Mediterranean Nautical Charts: Marine Charts for Navigation in the Mediterranean Sea

Introduction

The Mediterranean Sea is one of the world's major sailing and shipping areas. Connected to the Atlantic Ocean through the Strait of Gibraltar, it stretches between Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. Its coastlines, numerous islands and archipelagos offer a wide variety of sailing destinations, from the French and Spanish coasts to Greece, Turkey and the Eastern Mediterranean.

A Mediterranean nautical chart is essential for planning a cruise, an offshore passage, coastal navigation or a harbour approach. It shows water depths, underwater hazards, navigational aids, channels and restricted areas.

Nautic Way Maritime Bookshop offers nautical chart coverage of the different Mediterranean regions, including charts published by SHOM, Admiralty, Imray and NV Charts, suitable for recreational sailors, offshore navigators and maritime professionals.

Main areas covered by Mediterranean nautical charts

The Mediterranean Sea covers an extensive maritime area. When choosing a suitable nautical chart, it is important to distinguish between its different geographical regions.

Western Mediterranean: France, Spain and the Balearic Islands

The Western Mediterranean extends from the Strait of Gibraltar to the Italian coast and the Strait of Sicily.

Nautical charts cover the Spanish coastline from Malaga to Barcelona, the Balearic Islands, the Gulf of Lion and the French Riviera.

In France, the main sailing areas include Port-Vendres, Cap d'Agde, Sète, Marseille, Toulon, the Hyères Islands, Saint-Tropez, Cannes, Antibes, Nice and Menton.

Nautical charts of the Gulf of Lion are particularly useful for planning passages between Marseille, Corsica and the Balearic Islands, taking into account local weather conditions, especially the Mistral and Tramontane winds.

Corsica, Sardinia and the Tyrrhenian Sea

Corsica and Sardinia are two major sailing destinations in the Mediterranean.

Nautical charts of Corsica cover Bastia, Saint-Florent, Calvi, Ajaccio, Propriano, Bonifacio and Porto-Vecchio.

The Strait of Bonifacio, separating Corsica from Sardinia, requires detailed nautical charts because of its islands, shoals, currents and occasionally challenging weather conditions.

Further south, charts of Sardinia cover Olbia, Porto Cervo, the La Maddalena Archipelago, Alghero and Cagliari.

The Tyrrhenian Sea also provides access to the Italian coastline, Elba, Naples, Sicily and the Aeolian Islands.

Adriatic Sea: Italy, Croatia and Montenegro

The Adriatic Sea, located between the Italian Peninsula and the Balkans, is particularly popular for coastal cruising.

Adriatic nautical charts cover Venice, Trieste, Ancona, Bari and Brindisi, as well as the coastlines of Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro and Albania.

The Croatian coastline features a complex geography, with hundreds of islands and numerous channels. Approaches to Pula, Zadar, Split and Dubrovnik require charts suitable for navigation between islands and harbour entrances.

Ionian Sea, Aegean Sea and Eastern Mediterranean

The Eastern Mediterranean includes the Ionian Sea, Aegean Sea and the waters surrounding Cyprus and the Levantine coast.

In Greece, nautical charts cover Corfu, Lefkada, Kefalonia, Zakynthos, the Cyclades, the Dodecanese and Crete.

The ports of Piraeus, Rhodes, Heraklion and Thessaloniki are important destinations in this region.

Navigation in the Aegean Sea requires particular attention to the Etesian winds, especially the Meltemi, which can make certain passages demanding during the summer.

Eastern Mediterranean nautical charts also cover the Turkish coastline, including Bodrum, Marmaris, Fethiye and Antalya, as well as Cyprus, the Egyptian coast and the approaches to the Suez Canal.

What information is shown on a Mediterranean nautical chart?

A nautical chart represents the geographical, hydrographic and navigational features required for safe passage planning.

Depending on its scale, it may show:

• Soundings and depth contours.

• Rocks, reefs, shoals and wrecks.

• Lighthouses, navigation lights, buoys and beacons.

• Navigation channels and harbour approaches.

• Anchorage areas and sheltered locations.

• Submarine cables and pipelines.

• Military areas and restricted waters.

• Traffic separation schemes.

• Information relevant to coastal and offshore navigation.

The Mediterranean has several distinctive hydrographic characteristics. Tidal ranges are generally smaller than those along the Atlantic coast, although they can be significant in certain areas, particularly the northern Adriatic.

Regional winds, currents and local weather phenomena must also be considered when planning a passage.

Major publishers of Mediterranean nautical charts

Several hydrographic offices and chart publishers provide cartographic coverage suitable for Mediterranean navigation.

SHOM: official French nautical charts

The French Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service (SHOM) produces France's official nautical charts.

Its catalogue includes charts covering the Gulf of Lion, Provence, the French Riviera, Corsica and numerous other Mediterranean areas.

SHOM charts are available at different scales, including flat paper charts, folded charts and digital nautical charts.

Admiralty: international nautical chart coverage

Admiralty charts, published by the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO), cover the main Mediterranean shipping routes.

They are widely used for commercial navigation, international passages, harbour approaches and offshore navigation.

The Admiralty catalogue includes general, coastal and harbour charts at various scales.

Imray: nautical charts for recreational sailing

Imray offers a range of nautical charts particularly suited to sailing yachts and recreational navigation.

Its Mediterranean catalogue covers the Balearic Islands, Corsica, Sardinia, the Spanish, French and Italian coastlines, the Adriatic Sea and the Greek Islands.

Certain references cover specific areas, such as Imray M3 for the Balearic Islands, M6 for Corsica and M7 for the Strait of Bonifacio.

NV Charts and other publishers

NV Charts also offers nautical charts designed for recreational sailing, with geographical coverage and formats suitable for different navigation systems.

The Spanish, Italian, Greek and Turkish hydrographic offices also produce official nautical charts covering their respective waters.

Paper or digital nautical charts for the Mediterranean?

Paper nautical charts provide an overview of a large sailing area, allow sailors to plot routes and help plan the different stages of a cruise. They also provide a navigation reference independent of electronic equipment.

Digital nautical charts are used with navigation software, compatible chartplotters and ECDIS systems.

Raster charts reproduce the appearance of traditional paper charts, while vector charts allow users to access individual cartographic objects and, depending on the equipment, configure certain navigation alerts.

Navionics and C-MAP charting systems are also widely used on recreational GPS chartplotters, provided that the chart format is compatible with the equipment concerned.

How to choose the right nautical chart scale

The appropriate chart scale depends on the planned voyage.

A general Mediterranean chart is suitable for planning a passage between Marseille and Greece or between Gibraltar and Sicily.

A coastal chart is better suited to navigation between Toulon and Saint-Tropez, around Corsica or along the Croatian coastline.

Detailed nautical charts and harbour plans provide the information required to study approaches to Marseille, Bonifacio, Palma de Mallorca, Naples or Athens.

For a cruise involving several ports of call, charts at different scales are generally necessary.

Conclusion

A Mediterranean nautical chart is an essential navigation resource for planning passages between the French, Spanish, Italian, Greek, Turkish and North African coastlines.

From the Gulf of Lion to the Balearic Islands, from Corsica to Sardinia, and from the Adriatic Sea to the Aegean Sea, each region has its own geographical and navigational characteristics.

SHOM, Admiralty, Imray and NV Charts provide complementary nautical chart coverage for these different sailing areas. The choice depends primarily on the intended route, required scale, preferred format and type of vessel.

Whatever the destination, sailors should use up-to-date nautical charts and supplement them with weather forecasts, notices to mariners and the maritime regulations applicable to their sailing area.

FAQ – Mediterranean Nautical Charts

Which nautical chart should I choose for sailing in the Mediterranean?

The choice depends on the geographical area, chart scale and type of navigation. SHOM charts cover the French Mediterranean coastline and Corsica, while Admiralty and Imray offer extensive coverage of the Western and Eastern Mediterranean.

Which nautical chart should I use for sailing around Corsica?

SHOM and Imray charts cover the main coastal areas of Corsica, including Bastia, Calvi, Ajaccio, Bonifacio and Porto-Vecchio. Detailed charts are particularly important for navigating the Strait of Bonifacio and approaching the Lavezzi Islands.

Which nautical chart should I use for the Balearic Islands?

Charts covering Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza, Formentera and Cabrera are suitable for planning cruises between the islands. Imray offers the M3 chart, which covers the Balearic Islands.

Which nautical chart is suitable for crossing the Mediterranean?

An offshore Mediterranean passage requires a general nautical chart covering the entire planned route, supplemented by coastal charts and harbour plans for stopovers and approaches.

Which nautical chart should I use for sailing in Greece?

Charts covering the Ionian Sea, Aegean Sea, Cyclades, Dodecanese and Crete are suitable for planning the main sailing routes in Greek waters. The appropriate chart depends on the islands visited and the intended itinerary.

What is the difference between SHOM and Imray nautical charts?

SHOM produces official French hydrographic charts. Imray offers nautical charts primarily designed for recreational sailing, with regional coverage and, depending on the reference, detailed harbour and anchorage plans.

What scale should I choose for a Mediterranean nautical chart?

A small-scale chart is suitable for planning offshore passages and viewing large geographical areas. A large-scale chart provides more detail for coastal navigation, passages between islands and harbour approaches.

Do Mediterranean nautical charts show anchorage areas?

Depending on their scale, nautical charts show anchorage areas, water depths, seabed characteristics and possible restrictions. However, local regulations should always be checked, particularly in marine protected areas and locations subject to anchoring restrictions.