Towards Paperless Vessels: A Master’s Perspective

The transitional period of implementation of the Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS) expired on July 1st, 2018. As for this date onward, vessels of 3000 GT or more subject to the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention and engaged in international voyages, must be fitted with an official ECDIS system. The Convention furthermore requires mandatory possession of navigational equipment as an adequate back-up. In case that independent system is used for this purpose, there is no further obligation for a vessel to possess traditional paper navigational charts and it can be considered as paperless. Beside paper charts, this term also implies digital nautical publications and probably an electronic ship’s log in the foreseeable future. The interpretation of ECDIS differs considering particular rank of an Officer of the Watch (OOW) and its engagement towards the system. The system should be accepted by OOWs as true end-users. The proposed paper elaborates opinions and standpoints of decisive end-users towards the system, its role as a primary navigational means, and the fact that traditional navigation conduct is replaced by digital means. For this purpose a survey between OOWs was conducted focusing on their answers to respective questions. The sample size allowed for the observation of opinions over several years and the definition of the ECDIS acceptance level. Results are presented and discussed together with proposals of new activities which have to be carried out to improve the safety of navigation by the ECDIS system and its further development.