What is an ECDIS?
An electronic chart display system is a general term for all electronic equipment that is capable of displaying a vessel?s position on a chart image on a screen. There are two classes of electronic chart display systems. The first is an ECDIS (Electronic Chart Display and Information System), which can meet IMO/SOLAS chart carriage requirements. The second is an ECS (Electronic Chart System), which can be used to assist navigation, but does not meet IMO/SOLAS chart carriage requirements. ECDIS equipment is specified in the IMO ECDIS Performance Standards as follows: Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS) means a navigation information system which, with adequate back up arrangements, can be accepted as complying with the up-to-date chart required by regulation V/19 & V/27 of the 1974 SOLAS Convention. Where the term ECDIS is used in this document, this is to be understood as those navigational electronic chart systems, which have been tested, approved and certified as
