Electronic Navigational Charts
Electronic Navigational Charts
Electronic Navigational Charts (ENCs) are digital charts which are produced by hydrographic offices all over the world for navigational purposes. They provide much more information than would be possible with a traditional paper chart. Increasingly Port Authorities are producing customised ENC’s in house for use on the following systems:
- Automatic Identification Systems (AIS)
- Vessel Trafficking Systems (VTS)
- Geographic Information Systems (GIS) as core datasets for GIS users and port staff
ENCs are compiled using the International Hydrographic Organization’s (IHO) transfer standard for digital hydrographic data (S-57) and displayed using the IHO S-52 display standard. The IHO S-57 transfer standard ensures a stable and well developed international data standard for encoding hydrographic and navigational data.
The IHO S-52 display standard is the IHO specification for chart content and display for an ECDIS. This ensures that the user receives a consistent looking electronic navigational chart.
How are ENCs Used?
ENCs provide detailed, interactive and user-friendly marine navigation charts. This system is fundamental to the roles of:
- Mariners
- Navigators
- Port Staff
- Stakeholders
ENCs are used for route planning, vessel movement monitoring, condition assessment and even asset management. User defined maps can also be generated from ENC’s.
At the click of a mouse an ENC can provide detailed nautical information such as:
- Navigational aids
- Depth contours
- Soundings
- Shipping channels
- Pilot radio calling in points
- And many more features
Did You Know?
Total Hydrographic is committed to providing port authorities with up to date and accurate navigational charts. We do this by using multiple Notices to Mariners (NtMs) sources to update port ENCs. In-house port ENCs are generally on a quarterly update cycle.
Our staff have tertiary qualifications and experience in Hydrographic Surveying, Geomatic Engineering, Marine Mapping and GIS, Cartography and National Maritime Operations.
A list of certified professionals in hydrographic surveying can be found here.
If you are a mariner, navigator, Port Authority or Port Operator let Total Hydrographic show you some of the benefits of in-house customised electronic navigation charts.