United States electronic chart display and information system (ECDIS) test-bed project : system requirements specification

Abstract

In 1989 the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted a provisional performance Standard for ECDIS (MSC/Circ. 515). This standard defines an electronic chart display and information system (ECDIS) that is the legal equivalent of a paper chart, and that fulfills the requirement imposed on all vessels (reg. V /20 of SOLAS 1974) to carry up-to-date nautical charts covering intended voyages. The U.S. Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS) Test-Bed Project responds to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) call to member states to evaluate its Provisional Performance Standards for ECDIS. The central objective of the ECDIS Test-Bed Project is to assemble an experimental ECDIS unit that meets or exceeds the IMO standard, for evaluation on ships at sea. The first part of the project focussed on translating the IMO Provisional Performance Standard into an ECDIS system requirement specification, describing in an engineering context what an ECDIS must do to meet the standard. This task began with a document written by Mr. Mortimer Rogoff, of Digital Directions Co., and was carried to full detail and documentation by Ms. Carolyn K. Ocel and Mr. David J. Scott, of Intergraph Corporation. Their work was reviewed by members of the Consultative Group, the advisory body to our Project. The result of this process is contained in this report. Details of this ECDIS System Requirement Specification (SRS) will no doubt be disputed as ambiguities, inherent contradictions, and the different priorities of various interested parties become manifest. This is an expected part of the standard setting process and we welcome it