Facts about Charts and Carriage Requirements

The SOLAS Convention includes a requirement for all ships to carry to up-to-date nautical charts and publications for the intended voyage. This carriage requirement may be satisfied fully or partly by electronic means.

Feedback from people involved in the use of charts and electronic chart display equipment covering manufacturers, distributors, users, ship owners, regulatory authorities pilots, harbour authorities and others reveal a significant uncertainty about status and regulations applying to the products and equipment available in the market today. In particular the differences between the status of the various types of equipment and the differences between the various types of data offered to the users are unclear with respect to the regulations in place.

This publication serves as a reference frame to help resolve the uncertainties existing today.

Facts about Charts and Carriage Requirements (PDF)