Global Digital Vector Chart Service
News

Global Digital Vector Chart Service

The United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO) has launched the Admiralty Vector Chart Service (AVCS). AVCS will provide the international mariner with an integrated global set of Electronic Navigational Charts (ENCs) schemed in folios along the major shipping routes and covering the world's top ports, with ordering, flexible licensing and updating services.  

The service overcomes the present requirement to carry, maintain and use a mix of ENC, Raster and paper charts drawn from multiple sources. AVCS provides access to all previously available ENCs and exclusive access to a significant number of new ENCs, produced by the UKHO in co-operation with many of the world's Hydrographic offices, to fill gaps in coverage. To improve consistency, in addition to ensuring that newly produced coverage seamlessly sits alongside existing coverage, the UKHO has worked with many Hydrographic Offices to improve overall consistency.

 

AVCS comprises only of official ENCs produced by government Hydrographic Offices and therefore is fully compliant with Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) legislation for use within Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (ECDIS). Maintaining up-to-date ENCs is critical for their compliance and therefore the UKHO is launching the Admiralty Updating Service alongside AVCS which means that chart amendments can in the future be much more easily applied.

 

 

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