Implementation of ECDIS systems:

ECDIS carriage requirements
The draft amendment to SOLAS regulation V/19 would require ships engaged on international voyages to be fitted with ECDIS according to the following timetable (the dates in square brackets were agreed in principle (i.e. they could change) by the Sub-Committee):

•passenger ships of 500 gross tonnage and upwards constructed on or after a proposed date of [1 July 2012];

•tankers of 3,000 gross tonnage and upwards constructed on or after a proposed date of [1 July 2012]; cargo ships, other than tankers, of 10,000 gross tonnage and upwards constructed on or after a proposed date of [1 July 2013];

•cargo ships, other than tankers, of 3,000 gross tonnage and upwards but less than 10,000 gross tonnage constructed on or after a proposed date of [1 July 2014];

•passenger ships of 500 gross tonnage and upwards constructed before [1 July 2012], not later than the first survey on or after a proposed date of [1 July 2014];

•tankers of 3,000 gross tonnage and upwards constructed before [1 July 2012], not later than the first survey on or after a proposed date of [1 July 2015];

•cargo ships, other than tankers, of 50,000 gross tonnage and upwards constructed before [1 July 2013], not later than the first survey on or after a proposed date of [1 July 2016];

•cargo ships, other than tankers, of 20,000 gross tonnage and upwards but less than 50,000 gross tonnage constructed before [1 July 2013], not later than the first survey on or after a proposed date of [1 July 2017];

•cargo ships, other than tankers, of 10,000 gross tonnage and upwards but less than 20,000 gross tonnage constructed before [1 July 2013], not later than the first survey on or after a proposed date of [1 July 2018].
The Sub-Committee also agreed on an amendment of existing regulation V/19.2.1.4 to reflect that ECDIS is an acceptable alternative to nautical charts and nautical publications, yet retaining the proviso that in a number of cases (for example ships not on international voyages, ships exempt from the carriage requirements because they were to be taken out of service permanently and cargo ships on international voyages but below the agreed tonnage limit), it could be appropriate to use only nautical charts and nautical publications.

For more information contact sales.gai@L-3com.com.