How have new technological advancements such as ECDIS, ENC facilitated hydrographic surveying?
What role does GIS play? The purpose of an ECDIS is the same whether the vessel is conducting hydrographic surveys or transporting cargo. It aids the mariner to navigate safely through charted waters. On a hydrographic survey vessel ENCs may also be used as an information layer in the online navigation system to accurately plan and execute the survey itself. The online navigation system is not an ECDIS, it is a specialized system used by hydrographic surveyors to provide the survey line information for the mariner to follow and to acquire the various survey sensor inputs. The mariner will often plot lines on paper charts, especially if the survey lines are long but the ECDIS itself will not be used to display the survey-pertinent information. The increasing use of ENC and ECDIS systems has certainly given Mariners access to more geospatial information on board. ENC with its rich attribution and symbology has brought GIS concepts into the nautical realm, but it is important to remember
