Clarification, Systematization and General Classification of Electronic Chart Systems and Electronic Navigational Charts Used in Marine Navigation. Part 1 - Electronic Chart Systems

In the paper, the author attempts to isolate, clarify, systematize, and classify various types, models and kinds of electronic chart systems, operating nowadays on the shipping market, which are a perfect example of the use of GIS (Geographic Information System) technology in widely comprehended maritime and inland waterway applications, in particular tries to promote internationally standardized system ECDIS (Electronic Chart Display and Information System), its RCDS mode (Raster Chart Display System), as well as Warship ECDIS (WECDIS), and Inland ECDIS (I-ECDIS). In the paper the author presents the general classification of electronic chart systems taking into consideration the following criteria: international standards, certification by classification society, used data base, updating system and certification by maritime administration.