The GSM modem uses mobile signals to keep the iECDIS up to date anywhere with cellular network coverage, and can also be used to download piracy warnings and weather forecasts which can be instantly overlaid on the chart display itself.

iECDIS is available for lease as well as outright purchase, which Martek says allows the purchaser the option to try before buying.

The company suggests that the up-front cost saving from leasing can then be transferred to system integration, crew training and chart licensing, and will also mean that vessels will always have the most advanced system on the market.

“We’ve created a market-leading solution which combines cutting edge technology with a very lucrative commercial proposition and a system which mariners will want to use and ship managers will find easy to adopt,” said Bentley Strafford-Stephenson, ECDIS product specialist at Martek Marine.

“It’s a rugged piece of military spec hardware, powered by time-tested, trusted Jeppesen software, with features such as weather, radar, piracy and ice-chart overlays and route planning; it’ll have freely updatable charts and software updates which will only take minutes to upload.”

“We’re offering iECDIS on a leased or purchased option with flexible licensing solutions. We’re developing comprehensive user training packages and, quite simply, it’s better than anything else on the market.”

These training and licensing packages include the company's iTrain and iChart products, while Martek will also offer a maintenance plan called iServ which will feature free hardware upgrades through hot-swapping of hardware, to reduce downtime for ships from inoperable equipment.