Electronic Navigational Chart Research Articles

Nautical cartography competences and their effect to the realisation of a worldwide Electronic Navigational Charts database, the performance of ECDIS and the fulfilment of IMO chart carriage requirements

This paper is concerned with the implementation and realisation of a Worldwide Electronic Navigational Charts Database (WEND), adopted by the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) and its members in supporting marine navigation. It identifies the issue of gaps and overlaps between adjoining Electronic Navigational Charts (ENCs) and explores its consequences to the operation of Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (ECDIS) and the fulfilment of International Maritime Organization (IMO) chart carriage requirements. As the ENCs production is directly dependent on states’ cartographic competences, this paper delves into the coastal states’ jurisdiction in accordance with international law of the sea, and in particular the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and ΙΗΟ and IMO instruments. Through a case study on recently produced ENCs in the Mediterranean and more specifically in the Aegean Sea, this paper documents the necessity to respect states’ cartographic competences in realising the WEND concept and cautions that, otherwise, new and extended overlaps emerge, which pose a risk to the safety of navigation, and, at the same time, become means through which states may promote their geopolitical aspirations as to jurisdiction over certain marine areas.

A Study on Navigational Support Services for Improving Navigational Safety of Non-SOLAS Ships

This study identified necessary navigational support services to prevent accidents through an examination and a survey on the navigation and communication systems of non-SOLAS ships. The functional and operational requirements for the identified navigational support services were discussed accordingly. Among the navigational support services proposed are an Electronic Navigational Chart (ENC) service, a route planning service, an operation monitoring service, and collision prevention support services for ships in coastal areas. To facilitate the identified navigational support services, ship navigation system, shore supporting centre and maritime communication network were discussed as a digital infrastructure. The operational methode for the digital infrastructure were discussed in the service scenarios for ships carrying dangerous cargo, large ships over 200 meters in length and high speed passenger ships over 15 knots in speed. This study will facilitate the development of policies for the improvement of ship operation management in Korean coastal waters and will contribute to improving the navigational safety of non-SOLAS ships.

Multi-target collision avoidance route planning under an ECDIS framework

The universality of the automatic identification system (AIS) as well as the electronic chart display and information system (ECDIS) installations will provide revolutionary solution schemes for the e-navigation era of informatization, intellectualization, and integration. Based on this concept, this study adopted ECDIS as an information platform for navigational decision support and used the real-time navigation information received by the AIS to construct predicted areas of danger (PAD) for target ships. The advantages of direct viewing via the PAD in the collision avoidance give PAD a new application. Subsequently, spatial data from an electronic navigation chart (ENC) was employed as a basis for generating geographical obstacles. Through the integration of a geographic information system (GIS) module, specially designed evolutionary computation, and collision prevention regulations (COLREGS) knowledge as well as by comprehensively considering overall navigation situations, this system conducted obstacle avoidance processing and selection of a route. The system could generate a route that could simultaneously achieve multi-ship encounter collision avoidance and geographical obstacle avoidance. This is expected to provide mariners with greater convenience when working at sea, reducing their workload. This system can also be used as a reference for collision avoidance decision making.

E-navigation Services for Non-SOLAS Ships

It is clearly understood that the main benefits of e-navigation are improved safety and better protection of the environment through the promotion of standards of navigational system and a reduction in human error. In order to meet the expectations on the benefit of e-navigation, e-navigation services should be more focused on non-SOLAS ships. The purpose of this paper is to present necessary e-navigation services for non-SOLAS ships in order to prevent marine accidents in Korean coastal waters. To meet the objectives of the study, an examination on the present navigation and communication system for non-SOLAS ships was performed. Based on the IMO's e-navigation Strategy Implementation Plan (SIP) and Korea's national SIP for e-navigation, future trends for the development and implementation of e-navigation were discussed. Consequently, Electronic Navigational Chart (ENC) download and ENC up-date service, ENC streaming service, route support service and communication support service based on Maritime Cloud were presented as essential e-navigation services for non-SOLAS ships. This study will help for the planning and designing of the Korean e-navigation system. It is expected that the further researches on the navigation support systems based on e-navigation will be carried out in order to implement the essential e-navigation services for non-SOLAS ships.

Wide-ranging radar simulation data generation method based on multi-scale electronic charts in a maritime simulator

ABSTRACTIn maritime simulators there are problems of discontinuity and saltation on radar simulation images caused by the limited range of radar simulation data generated from a single electronic chart. Furthermore, this kind of radar simulation is overlapping, discontinuous and redundant, and thus could lead to simulation error and training interruption. To address this problem, a method is presented to generate a wide range of radar simulation data based on a multi-scale chart data. The method uses automatic splicing on same-scale maps and variable-scale visualisation splicing on multi-scale maps. In this paper, the S-57 standard electronic navigational charts are filtered from the S-57 database and then radar simulation data are generated based on charts of different scales. From clipping, sorting, deletion, combination and matching, a wide range of continuous radar simulation data are generated. Taking the waters around Ningbo Port, China as an example, 27 chart sections are filtered out from S-57 database, with a longitude range from 121°33' to 122°56.8' and a latitude range from 29°3' to 30°21.8'. The wide-range and continuous radar simulation data are generated for a maritime simulator. The results validate this method as being highly accurate and able to meet the practical needs of maritime simulation.

Clustering Bathymetric Data for Electronic Navigational Charts

An electronic navigational chart is a major source of information for the navigator. The component that contributes most significantly to the safety of navigation on water is the information on the depth of an area. For the purposes of this article, the authors use data obtained by the interferometric sonar GeoSwath Plus. The data were collected in the area of the Port of Szczecin. The samples constitute large sets of data. Data reduction is a procedure to reduce the size of a data set to make it easier and more effective to analyse. The main objective of the authors is the compilation of a new reduction algorithm for bathymetric data. The clustering of data is the first part of the search algorithm. The next step consists of generalisation of bathymetric data. This article presents a comparison and analysis of results of clustering bathymetric data using the following selected methods:K-means clustering algorithm, traditional hierarchical clustering algorithms and self-organising map (using artificial neural networks).

Assessment Procedure of the Trafficability of Inland Waterways

A sophisticated procedure on the basis of a geographic information system (GIS) was developed to contribute to the assessment and evaluation of the trafficability of inland waterways. Besides the given geometry of a free flowing river, the results of hydrodynamic numerical river basin models (HN-model), the ship dynamic parameters of an inland vessel and additional information from the Inland Electronic Navigational Chart (Inland ENC) are taken into consideration in the assessment procedure RiNA (River Navigation Assessment). After the transmission of various, complex initial data into a mutual system, firstly the so-called single potential areas are generated from the nautically relevant parameters (e.g. flow depths, flow velocities, draught, safety distance, fairway, berths, regulation of the traffic). Then those single potential areas are transferred to total potential areas by suitable combination. The total potential areas represent a surface distribution of the navigable areas of waterways and show the trafficability. These total potential areas are prepared regarding different discharge scenarios, types of ships, changes in the draught, direction (up-/downstream) and then validated by recorded passages of vessels. With this procedure an assessment and evaluation of waterways according to nautical criteria (among others flow velocity, draught, driving rules) can be performed and critical points (e.g. bottlenecks) can be shown, which in future leads to an optimized use of the waterways. On the basis of different case studies of the river Rhine in Germany the application of the assessment procedure were shown.

Correlation of Virtual Aids to Navigation to the Physical Environment

Virtual electronic aids to navigation are being introduced into the present short range aids to navigation system in the form of Automated Information System radio-based aids. Research is also underway into the development of their equivalents for use in regions that feature hostile environments, are poorly charted and lack any infrastructure whatsoever to support traditional or radio navigation aids. Such aids are entirely virtual in nature and exist only as a digital data object that resides within an electronic navigation chart for display to mariners through an Electronic Chart Display and Information System. They are at present experimental in nature, and are not intended to replace existing physical or radio-based aids to navigation. Results of research are described in terms of fulfilling traditional navigation aid functions and the development of new functions that are only possible using virtual aids. Their advantages in design and implementation are highlighted, as are their limitations and shortcomings as compared to present methodologies. Notable, however, is the approach used to overcome limitations and shortcomings by considering attributes of the physical environment to ensure their proper location and display of correct characteristics. Such an approach is unique in the modern world, yet it emulates ancient methods of navigation using known landmarks and terrain features.

Estimation of Shallow Water Depth Using HJ-1C S-band SAR Data

This paper presents a shallow water depth estimation methodology using S-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data from the HJ-1C satellite. It is based on the shoaling and refraction of long surface gravity waves as they propagate shoreward. A two-scale Bragg scattering model is used to describe the imaging process of long waves by SAR. By computing the Fast Fourier Transformation (FFT) for the selected sub image, wavelength and direction of the long wave can be retrieved from the two-dimensional (2D) spectra with wave tracking technology. Shallow water depths are then obtained from the linear dispersion relation with the calculated angular wave frequency obtained from other sources or first guesses of initial water depths or wave periods. Applicability and effectiveness are tested in the near-shore area of the Fujian province, China. Comparison between the derived results and water depths from an Electronic Navigational Chart (ENC) indicates that HJ-1C SAR is capable of higher resolution underwater topography detection, and the methodology can be used for shallow water depth estimation with good accuracy. The average absolute error and average relative error of the estimated results is 0·86 m and 11·05%, respectively.

Fusing Multiscale Charts into 3D ENC Systems Based on Underwater Topography and Remote Sensing Image

The purpose of this study is to propose an approach to fuse multiscale charts into three-dimensional (3D) electronic navigational chart (ENC) systems based on underwater topography and remote sensing image. This is the first time that the fusion of multiscale standard ENCs in the 3D ENC system has been studied. First, a view-dependent visualization technology is presented for the determination of the display condition of a chart. Second, a map sheet processing method is described for dealing with the map sheet splice problem. A process order called “3D order” is designed to adapt to the characteristics of the chart. A map sheet clipping process is described to deal with the overlap between the adjacent map sheets. And our strategy for map sheet splice is proposed. Third, the rendering method for ENC objects in the 3D ENC system is introduced. Fourth, our picking-up method for ENC objects is proposed. Finally, we implement the above methods in our system: automotive intelligent chart (AIC) 3D electronic chart display and information systems (ECDIS). And our method can handle the fusion problem well.

Electronic Navigational Chart as an Equivalent to Image Produced by Hypercatadioptric Camera System

Abstract This paper presents a dynamic hyperboloidal mapping model aimed at building image of electronic navigational chart which constitutes an equivalent to that obtained from a hypercatadioptric camera system. In the 1st part, space and three reference frames located in it are defined. These are: the observer frame and horizontal topocentric frame considered secondary (both connected with water-surface platform), and the geocentric frame, primary one. The 2nd part provides description of a way of interconnection between the observer frame and horizontal topocentric one as well as of determination of their location in relation to the geocentric reference frame, depending on course and position of water-surface platform. In the final part is presented a model of panoramic image mapping in the observer reference frame and principles of generating ENC image by using dynamic hyperboloidal mapping. Finally, conclusions indicating possible applications of the developed model are presented.

E-Navigation-supporting data management system for variant S-100-based data

Currently the International Maritime Organization (IMO) is taking the lead in developing e-navigation as an information service framework. E-navigation supports sharing, harmonization and utilization of various marine and marine-related data both shipboard and onshore. Recently, the IMO adopted the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO)'s S-100 as the basis of the Common Maritime Data Structure (CMDS) of e-navigation. Thus, the various data are to be provided to e-navigation services in formats consistent with the S-100 data model. E-navigation services, in order to provide appropriate information to users, utilize and harmonize many kinds of S-100-based data such as Electronic Navigation Chart (ENC) data, bathymetric data, tidal data, meteorology data, radar-image data, and Automatic Identification System (AIS) data. In e-navigation, data management systems dealing with S-100-based data facilitate e-navigation services' harmonization and utilization of the various S-100-based data. In this paper, we present an S-100 data management system that deals with various S-100-based data. We designed the system by generalization of the System ENC (SENC) kernel that manages S-101 ENC data. For development of a data management system that supports the management of various kinds of S-100-based data, we analyzed the characteristics of the S-100 data model and S-100-based data products. The S-100 data management system is designed to store S-100-based feature-oriented geographic data in the form of pairs.

Development of a System for Transmitting a Navigator's Intention for Safe Navigation

For the past three decades, ship-to-ship collision accidents have steadily increased on the coast of South Korea by about 20% annually. Marine accidents have become more likely and more devastating in areas with increasing marine traffic and rising numbers of high-speed ships. Over 30% of the marine accidents in South Korea are concentrated in spring, since Korea's coast is often covered in dense fog at this time of the year. Fog is generated when a large temperature range exists within a day, and this daily temperature range has increased due to abnormal weather conditions. This research proposed a system for transmitting a navigator's intention utilizing electronic methods. A navigator's intention was expressed on the electronic navigation chart for easier understanding of the surrounding situation, and the effectiveness of the system was verified through practical tests.

Web-based Implementation for Marine Casualty Information on Google Map

Safety navigation of vessels is always the most important issue in maritime field. Recently, according to increasing the use of electronic equipment onboard, the requests for safety related information services have been growing up. To support this, International Hydrographic Organization suggests the concept of common maritime data structure. Since 2010, S-100 standard and relative product specifications have been defined as a part of that concept, covering the electronic navigational chart data and safe navigation related data. In this paper, we introduce an empirical application of S-100 standard, applied to marine casualty information. We analyze marine casualty cases reported in Korea for recent four years, make XML documents with schema design and then implement an application to present the marine casualty information on google map.

Generating 3D Depiction for a Future ECDIS Based on Digital Earth

An Electronic Navigational Chart (ENC) is a two-dimensional abstraction and generalisation of the real world and it limits users' ability to obtain more real and rich spatial information of the navigation environment. However, a three-dimensional (3D) chart could dramatically reduce the number of human errors and improve the accuracy and efficiency of manoeuvring. Thus it is important to be able to visualize charts in 3D. This article proposes a new model for future Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (ECDIS) and describes our approach for the construction of web-based multi-resolution future ECDIS implemented in our system Automotive Intelligent Chart (AIC) 3D ECDIS, including multi-resolution riverbed construction technology, multi-layer technology for data fusion, Mercator transformation of the model, rendering and web publishing methods. AIC 3D ECDIS can support global spatial data and 3D visualization, which merges the 2D vector electronic navigational chart with the three-dimensional navigation environment in a unified framework and interface, and is also published on the web to provide application and data service through the network.

Determining Ship Position In A Harbour Based On Omnidirectional Image Of The Coastline

AbstractThe following article presents researches aimed at the evaluation of precision in determining a ship’s position through comparing a omnidirectional map image to a real vision image of the coast line. The first part establishes the thesis and preparatory forms in conducting the research. It also presents designed and built equipment including a research tool software. A system equipped with a spherical catadioptric camera that aids data collection on board ship designated to processing and analyzing data collected on board in connection with the spherical images of an electronic navigational chart with a software module. The second part explains procedures followed in conducting the research. The foreword note explains the procedure in data collection aboard a ship maneuvering in the port after which the algorithm for position placement and precise parametrical count was presented. The concluding part shows analyses of obtained research result. It bears a performance on the evaluation of precision at determining position. As a measure, an average error value and distance fluctuation of obtained position from referential position. As our conclusion, primary agents having rudimentary influence on the quality of correlating spherical map image to coastline visual image were characterized.

Design of a Chart-Based Radar Simulator Augmented with a Multi-Agent Ship Traffic Simulation Platform

This paper presents a radar simulation system developed under a request to deliver a radar and an Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS) for the navigation bridge of a ship maneuvering simulator. It is designed to dynamically generate radar image based on the electronic navigational chart database and sensor information to provide flexibility in navigation area for exercise and maintain consistency with other sensors or systems of the bridge, especially the ECDIS. Since the successful delivery of our study, the radar simulation system has been augmented with a Multi-Agent Ship Traffic (MAST) simulation platform and evolved into a versatile platform for training as well as research and development.

'바다지도' 데이터 입력 모듈 설계 및 구현

본 논문은 '바다지도' 데이터를 이용한 지도 기반의 응용시스템을 위한 '바다지도' 데이터 입력 모듈의 설계 및 구현에 관한 것이다. '바다지도' 데이터 입력 모듈은 응용시스템에서 '바다지도' 데이터를 시스템의 내부 자료 구조 및 형식으로 쉽게 변경하여 사용할 수 있도록 일관된 형식으로 '바다지도' 데이터를 입력하여 제공한다. '바다지도' 데이터 입력 모듈의 설계는 '바다지도' 데이터 특성 분석을 바탕으로 하였다. 국제수로기구의 S-57 전자해도 표준의 데이터 형식과 '바다지도' 데이터의 데이터 형식을 비교 분석하고, 이를 바탕으로 전자해도 표준에 따른 전자해도 데이터의 디스플레이 표준인 S-52 표준의 적용이 가능하도록 '바다지도' 데이터를 위한 자료구조를 정의하였다. 그리고 배포형식의 '바다지도' 데이터 셋을 해도 응용시스템에서 이용할 수 있도록 '바다지도' 데이터를 파싱하여 객체를 중심으로 정의한 자료구조로 변환하는 입력 모듈을 설계하고 구현하였다. 또한 '바다지도' 데이터 입력 모듈의 테스트를 위해 '바다지도' 뷰어를 구현하여, 입력 모듈을 테스트하였다. This paper is about design and implementation of 'SeaMap' importer module which is for map-based application using 'SeaMap' data. 'SeaMap' data importer is a module that reads 'SeaMap' data in consistent form and offers using easily change the format and the internal data structure in the application. Design of data importer module is based on analyzing characteristic of 'SeaMap'. The comparative analysis between the data type of 'SeaMap' and standard S-57 Electronic Navigation Chart (ENC) of the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), based on this, to be applicable of S-52 standards 'SeaMap' data is defined as a structure of data. The importer module is designed and converted to allow to use distribution type of 'SeaMap' data sets in map application, parsing 'SeaMap' data around the object defining transformation data structure. In addition, we implemented a 'SeaMap' data viewer in order to test our 'SeaMap' data importer module.

Design and Development of Information System Template Prototype for Maritime Transportation

This paper details the step-by-step production of a real world scenario and modular template for a marine information system from the theories involved to its design, development, implementation and tests. Data and information from the global positioning system (GPS), digital compass (DC), automatic identification system (AIS) and electronic navigational charts (ENC) were utilized to display map, map data, directional, location and ship related information. The data and other information display orientation remains in legible horizontal manner even if the base map is moving or transforming while several utilities such as serial device connection configuration and data retrieval was written for technical and testing purposes. This work was done to come-up with a template for developing a marine vehicle system that will serve as a reference or basis for future system developmental works. The modular and compartmentalized design of the system makes it very easy to customize for further specific development such as a Marine Vehicle Monitoring System or Marine Navigation System.

S-100 표준 기반 피처 카탈로그 제작지원 시스템의 설계 및 구현

The IHO S-100 is a standard on the universal hydorgraphic data model for supporting information services that integrate various data in maritime and provide proper information for safety of vessels. The S-100 is used to develop S-10x product specifications which are standards on guideline for creation and delivery of specific data set in maritime. The product specification for feature-based data such as ENC(Electronic Navigational Chart) data includes a feature catalogue that describes characteristics of features in that feature-based data. The feature catalogue is developed by domain experts with knowledge on data of the target domain. However, it is not feasible to develop a feature catalogue according to the XML schema by manual. In the IHO TSMAD committee meeting, needs of developing technology on building feature catalogue has been discussed. Therefore, we present a feature catalogue builder that is a GUI(Graphic User Interface) system supporting domain experts to build feature catalogues in XML. The feature catalogue builder is developed to connect with the FCD(Feature Concept Dictionary) register in the IHO(International Hydrographic Organization) GI(Geographic Information) registry. Also, it supports domain experts to select proper feature items based on the relationships between register items.