The Electronic Chart

Abstract

The Canadian Hydrographic Service began its involvement in collecting and processing digital hydrographic data in the late 1960s. During the intervening years the Service has been actively involved in the development, testing and implementation of digital data acquisition systems for the recording and processing of hydrographic data and the processing of digital data in the chart production process. So far the orientation of the overall process has remained toward the eventual production of the conventional nautical chart. The value of the digital data itself for the maintenance of the charts and possibly its eventual use on the bridge was of course recognized. Today the technological push is toward the increase of microprocessor technology in the instrumentation packages. Electronic positioning systems facilitate computer processing for real-time navigation information. Display technology, particularly video displays now make possible the graphic presentation of data stored within a digital database. Coincidentally marine traffic is increasing and the costs of marine disasters are escalating. Therefore it is reasonable to assume that there will be a demand to integrate positioning and collision avoidance radars with navigational information contained on the nautical chart. This paper will review this technology and consider the future role of information contained on the nautical chart as it will be used in the electronic systems on the bridge.