The trouble with ECDIS
Part of the problem is that adopting ECDIS requires rewriting of operational and office procedures Last week saw the second "ECDIS Revolution" conference arrive in London presenting another opportunity to chew over the issues surrounding the adoption of digital navigation, a process that begins in earnest in July next year when the first deadline rolls around.The trouble - as many articles here and elsewhere have pointed out - is that ECDIS is many things to many people. It is also some things to some people and different things to others.One of the recurring themes of the conference struck a philosophical note: when was an ECDIS not an ECDIS? When the gyro input failed? When GPS went offline? When you plugged in a flash drive? The answer it seems is "it depends", though at least the event had a degree of levity to sustain it over the two days.Part of the problem is that adopting ECDIS is not like upgrading your satcomms. It involves officers, superintendents, flag states, port states, class societies, equipment suppliers, chart agents, hydrographic offices. It requires rewriting of operational and office procedures, establishment of set standards and interpretations and yes, perhaps even a philosophical mindset.The other problem ...
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