IMO issues ECDIS - Guidance for Good Practice

The International Maritime Organization has issued the circular MSC.1/Circ.1503/Rev.2 entitled ECDIS - Guidance for Good Practice.

This circular has been issued on November 28th, 2022, and supersedes MSC.1/Circ.1503/Rev.1.

The Maritime Safety Committee, at its ninety-fifth session (3 to 12 June 2015), approved the ECDIS – Guidance for Good Practice, drawing together relevant guidance from seven previous ECDIS circulars into a single, consolidated document.

ECDIS (electronic chart display and information systems) is a complex, safety-relevant, software-based system with multiple options for display and integration.

The ongoing safe and effective use of ECDIS involves many stakeholders including seafarers, equipment manufacturers, chart producers, hardware and software maintenance providers, shipowners and operators, and training providers.

It is important that all these stakeholders have a clear and common understanding of their roles and responsibilities in relation to ECDIS.

In 2002, ECDIS was accepted as meeting the chart carriage requirements of SOLAS regulation V/19.

Over the years, IMO Member States, hydrographic offices, equipment manufacturers and other organizations contributed to the development of guidance on a variety of ECDIS-related matters and IMO issued a series of complementary circulars on ECDIS.

While most useful IMO guidance on ECDIS was developed in this incremental manner, the information needed to be consolidated, where possible, to have ECDIS-related guidance within a single circular, which could be easily kept up to date without duplication or need for continual cross-referencing.

Such consolidation of information offers clear and unambiguous understanding of the carriage requirements and use of ECDIS.

The consolidated guidance termed "ECDIS – Guidance for Good Practice" is set out in the annex to this circular.

Ship operators, masters and deck officers on ECDIS-fitted ships are encouraged to use this Guidance to improve their understanding and facilitate safe and effective use of ECDIS.

The Maritime Safety Committee, at its ninety-eighth session (7 to 16 June 2017), based on a recommendation made by the Sub-Committee on Human Element, Training and Watchkeeping, at its fourth session (30 January to 3 February 2017), and noting the need to clarify the requirement of ECDIS familiarization as specified in the STCW Convention, 1978 and the ISM Code, approved the revision 1 of the ECDIS – Guidance for Good Practice, which was disseminated as MSC.1/Circ.1503/Rev.1.

The Maritime Safety Committee, at its 106th session (2 to 11 November 2022), based on a recommendation made by the Sub-Committee on Navigation, Communications and Search and Rescue, at its ninth session (21 to 30 June 2022), and noting the need to clarify the general principle, procedures and documentation for onboard ECDIS updates to demonstrate ongoing compliance, approved the revision 2 of the ECDIS – Guidance for Good Practice, as set out in the annex.

Members of the Organization and Contracting Governments to the SOLAS Convention are invited to bring this circular to the attention of all entities concerned.

In particular, port States are invited to make the Guidance available to their port State control inspectors, and flag States to shipowners, masters, recognized organizations, flag State control inspectors and surveyors.

An electronic copy of this circular can be downloaded from the Organization's document website (IMODOCS) at: https://docs.imo.org/Category.aspx?cid=106

About ECDIS and this Guidance

The undeniable safety benefits of navigating with electronic chart display and information systems (ECDIS) were recognized through Formal Safety Assessments submitted to the Organization and experience gained by the voluntary use of ECDIS for many years.

ECDIS was mandated for carriage by high-speed craft (HSC) as early as 1 July 2008.

Subsequently, the mandatory carriage of ECDIS for ships other than HSC (depending on the ship type, size and construction date, as required by SOLAS regulation V/19.2.10) commenced in a phased manner from 1 July 2012 onwards.

ECDIS is a complex, safety-relevant, software-based system with multiple options for display and integration.

It is important that all these stakeholders have a clear and common understanding of their roles and responsibilities in relation to ECDIS.

This ECDIS - Guidance for Good Practice, referred to as "Guidance" hereafter, draws together relevant guidance from seven previous ECDIS circulars into a single, consolidated document.

The Guidance is laid out in eight sections, namely:

A Chart carriage requirement of SOLAS
B Maintenance of ECDIS software
C Onboard ECDIS updates
D Operating anomalies identified within ECDIS
E Differences between raster chart display system (RCDS) and ECDIS
F ECDIS training
G Transitioning from paper chart to ECDIS navigation
H Guidance on training and assessment in the operational use of ECDIS simulators

This Guidance is intended to assist the smooth implementation of ECDIS and its ongoing safe and effective use on board ships.

Ship operators, masters and deck officers on ECDIS-fitted ships are encouraged to use this Guidance to improve their understanding and facilitate the safe and effective use of ECDIS.

Although this Guidance replaces seven IMO ECDIS-related circulars, there remain several other IMO circulars that also address ECDIS matters to varying degrees, and reference should also be made to these circulars where necessary.

A list containing the IMO ECDIS performance standards and the other IMO circulars that relate to ECDIS is provided in the reference section.

RELEVANT DOCUMENT (AVAILABLE ONLY TO SUBSCRIBERS):

ECDIS - GUIDANCE FOR GOOD PRACTICE

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