By Captain Karl Carr
Captain Carr is a sailing member of American Maritime Officers and an instructor at STAR Center.
It’s time for ECDIS 2.0. The current S-57 Electronic Navigation Charts (ENCs) used in ECDIS were introduced over 30 years ago. We all know there is significant room for improvement. New S-100 based data sets for ECDIS are coming and will improve the display of chart features and modernize how we navigate.
S-100 Products will provide a more comprehensive view of our marine environment. The S-101 ENC will be the foundation layer, and the direct replacement of the very limiting S-57 formatted ENC. For new installations, IMO has mandated the phase-in of S-100 capable ECDIS to begin on 1/1/2026. By 1/1/2029 all ECDIS units must have what the IMO has termed “Dual-Fuel” capability, i.e. the ability to view both S-57 and S-100 data until S-57 is fully retired by 2034.
S-100 Products are based on dynamic layers of data such as real-time tide and weather information and high-resolution bathymetry, which are able to be displayed directly on the ECDIS. S-100s will be implemented in two phases. The first phase will focus on products used for route monitoring, and the second phase for route planning. When properly used, S-100s will not only enhance operational safety, but also efficiency. They will provide the ability to optimize voyages based on real-time conditions that could substantially unlock time and fuel savings and reduce emissions. S-100 Products will be introduced for use over the next few years, and ready or not, ECDIS manufacturers are being tasked to have workable S-100 capable units by 2026. Later model ECDIS units may already possess the hardware capability and only require a software upgrade. Older ECDIS units will likely need to be replaced.
Official S-100 Products will be provided by our chart distributors, and each product may be sold separately or as a suite. The S-101 ENC will be the foundation layer and will play host to the following initial Phase 1 ancillary products:
- S-102 Bathymetric Surface will provide a digital representation of the sea floor giving high-resolution bathymetric data
- S-104 Water Levels will provide real-time tide and water level information
- S-111 Surface Currents will provide real-time surface current data
- S-124 Navigational Warnings
Phase 2 products are largely still in the design phase and will include:
- S-122 Marine Protective Areas
- S-129 Under Keel Clearance Management that will assist with information regarding Under Keel Clearance (UKC) including inputs for squat characteristics for use in managing safe passage through shallow waters
- S-411 Ice Reports
- S-412 Weather Overlay
Benefits promised by S-100s include more recognizable text and aids to navigation, screen de-cluttering, reduced alarm fatigue, and improved voyage efficiency. One of the biggest improvements will include Dynamic Safety Contours a.k.a. tide-aware ENCs. The safety contour will automatically adjust the ENC for tides, in real-time, displaying more realistic go/no-go areas on the ECDIS. For the planning phase, current predictions will provide a more accurate Speed of Advance (SOA) for critical timed arrivals.
Some of the S-100 real-time products like ENC updates and weather overlay are designed to come directly to our ECDIS units. Cybersecurity is always a significant concern. The new S-100 standard was designed to ensure products are digitally signed and tamper-proof.
IMO, as part of a comprehensive review of STCW now underway, is currently investigating what training fundamentals will need to be incorporated into the generic ECDIS training standard. The fact is S-100s will introduce a whole host of updated features that deck officers must digest. As navigational officers, we are tasked with keeping our vessels seaworthy, which requires proper use of all onboard equipment and systems. As far as our ECDIS Type Specific Familiarization, which is required, ECDIS manufacturers will likely be tasked with providing the training in some form. As ECDIS systems become more complicated, onboard equipment specific training becomes more important. Onboard hands-on practical training and familiarization, including knowledge gained from other officers with experience, will continue to be important in gaining proficiency. Any training required may not come in the form of a new STCW regulation or USCG NVIC, but it may be introduced by P&I Clubs and/or incorporated into our operating company’s Safety Management Systems (SMSs).
As training requirements unfold for ECDIS 2.0, the STAR Center is ready to bring AMO officers up to speed. In addition to our USCG approved ECDIS course, STAR Center also offers a three-day Electronic Navigation (eNAV) and Watchkeeping Refresher Course. This course covers updated Electronic Navigation fundamentals such as ECDIS, RADAR and ARPA, including advanced features and functionality. It is designed to provide experienced mariners with updated knowledge and skills, including better utilization of electronic navigation equipment and its integration in the watchkeeping functions on the bridge. The eNAV and Watchkeeping Refresher course is typically offered the same week as the two-day Basic Safety Training and Advanced Fire Fighting Revalidation course and can be found on the STAR Center website.
Much more detailed S-100 information is currently available from the UKHO.