Revision of IHO Chart Specifications S-4
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Revision of IHO Chart Specifications S-4

IHO (Monaco) has published an updated revision of S-4 (Edition 4.3.0), Regulations of the IHO for International (INT) Charts and Chart Specifications. The English version is available on the IHO website at the link below. French and Spanish versions will be published in due course.

The update includes CSPCWG proposals for new and revised specifications and one new symbol. Other clarifications that have been included in the new edition as follows (and listed in the appropriate  ‘Record of Updates’): the advice not to print plans on the reverse side of charts; a paragraph approved by HSSC clarifying the primary purpose of nautical charts; a note explaining that the lack of a space between figures and abbreviations for units, e.g. 5m not 5 m, is an exception to ISO standard 80,000. Doing so, S-4 is consistent with charting practice, where such spaces would be inappropriate.

‘GPS’ has been replaced by the more generic ‘GNSS’, where appropriate and on charting obstructions with appropriate legends to indicate the characteristics of the submerged obstruction, where known, e.g. ‘ODAS’, ‘Diffuser’.

An advice about not charting small data-recording stations on the sea floor has been added. This new edition of the English version of S-4 supersedes edition 4.2.0 which was published in August 2011 (see reference C).

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