Standards

Photo courtesy of the International Hydrographic Organization.

The Canadian Hydrographic Service (CHS) follows the standards set out by the International Hydrographic Organization, which include:

What standards does a developer of electronic chart systems have to follow?

According to the Oceans Act, all ships and boats navigating in Canadian waters must carry the most up-to-date CHS nautical charts.

To meet the carriage requirements under the Canada Shipping Act (Charts and Nautical Publications Regulations, 1995), electronic chart display and information systems (ECDIS) must conform to the standards set by the IHO and the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

For a system to be certified as "ECDIS compliant," it must be tested and approved by an independent authority.

If an electronic chart does not use the official electronic navigational charts from a country's national hydrographic office, it is not ECDIS compliant and is called an electronic chart system. This is an important distinction because the Canada Shipping Act has different carriage requirements for electronic chart systems.

The IHO website contains a wealth of information on all aspects of electronic charting. The IMO website contains information on performance standards.

In fact, CHS has adopted and/or established several standards in cooperation with the international hydrographic community to support the global integration of marine information systems, as well as to advance hydrographic expertise and knowledge.

For the conduct of its own hydrographic surveys, CHS has established its Hydrographic Survey Management Guidelines and Standards for Hydrographic Surveys. Both adhere to rigorous international standards.

CHS is also contributing to an international effort to create the S-100 data standard, also called the IHO Universal Hydrographic Data Model. The S-100 will eventually supersede the S-57 data standard. The S-100 extends the functionality of earlier hydrographic data transfer standards. Among other advantages, it allows for the presentation of real-time data, such as changes in tide levels.

Canada is also party to a number of international conventions that have provisions concerning hydrography, navigation systems and nautical charts. These include the International Hydrographic Organization Convention; the International Convention on the Safety of Life At Sea (SOLAS 1974); the International Maritime Organization conventions on pollution at sea and on search and rescue; and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. CHS represents Canada’s hydrographic interests on the bodies that develop and oversee these agreements.