High speed vessels must carry ECDIS off Norway www.sjofartsdir.no The Norwegian Maritime Administration has announced that it is "almost certain" that it will require all high speed craft of the Norwegian coast to carry an electronic chart display system within 3 years, either ECDIS (official) or ECS (non-official), with the requirement that they must use official electronic charts when they are available. The requirement will later be extended to all ships carrying dangerous goods. "It is almost certain that this requirement will be in force in about 3 years," says Eivind S Vågslid, deputy director, Norwegian Maritime Administration. "We'll probably by 2007 have the requirement in place, maybe 2006 for all high speed vessels." "They must use ENCs if they operate in waters covered by ENCs." Mr Vågslid says that the requirements are being put together following demands from high levels in the Norwegian government, expressed via the Norwegian Hydrographic Office. "The Hydrographic Office has urged us to implement or require ECDIS or ECS on all Norwegian vessels," he says. "When we come with this requirement, if the high speed shipowners protest loudly then maybe the politicians turn again." "But we actually have a top level decision but when the coast is covered with ENCs then we'll require ECDIS on high speed charts." One of the arguments against requiring ECDIS has always been their price, he says, but the price is falling. "Now you can have ECDIS for $50,000 a piece that argument is no longer valid." In parallel, the Administration is submitting a document to the IMO Maritime Safety Committee to cover electronic charts, setting up a debate that ships should carry ECDIS. "We will submit a document to the MSC to expand the agenda item on electronic charts, to include a debate on the carriers requirement for ECIDS," he says. "The last submission date to MSC is March 19th, 2004." "We will suggest that IMO starts with the high speed craft and follow with dangerous cargoes." The Norwegian Administration's requirement that chart systems should be fitted in high speed craft will be independent of whatever decision is made at IMO. Norway still does not have full ENC coverage of its coastline. "About two thirds of the Norwegian Coast is covered by ENC, but still 2 years more before the entire coast is covered," he says. SUBHEAD Training There are always concerns with electronic chart systems that they can actually be a safety liability, due to seafarers watching the electronic chart screen rather than the radar display, but the Administration is satisfied that these problems can be overcome with training, Mr Vågslid says. "That's the typical accident still on the Norwegian coast, a mariner not very familiar with the electronic charts being occupied, not looking out of the window, and the ship ran aground," he says. "It may lead to more collisions as people watch their chart display as their main display instead of their radar display," he says. "Maybe late on their watch they forget to compare the two screens." "What we have to admit is that we are in an early childhood of electronic charts. There are a lot of user errors." "DNV has made an analysis of this," he says. "They need proper instrumentation of electronic charts - that includes training and adequate correction procedures." "DNV predicts a 40 per cent reduction in groundings if electronic charts are used," he says. "But this has not been tried in the real world or based on real experience." "I cannot guarantee the 40 per cent or say that that figure is correct but of course [using electronic charts] will reduce the groundings." "This is a training issue, he said. " We have to admit the lack of training is one of the reasons for the reduction in groundings has not been bigger." SUBHEAD The Rockness The legislation follows the tragedy of the Rockness, where 18 seafarers died on January 19 2004 after their bulk carrier carrying rocks capsized in a narrow icy fjord near Bergen, Norway. The investigation is still underway but the vessel is thought to have hit a rock. "The Rockness has triggered this," says Mr Vågslid. "The Rockness did not have ECDIS with ENCs - it had ECS with nonauthorised electronic chart systems," he says. "They had the correct paper chart to fulfil the carriers requirement for charts." "Exactly where the ship grounded, there were big differences between the official chart and the unofficial chart." "The main course of the Rockness accident was probably not the chart - specially not the reason that it capsized so far. Its not the main reason for the accident. But it triggers the discussion about the charts." "Especially not the reason that it capsized so far." "When you sail in such narrow sounds then you will have a grounding alarm almost the entire time." SUBHEAD Raster charts Mr Vågslid confirmed that the position of the Norwegian Administration, not accepting raster charts such as ARCS for navigation, is unchanged. "Norway is absolutely against use of raster charts as official charts," he says. "On a complex coast as ours they are not giving a good picture for the user." "Its too many details put into the chart. There can often be errors, particularly when you scale the raster chart." "We think the ENCS are the safe and correct way to approach charts." "If we allow raster charts then we'll halt the development of ENCs," he adds. "We think ENCs is the way forward." "That's also seen with comparison with charts on radar," he says. "If you will have one composite display with radar and ECDIS information then you need vectorised chart. You cannot take the rasterised chart into the radar." "Just ECDIS will be allowed." BOX TEXT Mr Vågslid will be speaking in depth about the Norwegian Administration's requirement for electronic charts at the Digital Ship Scandinavia conference in Oslo, April 29-30. See www.thedigitalship.com/scandinavia.htm