an update, a check of the intended route is to be conducted in addition to an appropriate spot check of the entire folio of installed ENCs

The ECDIS operator is to ensure that the systems are configured so that it is possible to reconstruct the ship's track from recorded ECDIS data

Where ships carry a primary and secondary ECDIS, each unit must be configured with the same safety settings Where two GNSS sensors are available, each ECDIS must be able to switch between the two sensors ECDIS operators must be familiar with this function and be aware which GNSS sensor supplies each unit with position information It is recommended the GNSS sensor in use is periodically changed If each ECDIS unit uses a different GNSS sensor, it will allow the ECDIS operator to monitor divergence between the GNSS sensors

Guidance on settings and configuration of ECDIS is provided in this document However, this does not affect the Master's discretion to modify safety settings as the navigational situation dictates, with suitable risk management measures and supervision in place Such deviations from standard practice are to be stated appropriately in the relevant OOW instructions or in the Standing Orders Book

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ECDIS Procedures Guide 2018 Edition

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All units are to carry an outfit of up to date electronic charts that provide adequate coverage of the intended operating area at an appropriate scale Official chart data, derived from government authorised Hydrographic Offices, is to be used for safe navigation Official chart data is to include Electronic Navigational Charts (ENC} and may also include Raster Navigational Charts (RNC} and official paper charts If utilising RNCs for navigation then ECDIS must be in Raster Chart Display System mode (RCDS) and an appropriate portfolio of paper charts (APC} is to

be carried in line with IMO Circular 207 Differences between RCDS and ECD/5, or as required by the individual flag

State

Where possible an ENC must be used However, when operating in areas without ENC coverage then RNCs or paper charts must be used

It should be noted that the best scale chart available in ECDIS may be an RNC, if such data is installed, and

therefore the ECDIS operator must be fully aware of the requirements and limitations of RCDS mode

The requirements for an APC are stated in IMO Circular MSC.1/Circ.1503/Rev.1, ECD/5- Guidance for Good Practice, which has revoked and replaced several ECDIS related circulars However, the IMO does not define the

word 'appropriate' and does not specify the size or content of the portfolio This is the responsibility of the flag State and the ECDIS operator must be fully aware of the requirements of flag

All ECDIS are to be kept fully up to date This includes ENC updates, Notices to Mariners (NTM), Temporary and Preliminary Notices to Mariners (T&Ps), Navigation Warnings and manually applied updates in the form of manual corrections

CHAPTER 1 Introduction

There are three mandatory sensor inputs to ECDIS, as stated in IMO MSC 232(82):

• ECDIS should be connected to systems providing continuous position fixing capability (GNSS)

• ECDIS should be connected to the ship's gyro compass For ships not fitted with a gyro compass, ECDIS should

be connected to a marine transmitting heading device

• ECDIS should be connected to the speed and distance measuring device (log).

Apart from the three mandatory inputs prescribed by the IMO, there are many other sensors that may be

interfaced However, ECDIS should not degrade the performance of any equipment providing sensor inputs, nor should the connection of optional equipment degrade the performance of ECDIS to below the IMO MSC 232(82) standard ECDIS may also be used to provide ENC information to external equipment, such as radar

To provide redundancy of sensors, a typical ECDIS configuration may be as follows:

The ECDIS op era to r should be aware of how to se l ect a backup or manua l i n put available on thei r system

It is critical that all sensor inputs to ECDIS are properly configured and calibrated during ECDIS installation Failure

to do so will result in inherent errors in the system

The ECDIS operator should regularly check the accuracy of sensors using all available means, such as the methods listed below, in order to ascertain any errors If an error is discovered the ECDIS operator must investigate it and take appropriate action

• GNSS - cross-check accuracy by regularly conducting operator fixes using visual and other means

• gyro - maintain an awareness of gyro errors, repeater errors, availability of backup heading information

• log - check accuracy by using the measured mile method or similar technique

• echo sounder - check accuracy using lead line or reference depth method

• radar - check accuracy by regularly conducting Index Error checks and operator fixes RIO can be used to check

the radar against GNSS

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ECDIS Procedures Guide 2018 Edition

The manufacturer's user guide is to be available on the bridge in both hard and soft copy The soft copy is to be installed on all ECDIS and available on screen via the status bar A printed version of the user guide is also to be available

1.6.1 Requirement for Awareness of Procedures

The latest mandated changes to ECDIS software has, to some degree, further de-standardised ECDIS software The

2 IHO S-52 4.0 Upgrade and Alarm

Management

The responsibility for the portrayal of an ENC on an ECDIS screen is controlled by the ECDIS standard 'S-52' This

is authored by the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) Owners were expected to switch to the new Presentation Library (PL) by the 31 August 2017 At inspection you will be asked to provide evidence that your ECDIS units are upgraded to PL 4.0

A number of significant changes to the PL reflect mariner feedback For example, the names of fairways and anchorage areas will now appear on the ENC display A 'hover-over' function for certain charted features has also been introduced

A number of new symbols have been added to the PL These new symbols help draw attention to features that need to be highlighted, including the location of automatic ENC updates and ENC features that have a temporal (time-based) attribute

To support the complex process of ECDIS type approval, the IHO has worked closely with a number of prominent Notified Bodies and improved the ENC tests and test datasets The restructuring of the datasets and the inclusion

of more specific tests will ensure that the proper display of EN Cs is more thoroughly checked during type testing process in future

The IHO has updated 5-63 - the ENC data protection scheme, to include specifications for an ENC update status report, which is a provision that had not been available previously The update status report will allow mariners and Port State Control inspectors to confirm that the EN Cs installed in an ECDIS are up to date

ECDIS manufacturers and national authorities have now moved towards type approval of new ECDIS based on the revised Standards This will enable ship owners and operators to update existing systems to conform with the new Standards in accordance with the requirements of the IMO circular MSC.1/Circ.1503/Rev.1

What changes will the user see?

• Detection and notification of navigation hazard

• standardised of automatic update symbols

• new temporal attributes symbol

• ECDIS display date dependent features

• ability to turn on/off isolate dangers in shallow water

• shallow water pattern

ECDIS Procedures Guide 2018 Edition

The latest PL addresses the primary complaint levelled at ECDIS, which is constant audible alarms By providing clear guidance to ECDIS manufacturers on ENC objects that will raise an alarm, the IHO has tackled the issue of alarm fatigue on the bridge

Thomas Mellor, Chairman of the IHO ENC Standard Maintenance Working Group responsible for 5-52 commented:

"One of the biggest benefits of upgrading ECD/5 systems to the latest 5-52 Presentation Library will be a reduction

in the number of audible alarms triggered by ECDIS, helping ease the issue of alarm fatigue on the bridge, whilst still maintaining safety at sea The introduction of an alert model, based on the requirements in the /MO ECD/5 Performance Standard, will also harmonize ECD/5 behaviour across different manufacturers' systems."

It is vi t a that the ECDIS opera t or , Master and Comp a ny u nderst a n d that the so lut i on to cons t a nt a u i bl e

E C DI S alarms i s not to simp l y turn the alarm of f N ei t h e r is it a c e pt ab l e to use the new softwar e m e nu s to sim p l y r e du ce all alarms to warn ings or indicat i ons

An ECDIS alarms for a reason, either because the ECDIS operator has told it to alarm, which is called an

Operator Alarm, or the system has detected a defect or fault, which is called a System Alarm Both need careful management

2.3.1 Operator Configured Alarms

10

This alarm is activated when the system detects values outside of user set limits Described below are some examples of common user set alarms There is potential for alarm fatigue to be created through poor operator configuration

Safety Depth and Safety Contour

Several recent high profile groundings, including the MV 'Ovit' grounding on the Varne Bank in the English

Channel, have occurred where this was set at 30 metres The English Channel is often less than 30 metres and so

in this particular example the ECDIS would have been alarming for several hours in the lead up to the grounding, had the alarm been turned on ECDIS alarms are often disabled due to poor management of this safety critical setting

Anti-Grounding Cone/Safety Frame/Look-ahead

In coastal navigation, or open ocean, the ECDIS operator, in discussion with the Master, will have this setting at an appropriate distance or time so that the vessel can take action should this ECDIS safety feature highlight a future danger However a common ECDIS generated alarm occurs when this is not reduced in pilotage waters

For example, an alarm telling the ECDIS operator that the vessel will collide with land (the jetty) in 6 minutes is not applicable or needed if the plan is to berth the vessel and therefore 'hit' land In this example, a large look-ahead alarm is inappropriate when transiting a channel into a port Careful management of this setting is needed for an appropriate alarm as the conditions change It is unacceptable to simply have the same alarm settings from berth

to berth

Cross Track Distance (XTD)/Cross Track Corridor

During the route planning process, which is covered in Chapter 6, it is vital that the ECDIS operator and Master agree on a suitable settings limit For example, if the channel limit is set too small, the vessel will naturally leave the limit for even a minor alteration for shipping and, therefore, create an unnecessary alarm Equally dangerous

is that water outside of the limit will not have been checked by the automatic scan route, which is discussed later

in the above chapter

Other Operator Configured Alarms

It is now common, for most modern ECDIS units, for the operator to configure alarms, ranging from an audible alarm when reaching the end of the route to a waypoint alteration alarm It is imperative that all parties involved

in the safe navigation of the vessel discuss which of these alarms are needed and which may cause alarm fatigue

CHAPTER 2 IHO S-52 4.0 Upgrade and Alarm Management

2.3.2 System Alarms

This alarm type is activated when the ECDIS system detects unacceptable conditions, predominantly with the sensors integrated Examples of system generated alarms would include loss of GNSS, GYRO, LOG or any other sensor feed As the three named sensors are the only sensors required for ECDIS, if the vessel has further multiple sensors integrated such as AIS, ARPA, RIO, echo sounder or digital anemometer, and they are not configured correctly, they may generate alarms This would not be the fault of the ECDIS software as an integrated sensor that is not configured correctly can only be recognised as a fault by the ECDIS software It is recommended that all ECDIS operators review all integrated sensors and engage manufacturer support if they are concerned that poor integration may generate unwanted alarms

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Annex H contains a list of possible errors and alarms that may be observed by the ECDIS operator and allows actions to be pre-determined

Column 2 lists errors and alarms and allows the ECDIS operator, the Master or the company to establish whether

or not an alarm should be audible

Column 4 provides an indication of the severity of an alarm

If this table is correctly used and agreed in advance, it should allow better decision taking when a sensor failure occurs

The requirement to conduct the risk ass e ssm e n t in Annex H has become more importa n t w i t h the

introd u ction of more sensors and increased user co n guration op t i ons

CHAPTER 2 IHO S-52 4.0 Upgrade and Alarm Management

2.5.1 Detection and Notification of Navigation Hazard

The previous edition of the PL included the detection of rocks, wrecks and obstructions, with the safety contour resulting in an alarm

Rocks, wrecks and obstructions, as per the new PL standards, should result in an indication This will reduce the number of alarms but still ensures the mariner remains aware of the hazard

oRI)

Figure 2.1- A comparison of an ECDIS with PL 3.4 (on the left) showing an obstruction as an alarm,

with an ECDIS with PL 4.0 (on the right) showing only a warning

Detection and notification of navigation hazards in PL 4.0 has been designed to give the mariner the option to choose the priority of the alert for navigational hazards, by viewing group category

Chart Alert Setting

Safety Contour Nav,gat1onal Hazard Areas to be Avoided User Chart Danger : 1 Shallow Contour

Military Pract i ce Area w ,, w Warning

,, A1oN�

AREAS byWaming

v' Areas

v' Traffic Separation Zone v' Mili tary Practice Area

v' Inshore Traffic Zone v' Res t icted Area

v' Caution Area

v' Sea-Plane Land i ng Area

v' S u b mar i n e Transit Lane

v' Anchorage Area

v' Offshore Production Area v' Marine Fa r m/Aquacu ltu re

v Areas to be Avo i ded v' Partic u la r ly Sens Area (PSSA)

Figure 2.2 - Different ECDIS interfaces, where the ECDIS operator can change the Alert Status of each type of charted object (Refer to Annex H for further details)

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ECDIS Procedures Guide 2018 Edition

Figure 2.3 - An ECDIS running PL 3.4 on the left and an ECDIS running PL 4.0 on the right On PL 4.0,

where the look-ahead area crosses the safety contour, it is highlighted in red

2.5.2 Standardised Automatic Update Symbols

CHAPTER 2 IHO S-52 4.0 Upgrade and Alarm Management

The new symbol will help the ECDIS operator to quickly identify features that have temporal attributes E.g seasonal buoys, traffic separation schemes

Periodic End date 27-08-2014

✓

2.5.4 ECDIS Display Date Dependent Features

The ability to insert a date or date range to plan and check routes with date dependent features will allow the mariner to view the conditions they will encounter on the date set This allows inspection of the route for the actual ETA at any given point

Viewing Dates Today (UTC): 10 Oct 2016 Display Date

AUTO: Today

:e Single Date Date: Date Range Start Date:

Figure 2.4 - ECDIS settings allowing objects to be shown at all times or at specific times

ECDIS operators must be aware of the location of this menu on their system and know how to configure it

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ECDIS Procedures Guide 2018 Edition

2.5.5 Ability to Turn ON/OFF Isolated Dangers in Shallow Water

Scale MIN

Paper Chart Plain

Accuracy

Highlight Date Dependent

Highlight INFO

Highlight Document Contour Labels

LAT/LON Grid

Close Save

Figure 2.5 - Images comparing ECDIS with 'isolated dangers' not selected for display, and then enabled for display

Since Pl 4.0, the ECDIS operator must be aware of how and when to use these settings

CHAPTER 2 IHO S-52 4.0 Upgrade and Alarm Management

2.5.6 Shallow Water Pattern

In PL 3.4, the shallow water pattern was optional In the PL 4.0 it is mandatory This is to help with visual detection

of shallow water in the night palette

Symbols:

Boundaries:

Four Shades Full Light Lines Scale MIN

Paper Chart Plain

Shallow Pattern Shallow Water Dangers

Unknown

Accuracy Highlight Date Dependent Highlight INFO

Highlight Document Contour Labels

LAT/LON Grid

Figure 2.6 - Example of menu on different ECDIS types, allowing the operator a choice for viewing 'shallow water pattern'

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CHAPTER 2 IHO S-52 4.0 Upgrade and Alarm Management

2.5.9 Anchorage Area, Fairways, Nautical Publications

Anchorage and fairway names will now appear when text is selected for viewing This will help quickly

identification of locations and anchorages without the need to interrogate each area of the ENC

Figure 2.9 - Naming of anchorages and fairways

,Y

,Y ,Y

ECDIS legend will be made available at the position selected by the mariner This will reduce the confusion about the data that should be displayed when the own ship position is not on the ECDIS chart screen Interaction is now possible directly on the ENC display, with less confusion caused by menu structures

Figure 2.10 - ECDIS legend position selection

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2.5.11 ECDIS Chart 1

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ECDIS Chart 1 is a legend of symbols that may be used within the ENC ECDIS Chart 1 can check for the correct display of new symbols introduced in the PL 4.0

ECDIS Chart 1 is installed on all type approved ECDIS systems

Information about chart display (A,B)

CHAPTER 2 IHO S-52 4.0 Upgrade and Alarm Management

Information about chart display (A,B)

ECDIS Procedures Guide 2018 Edition

2.5.12 IHO S-64 Edition 3.0(02)

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The IHO test datasets for ECDIS have been produced to fulfil the requirements for a dataset necessary to

accomplish all ECDIS testing requirements, as outlined in the IEC 61174

IHO ENC Test Datasets for ECDIS

3 Training

3.1 Generic ECDIS Training

All ECDIS operators responsible for a bridge watch at sea are to have undertaken a 40 hours flag State approved generic ECDIS course, in accordance with the IMO 1.27 Model ECDIS course, in order to be in line with current STCW legislation The following topics should be covered:

• Concept and capability

• familiarisation

• principal types of electronic chart

• legal aspects

• ECDIS data

• adding information and manual corrections

• defining safe water

• depth contour line and clearing bearings

• errors and alarms

• voyage data recording

• backup systems

• confined waters planning

• fixing

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3.2 Type Specific and Familiarisation Training

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All ECDIS operators, having completed generic training, are required to undertake type specific ECDIS training in order to be familiar with the equipment in use on their vessel This is in line with ISM and flag State legislation (flag State dependent)

All ECDIS operators are to be familiar with the specific equipment in use on board their vessel, having completed

an appropriate type specific training course At present, there are no IMO guidelines for type specific training and

so the content for any course should, as a minimum, encompass that listed in Annex A

In addition to type specific training, onboard familiarisation training is considered best practice Each

manufacturer's software version and installation may vary from the type that the operator has been trained on Therefore, a familiarisation checklist can assist ECDIS operators to gain and refresh knowledge of ship specific installations An example checklist is given in Annex A

4 Use of ECDIS for Navigation

The ECDIS operator must be acutely aware of the danger of over-reliance on single sources of information It is dangerous to ignore information indicating that the ship is standing into danger when the ECDIS position indicates that the ship is safe, or vice versa Procedures for the execution of navigation assume that the ECDIS operator is using all available positional information to cross-check the GNSS positions on ECDIS When using ECDIS, in the same way as with traditional methods of navigation, the ECDIS operator should always seek to confirm assessment

of the ship's position relative to the planned track or hazards, and the distance-to-run to wheel over or critical points by at least two independent methods

E N G L A N

Photo and chart extract reproduced from MAIB Accident Investigation

Report 21/2008 'Grounding of general cargo vessel CFL Performer'

Photo and chart extract reproduced from MAIB Accident Investigation Report 22/2017 'Grounding of bulk carrier Muros'

Figure 4.1 - MV 'CFL Performer' grounding on Haisborough Sand in 2008 MV 'Muros' grounding in almost identical position almost

ten years later Both vessels used ECDIS as primary means of navigation

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4.2 Cross-Checking ECDIS Position

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The ECDIS operator should make full use of route information overlay {RIO} checks {if available) and should take manual ECDIS fixes when possible to check the accuracy of the primary GNSS against all other means An assessment of the validity of the ECDIS position should be made by comparing the own ship past track display history against manual ECDIS fixes The ECDIS operator should regularly assess, at an appropriate interval, whether

a discrepancy exists The offset EBL/VRM should be used to measure the fix's range and direction from the track time-mark Where doubt or a discrepancy clearly exists it should be reported to the Master The result of the cross-check fixes should be recorded, as these are now subject to external inspection and verification Irrespective

of the method of recording, ships should keep records of cross-check fixes for as long as the flag State requires When applying operator fixes, the following needs to be understood:

• ECDIS operator fixes may not be displayed if the ship's track or position events are not displayed

• ECDIS operator fixes will not affect the ship position if GNSS is set as the primary position input

• when DR/EP mode is the primary position input, accepted operator fixes will determine the ship position Therefore, it is important that the operator fix is checked for accuracy prior to accepting the position.

The recommended intervals for checking the accuracy of GNSS in ocean navigation and coastal navigation are shown below:

• During ocean navigation, cross-check fixes should be conducted where available

• during coastal navigation, RIO alignment check with the coastline should be continuous where available The frequency of further cross-check fixes will increase in line with the prevailing conditions and the navigational situation.

During ocean navigation, the following methods should be used to cross-check the ECDIS position:

• Verify the primary vessel track against the secondary vessel track and monitor for divergence between the tracks, verifying their positions at each check fix

• the primary method of cross-check fixes should be by radar fix using RIO, if available and within range

• celestial can still be added as a manual fix.

During coastal navigation, the following methods should be used to cross-check the ECDIS position:

• Ensure the ship progresses as planned using relative navigation techniques, including but not limited to radar

ranges, visual bearings, Pls and echo sounders

• the primary method of cross-checking fixes should be RIO, where available.

Methods of maintaining records of cross-check fixes:

• ECDIS integrated playback

(ECDIS operators must be aware of the period of time their system will store these records for)

• ECDIS integrated logbook

• past track display

• deck logbook

(The deck logbook entry must have sufficient information to present a faithful replica of the voyage, including evidence by means other than GNSS to verify the position)

• cross-check fixes marked on a mariner added object layer

• ECDIS screen shots/print outs.

CHAPTER 4 Use of ECDIS for Navigation

When using RIO during ocean navigation and coastal navigation, the RIO should be available in order to check fixes and at any other times when required by the OOW The RIO should be set at an appropriate colour and transparency to enable an assessment of correlation between the coastline and the RIO without causing excessive clutter or covering safety critical information

.>

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Figure 4.2 - Possible angular rotation shows incorrect alignment

While the buoys appear to be out of position, they are actually in the correct charted position RIO misalignment may be the first indication of an error in ECDIS set up Further investigation is required In this instance, the Common Consistent Reference

Point (CCRP) set up had not been configured correctly

NetwOrkseungsJ G.ner.il S�setlillQS I Ch:lnco lec l!Ont l F•Rlad<! NMEAlnputfilte<I NMEAOutwd ARPA Outp ut !

I

�1ee:1suu.,,,10S11e 1,1MSI� lleamo.erall�m

J:jeme jGINAGOROUS Bridgel;,le,1i.c1,,rm

s1�11011 Poellio<i (metero) JMO��

,r:3 rr-::J

H&igfll(�omhO'I) r-:3 P'Sq:iatwn ,

l eera c lt

Figures 4.3 and 4.4 - The ECDIS operator should be aware of the CCRP set up page

This shows the parameters entered at the initial set up of ECDIS The ECDIS operator should take note of these

settings when contacting manufacturers

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ECDIS Procedures Guide 2018 Edition

4.4 T&Ps and the use of Admiralty Information Overlay (AIO)

28

The AIO is a service provided by the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO) The service provides all

Admiralty Temporary and Preliminary Notices to Mariners, and additional navigationally significant information from the UKHO ENC validation programme, in the form of a single layer overlay on top of the basic ENC, which the ECDIS operator can show or hide as necessary Where it is available, the ECDIS operator should make full use of this service for route planning and to view the latest T&P information on ENCs when executing a route

Not all manufacturers have the ab i lity to overlay AIO

If you do not have AIO, the ECDIS operator needs to be aware that not all regions include T&Ps within their weekly ENC updates

If you do not have AIO, the ECDIS operator cannot assume that T&Ps have been automatically applied Even where AIO includes T&P correction from varying government hydrographic offices, those T&Ps may appear in the AIO several weeks after being included in the ENC update

If you are using EN Cs without AIO, you only have access to 40% of T&Ps The AIO is available, free of additional charge, to all users of the Admiralty Vector Chart Service (AVCS) who have compatible display equipment

This list of ECDIS manufacturers and models that are compatible with AIO is maintained on the UKHO website under AVCS, Specifications, 'ECDIS and AIO compatibility', at: https://www.admiralty.co.uk/digital-services/digital­

ch arts/ ad mi ra lty-vecto r-cha rt-service

4.5

CHAPTER 4 Use of ECDIS for Navigation

ECDIS Safety Functions

ECDIS safety settings must be configured correctly to ensure that charted objects are identified by the ECDIS as dangers or hazards to navigation These parameters are referred to as chart alert parameters and are set by the ECDIS operator (refer to Section 2.3)

The vessel safety depth, own ship look-ahead, chart alert parameters, navigation parameters, optimisation

parameters and other safety functions in ECDIS are essential to ensure the ship's navigational safety If configured correctly, they will alarm to warn the ECDIS operator that the vessel is approaching shallow waters or other hazards to navigation so that timely action can be taken to avoid them There is no such thing as a false alarm in ECDIS and the ECDIS operator is required to acknowledge, interrogate and understand all alarms, warnings and cautions

To maximise the efficiency of these safety functions, standard procedures for setting them should be developed incorporating (where necessary) the guidance in this section It must be noted that when conducting route

planning, the safety depth and safety contour values may differ at various stages of the voyage and this must be taken into account during the planning phase

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ECDIS Procedures Guide 2018 Edition

30

The safety depth is a value entered by the ECDIS operator based on the requirements throughout the passage plan and any further requirements of the Master and/or standing orders Setting the safety depth defines which depths are a danger to navigation A depth equal to or less than the safety depth is highlighted on the chart in bold type when the display of spot soundings is turned on (ENCs only) The safety depth is a visual indication of the limit of navigable water Basic safety depth calculation:

Safety Depth= Draught+ Squat+ Safety - Height of Tide Safety height = Safe vertical clearance + Height

I Safe ,ert;cal oleacance He;ght I

Figure 4.5 -The calculation of the safety contour will be used to define safe navigable water

UKC

The safety contour value distinguishes between safe and unsafe water and generates alarms and warnings against the planned and monitored route The safety contour is highlighted on the chart with a bold line (ENCs only) If, with an automatic change of ENC cell under the ship position the previously selected safety contour becomes unavailable, the safety contour alarm is generated ECDIS operators must be familiar with which contour the ENC

is selecting when the ship transfers between ENCs The safety contour is automatically set as equal to the next deepest available contour

Calculation of the safety depth and safety contour is required at all stages of the voyage to give the necessary under keel clearance (UKC) It is the responsibility of the Master to determine these during the passage planning stage If a safety contour other than the standard setting is required, it should be recommended for approval for

a particular route at the briefing stage Once approved by the Master, the safety depth and safety contour should

be documented in the passage plan as required The authorised safety depth and safety contour must always

be known to the ECDIS operator It is recommended that this information is part of the watch handover and is displayed on all ECDIS units (see Annex E)

Further guidance on passage planning with reference to safety depth and safety contours is given in Annex B

CHAPTER 4 Use of ECDIS for Navigation

The shallow and deep contours do not alarm and are for information purposes only However, although it does not provide an indication of a dangerous depth contour, the deep contour can be useful in displaying contour information that has significance for ship handling For example, if the 50 m contour is the onset depth for squat, then the deep contour setting could be set accordingly to give an indication of the 50 m contour to the ECDIS operator The shallow and deep contours provide the following:

• Shallow contour - Shades the area from the shallow contour to zero depth

• deep contour - Shades the area below the deep contour (above is white).

If all contours are correctly configured and four shades is selected, then the following depth information is shaded and distinguishable from each other:

" Zero to shallow contour (dark blue)

• shallow contour to safety contour (light blue)

• safety contour to deep contour (light grey)

• greater than deep contour (white).

If four shades is not selected, two shades will be displayed instead, showing only:

• Zero to safety contour (blue)

• greater than safety contour (white).

The two shades setting may be of benefit to the ECDIS operator when navigating using the dusk or night palette as the contrast between safe and unsafe water and ARPA and AIS targets is improved

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ECDIS Procedures Guide 2018 Edition

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The look-ahead area is intended for setting the size of the area that will be used for the chart data analysis and for the generation of the anti-grounding alarms, alarm alerts and navigational alarms The trigger points for alarms and warnings are defined by a look-ahead projected ahead, stern, port and starboard of the vessel When calculating and configuring the size of the look-ahead area, consideration must be given to the size, manoeuvrability and location of the vessel The look-ahead area must be sufficient to allow the ECDIS operator to acknowledge, assess and take appropriate action

The Master should only modify or adapt look-ahead settings after careful risk assessment Should it be necessary

to modify look-ahead settings, for example in the event of deviation from the passage plan or in an emergency, these should be made with the authorisation of the Master after careful risk assessment