Electronic hydrographic data in chart plotters and navigation programs

All data concerning Finnish sea areas and inland waterways displayed in chart plotters and navigation programs is, in one way or another, based on the Finnish Transport and Communication Agency Traficom’s hydrographic data. The data in the chart plotters and navigation programs may have been digitised from Finnish paper nautical charts or be based on Traficom’s digital hydrographic data in raster or vector format.

These unofficial systems are commonly referred to as Electronic Chart Systems (ECS).

It is up to the manufacturers to decide to what extent they will update the displayed data and follow Traficom’s schedule for official nautical chart updates.

Traficom has not checked whether the data in the ECS systems is correct or updated. These systems do not meet the requirements of the International Maritime Organisation IMO’s performance standards for official electronic chart display and information systems (ECDIS). This is why navigation using these systems must always be based on official paper charts. 

Below, there is a list of the manufacturers to whom Traficom submits digital hydrographic data. Other manufacturers’ data is based on material that the manufacturer has digitised from paper charts.

In this context, quality-assured S-57 refers to continuously updated vector material equivalent to the ENC data that can be downloaded from the Traficom’s download service.

The ECS systems display depth data of waterways, the depths of which have not been measured by the Traficom or its predecessors. This data is based on the Finnish Environment Institute’s depth data, which is not for navigational purposes.

19.8.2021