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ENC display modes

The IMO has established that the use of ENC (in ECDIS, with the implied extension to generic ECS) should include the option of viewing only specific sets of charted objects.

Since vector charts allow the complete control of what is or is not shown, this policy then could impose a level of consistency and safety. Within this system, all ENC objects fit into one of three display categories: Base, Standard, or Other.

Display Base means the chart content that cannot be removed from the display. It is not intended to be sufficient for safe navigation. Display base to be permanently shown on the chart display, consists of:

1. shoreline objects;
2. own ship’s safety contour;
3. isolated underwater dangers of depths less than the safety contour which lie within the safe waters defined by the safety contour;
4. isolated dangers which lie within the safe water defined by the safety contour, such as fixed structures, overhead wires, etc.;
5. scale, range and north arrow;
6. units of depth and height; and

Standard Display is the display mode intended to be used as a minimum during route planning and route monitoring. It is also specified as the minimum default display on any new installation. Standard display consisting of:

1. display base
2. drying line
3. buoys, beacons, other aids to navigation and fixed structures
4. boundaries of fairways, channels, etc.
5. visual and radar conspicuous features
6. prohibited and restricted areas
7. chart scale boundaries
8. indication of cautionary notes
9. ships' routing systems and ferry routes
10. archipelagic sea lanes.

All the rest of the 300 or so ENC objects are in the generic category Other. (For Starpath students, the specific objects in each of these categories is itemized in Lesson 2 Resources 2.2-5.)

Thus all navigation programs will have the option to turn on just the Base display or just the Standard display, along with some form of an option to turn on a custom selection of objects (Custom display). On top of these settings, most programs allow for overriding some details of these displays, such as hiding soundings or light descriptions, and more.

Programs also can offer their own combinations of objects, such as qtVlm's use of what they call the "Detailed" display, which is the Standard display objects plus selected others. They default to Detailed, which meets the requirements in that it includes all of the Standard objects.




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