Nautical Charts

The IMPA codes in this group only name the issuing office (British Admiralty, Australian, Japanese, US and others), so the requisition must carry the chart list. List charts by the issuing office and chart number (for example, the national series or the international "INT" number), not by area name, and state that the latest edition is required. For a voyage, give the ports and route so the supplier can check the list for gaps, and say whether charts are wanted folded or flat and whether existing folio numbers should be kept.

Ask for charts corrected up to the date of supply and for the Notice to Mariners week to which they are corrected to be stated, so that the bridge knows where to start its own corrections. If the ship uses a digital correction service, name it so tracings or corrections can be supplied in the same format.^[2]

SOLAS V/9 commits governments to survey waters, issue nautical charts, sailing directions, lists of lights, tide tables and other nautical publications, and promulgate Notices to Mariners so that charts and publications are kept up to date.^[1]

Under SOLAS V/19, all ships irrespective of size must have nautical charts and publications to plan and display the route and to plot and monitor positions; a type-approved ECDIS with ENCs meets the requirement if adequate back-up is provided, which may be paper charts adequate for the voyage or a second ECDIS. SOLAS V/27 requires charts and publications to be adequate and up to date.^[2]

The Liberian flag, for example, requires a folio of paper back-up charts where a raster chart system is used for areas without ENCs, tells its inspectors to check charts and correction procedures, and may stop a ship sailing until inadequate charts or correction arrangements are put right.^[2]