Shipowners and manufacturers have until the end of August this year to upgrade ecdis to ensure it meets improved standards from the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO).
Many suppliers have gained type approval for their latest ecdis versions to demonstrate they meet the updated standards. These approvals also validate that ecdis is updated to the latest standard from the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).
Manufacturers are working towards being ready for the latest editions of IHO standards S-52, S-57, S-63 and S-64. But it is down to ship operators to do so, too. Some will just need to deploy the updated software, but others will need to replace equipment. Failure to comply with the standards could mean ship detentions if port state control inspectors discover that ecdis does not meet the requirements. This is because it would become a question of non-compliance with Solas regulations.
The IHO updates were needed to address a number of….(Read More) Source: Marine Electronics & Communications