We might be ready for ECDIS but is ECDIS ready for us?

摘要

The dawn of ECDIS is upon us. The previously unthinkable has happened and many vessels are now navigating the oceans and waterways without paper charts.This is an exciting time. Technology is so advanced that ideas only previously dreamt up in fiction are now becoming reality. Given that the primary function of ECDIS is to contribute to safe navigation, and that extremely sophisticated navigation technology exists, why are we so reliant on ECDIS with so many flaws, weaknesses and limitations? Some of the limitations of ECDIS are well documented. Limitations such as the rounding up of safety contours to match the charted contours, loss of displayed chart data due to scaling and non-global coverage of S57 standard vector charts are well taught in training establishments, and referred to in safety management systems. These flaws are understandable, and will improve given time. But what about the limitations that are not so well documented? And, more importantly, why do we tolerate them?