SOLAS Chapter V Regulation 19/2.10 has been revised through amendments by IMO Resolution MSC.282(86) to include mandatory carriage of Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (ECDIS) and has entered into force since 1 January 2011. All ships engaged on international voyages are required to be fitted with an ECDIS, on a rolling timetable depending on the size and type of vessel, but no later than the first survey on or after 1 July 2018.

The safe transition from paper chart navigation to paperless navigation depends very much on user familiarity. While the system can be a tremendous help to navigational watchkeeping, cases of ship grounding and collision were also reported. Quite a few navigators were found to be unfamiliar with the operation in ship visits by the Club’s loss prevention team. Hopefully by listing some common errors with good practices proposed, this circular can serve as a guidance to Members on the use of EDCIS.

1.      Inappropriate safety setting/depth alarm turned off

Setting on safety depth and safety contour can go wrong when:

1)      the navigators do not understand what the values are for, how the alarm can be activated and what is displayed if the values are different;

2)      the values are set as default without being specified by the navigators;

3)      the values are not set according to the ship’s real draft;

4)      safety depth and safety contour set as fixed values according to company policy;

5)      the values are not set according to situations at the current port;

6)      the values are consistent throughout the voyage.

Potential risks and good practice:

The setting of safety depth and safety contour is very important on ECDIS. The safety depth highlights the potentially safe and unsafe areas with either in gray for deeper depth or black for shallower depths compared to the safety depth value entered by the navigator, triggering no alarm, while the safety contour marks the division between safe and unsafe waters, activating alarms once the vessel enters unsafe areas.

The two parameters should be of the same value, but contours are present in the values of 5, 10, 15, 20, and 30 and so on. If the value set by the mariner is not available, ECDIS selects the next deepest available contour in the ENC. Therefore, in the event that safe waters are displayed as unsafe, navigators are required to manually picture the No-Go Area (NGA) with dark soundings.

The deep contour and the shallow contour will show only if 4 shade display is selected. It’s also worth noting that the isolated danger is automatically displayed in safe areas but will not show in unsafe waters if not selected.

If the value of safety contour is set too small, the safe areas will be too large for the alarm to be triggered and if the value too large, the alarm will be triggered too soon for the navigator to notice the real danger. We recommend setting of the values as follows:

Safety Depth = Max draft + UKC – Height of tide

Safety Contour = Safety Depth

Shallow Contour = the next contour shallower than the Safety Contour

Deep Contour = normally twice the vessel’s draft

2.      Inappropriate setting or turnoff of look-ahead function

Not like the above safety settings that only trigger alarms when the vessel is in unsafe areas, the look ahead actually leaves enough time for navigators to take actions. By scanning the waters ahead and displaying the scanned area as a cone or column, advance warning of dangers/cautions is provided to prevent grounding. Navigators that fail to make proper use of the feature may miss the ideal opportunity to avoid risks.

Good practice:

The look ahead allows for prompt actions to be taken upon activated alarms. The ahead time and distance should be set appropriately with consideration to the vessel’s size and maneuverability, the traffic as well as the navigator’s response time. If the distance is set too long, unnecessary alarms can be distracting and if set too short, it will be pointless. Also, only ENC targets can be detected rather than radar and AIS signatures.

3.      Relying on GNSS for position check without knowing other methods

The introduction of ECDIS has brought fundamental changes to modern navigation. Unlike paper charts, GNSS derived position is unceasingly plotted on the ECDIS screen and navigators are thus free to focus on the look-out. However, the GNSS position must be cross-checked to keep the vessel away from danger, which can be done through the LOP function, RIO, comparison between two GNSS positions, PI, and etc.

Position cross-checking intervals can be specified in SMS or Master standing order according to navigation waters in consideration of the fact that cross-checking in excessive frequency may offset the advantages of ECDIS. Also, in order to enable voyage review, a complete record of GPS position cross-checking should be kept by means of screenshot, event log, track playback and paper record.

4.      Second Officer unfamiliar with the user chart feature

Basically, all markings to be plotted on paper charts can be edited on ECDIS, and it’s often the navigator’s obligation to mark all navigational information on the ENC. By creating symbols, lines and areas on the chart, information including LOPs, NGAs, ECAs, MARPOL special areas, contingency anchorages, abort points, VTS reporting points, and Master orders can be displayed. Points at which to go UMS or to give notice to E/R should also be written on the chart.

5.      Master fails to check the route properly

A passage plan is only valid when the Master checks the entire route and approves the draft plan made by the Second Officer. It’s advisable to conduct automatic route checking for any dangers within XTE limits, adjust the route and safety settings until all errors are corrected.

Good practice:

1)      Determine the XTE setting values properly to avoid excessive warnings.

2)      Unsafe waters and areas with special conditions within the XTE limits, once detected by ECDIS, will be listed in a table and highlighted for navigators to make necessary adjustment. But first make sure to tick the boxes in front of the items – prohibited area, caution area, fishing area, military practice area and so forth – or there will be no highlights but only textual indications.

3)      The route should be re-checked upon any modification on the plan or the parameters to ensure a safe voyage.

4)      The route should be checked on all ECDIS systems if there’s any back up equipment carried onboard.

5)      Visual check is a must even after the automatic check. Use the large scale and manually scroll along the plan to check the entire route.

6.      Passage plan not updated to fit ECDIS navigation

Although ECDIS is identified as the primary means of navigation in Safety Equipment Certificate (SE), some navigators fail to update the safety settings on ECDIS while paper charts are still used for primary navigation. Therefore, it’s important for operating companies to include ECDIS passage planning procedures in SMS and carry out route assessment accordingly. Requirements on safety and alarm setting, as well as position cross-checking methods and intervals should be identified in order to navigate safely.

Also, regulatory requirements for generic training and familiarization in ECDIS are covered in both ISM Code and STCW. Shipowners and managing companies are required to carry out trainings in compliance with regulations of the flag state ensuring that bridge teams are competent in operating ECDIS. However, the results are not always satisfying even with generic training and manufacturer approved equipment-specific training carried out. The Club recommends that ECDIS operating procedures be included in SMS and guidance on parameter settings be posted next to the equipment.

For more instructions on ECDIS operation and training, please refer to the Nautical Institute at http://www.nautinst.org/en/forums/ecdis/index.cfm.