PRIMAR moves to remove unoffcial charts from vessels

[peter.scott@ecc.as]

<text>PRIMAR moves to remove unofficial charts from vessels </text>


PRIMAR is encouraging distributors to adopt innovative solutions for distributing its offcial electronic navigational charts (ENCs) as part of efforts to improve safety of navigation through reducing the use of unoffcial charts on vessels.



Along with other RENCs and hydrographic offces, PRIMAR supports and encourages the exclusive use of ENCs for primary navigation and has been a major force behind the mandatory carriage requirements coming into effect in 2012.



A major obstacle to the acceptance and use of ENCs by the maritime industry until they become mandatory has been widespread use of and over reliance on unoffcial charts as an aid to navigation. This has lead to several well documented accidents.



To try to tackle this problem head on and encourage the use of offcial up to date products, PRIMAR is backing approaches which simplify the delivery and use of ENCs, and which are more understandable to the mariner.



In recent months, Jeppesen Marine – one of PRIMAR’s 55 distributors – has decided to incorporate the PRIMAR brand in its product line as the Jeppesen PRIMAR ENC service. This has been accepted by PRIMAR on condition that the company maintains a commitment to cease selling unoffcial charts wherever ENCs exist.



PRIMAR has no special relationship or exclusivity deal with any of its distributors, and treats all of them equally. Each is accordingly allowed to incorporate the PRIMAR brand into their own when supplying the ENC service. At the same time, SENC distributors are permitted to bundle unoffcial charts into end user services.



To avoid confusion, however, each product must be clearly labelled and it must be clear to the end user/navigator when the navigation system is in ECDIS or ECS mode. It should be noted that the ECDIS 61174 performance standard requires these systems to give a clear warning and switch automatically to ECS mode when unoffcial charts are being used. In that case the simultaneous use of offcial charts is required for primary navigation.


PRIMAR

The PRIMAR offcial ENC service is operated by the Norwegian Hydrographic Service through a regional ENC coordinator centre (RENC) regime and distributor agreements with countries and ENC suppliers.



Currently offering more than 9 100 ENCs, it works with an international network of authorised distributors. Regular updates are provided through standard CDs, the PRIMAR Chart Catalogue, the PRIMAR Online remote updating service and PRIMAR ECDIS Online™.



ENCs from PRIMAR meet IMO SOLAS chart carriage requirements when kept up to date and used in conjunction with a type approved electronic chart display and information system (ECDIS) plus appropriate backup.

[anchorman]

We update our portfolio every Thursday using the chart catalog and permit files from PRIMAR. You can still use BSB raster charts if needed on a planning station. There is no ENC available that has the GOM mineral and oil lease block overlay. That is 1115A,1116A,1117A GOM Raster Charts....they need to get with the program.