CoastGIS'99: geomatics and coastal environment
format. It is suitable for use in a wide range of maritime applications, from
fully integrated bridge systems to stand-alone PC based Electronic
Charting Systems (ENC). An integral part of the product is an update
service, which provides the latest new editions and Notices to Mariners
updates on a CD that automatically updates the charts.
However, the market clearly wants ENCs in vector format for use in ECDIS
systems. The main limiting factor on all hydrographic offices, but
especially the AHO, is the lack of available digital data. The AHO has
embarked on a major capital investment which will see its data in
digital form but m the interim must seek to find ways of bringing
nationally authorized ENCS to the market sooner. Since 1998 it has
been clear that, for the foreseeable future, ECDIS systems will need to
be multi-fuelled. The authorized national ENC is that chart which is
specified to “fuel” the data requirements of ECDIS. An ECDIS capable of
utilising, for example, authorized ENCs and authorized raster charts as
well as other publications could be said to be “multi-fuelled”.
Many countries and private companies, in an effort to deliver ENC
products to mariners and having regards to the paucity of available
digital data, have looked to digitize their charts in a way that vectorises
them and which meet the format specifications of the International
Hydrographic Organization for ENC (S-52, S-57). Such an approach is
useful in the shorter term and has been adopted in Australia. Willis
(1998) has pointed out that the reasons such data sets of and around
major ports were produced in Australia include:
• ECDIS testing and demonstration purposes;
• development of standard operating procedures for digital data capture;
• proof of concept for conversions from Autochart digital files (Autochart is the original feature-based chart production system introduced
by the Australian Hydrographic Office in the mid- 1970s);
• proof of concept for conversions from S-57 to other formats such as
the Digital Nautical Chart (electronic chart to military specification),
raster and paper chart;
• support of requirements raised within the Department of Defence and
by maritime and port authorities in Australia;
• training of cartographic staff on the newer generation digital chart
production systems.
However, the full benefits from electronic charting can only be gained
ultimately with full, ab initio recompilation from first principles, rather
than via the simplistic digitisation of the paper chart product.
The Benefits of Electronic Charting
The main benefits of electronic charting can be listed as follows:
- provides instant, real-time, visual confirmation of the vessel’s position
against the graphic representation of the real-world;
- reduces stress and workload on the ship’s bridge;
- minimizes the risk of grounding and consequent environmental
disaster;
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format. It is suitable for use in a wide range of maritime applications, from
fully integrated bridge systems to stand-alone PC based Electronic
Charting Systems (ENC). An integral part of the product is an update
service, which provides the latest new editions and Notices to Mariners
updates on a CD that automatically updates the charts.
However, the market clearly wants ENCs in vector format for use in ECDIS
systems. The main limiting factor on all hydrographic offices, but
especially the AHO, is the lack of available digital data. The AHO has
embarked on a major capital investment which will see its data in
digital form but m the interim must seek to find ways of bringing
nationally authorized ENCS to the market sooner. Since 1998 it has
been clear that, for the foreseeable future, ECDIS systems will need to
be multi-fuelled. The authorized national ENC is that chart which is
specified to “fuel” the data requirements of ECDIS. An ECDIS capable of
utilising, for example, authorized ENCs and authorized raster charts as
well as other publications could be said to be “multi-fuelled”.
Many countries and private companies, in an effort to deliver ENC
products to mariners and having regards to the paucity of available
digital data, have looked to digitize their charts in a way that vectorises
them and which meet the format specifications of the International
Hydrographic Organization for ENC (S-52, S-57). Such an approach is
useful in the shorter term and has been adopted in Australia. Willis
(1998) has pointed out that the reasons such data sets of and around
major ports were produced in Australia include:
• ECDIS testing and demonstration purposes;
• development of standard operating procedures for digital data capture;
• proof of concept for conversions from Autochart digital files (Autochart is the original feature-based chart production system introduced
by the Australian Hydrographic Office in the mid- 1970s);
• proof of concept for conversions from S-57 to other formats such as
the Digital Nautical Chart (electronic chart to military specification),
raster and paper chart;
• support of requirements raised within the Department of Defence and
by maritime and port authorities in Australia;
• training of cartographic staff on the newer generation digital chart
production systems.
However, the full benefits from electronic charting can only be gained
ultimately with full, ab initio recompilation from first principles, rather
than via the simplistic digitisation of the paper chart product.
The Benefits of Electronic Charting
The main benefits of electronic charting can be listed as follows:
- provides instant, real-time, visual confirmation of the vessel’s position
against the graphic representation of the real-world;
- reduces stress and workload on the ship’s bridge;
- minimizes the risk of grounding and consequent environmental
disaster;
140