Baltic Sea Nautical Charts: Marine Charts for Sailing in Northern Europe

Introduction

The Baltic Sea is one of Northern Europe’s major sailing and shipping areas. Located between Scandinavia and continental Europe, it borders nine countries: Denmark, Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Russia, Finland and Sweden. It connects with the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean through the Danish Straits, the Kattegat and the Skagerrak.

A Baltic Sea nautical chart is used to plan a cruise, an international passage, coastal navigation or a harbour approach. This semi-enclosed sea has distinctive characteristics: numerous archipelagos, thousands of islands, relatively shallow waters in many areas, narrow channels and significant commercial maritime traffic.

Nautic Way Maritime Bookshop provides chart coverage for the different regions of the Baltic Sea, including Admiralty, SHOM, NV Charts and charts produced by national hydrographic authorities. These charts meet the needs of recreational sailors, offshore navigators and maritime professionals.

Main areas covered by Baltic Sea nautical charts

Western Baltic: Germany, Denmark and Sweden

The western Baltic includes the German coastline, the Danish islands and southern Sweden.

Nautical charts cover areas including Kiel, Lübeck, Rostock, Warnemünde, Copenhagen, Malmö and the islands of Rügen, Fehmarn and Bornholm.

This region is an important route between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea. The Øresund, Great Belt and Little Belt provide access to the Kattegat and then the Skagerrak.

Detailed nautical charts are particularly important when navigating these passages, which are characterised by heavy commercial traffic, marked channels and areas of shallow water.

The island of Bornholm, located between Denmark, Sweden and Poland, is also an important stopover for sailors crossing the western Baltic.

Central Baltic: Poland, Lithuania and Latvia

The central Baltic includes the Polish coastline and the Baltic States.

Polish nautical charts allow sailors to plan approaches to Świnoujście, Szczecin, Kołobrzeg, Gdynia and Gdańsk.

Further east, charts cover Klaipėda in Lithuania, Liepāja and Ventspils in Latvia, as well as the Gulf of Riga.

The coastline features long beaches, lagoons, sandbanks and several major commercial ports. Approaches to Gdańsk and Klaipėda require appropriate charting, particularly for channels and port infrastructure.

Northern Baltic: Sweden and the Gulf of Bothnia

The northern Baltic includes the eastern coast of Sweden and the Gulf of Bothnia, located between Sweden and Finland.

Charts cover areas including Stockholm, Norrköping, Gävle, Sundsvall, Umeå and Luleå.

The Stockholm Archipelago is one of the Baltic’s most distinctive sailing areas. Its thousands of islands, channels and numerous anchorages require detailed nautical charts.

Further north, the Gulf of Bothnia has specific navigational conditions, particularly because of shallow waters in some areas and seasonal ice.

Gulf of Finland and Estonian coast

The Gulf of Finland forms the eastern part of the Baltic Sea. It separates Finland from Estonia and extends towards Saint Petersburg.

Nautical charts cover Helsinki, Tallinn, Kotka, Hanko and the approaches to the region’s main ports.

The Finnish coastline features extensive archipelagos, particularly around Turku and Helsinki. Navigating between the islands requires large-scale charts showing channels, rocks and isolated hazards.

The Åland Islands, located between Sweden and Finland, are also an important destination for recreational sailing.

What information is shown on a Baltic Sea nautical chart?

A Baltic nautical chart provides the hydrographic and geographical information required for navigation planning.

Depending on its scale, it can identify:

• Soundings and depth contours.

• Rocks, reefs, shoals and wrecks.

• Lighthouses, lights, buoys and beacons.

• Channels and passages between islands.

• Harbours, marinas and anchorage areas.

• Submarine cables and pipelines.

• Restricted areas and marine protected areas.

• Traffic separation schemes.

• Obstacles and isolated navigational hazards.

Accurate charting is particularly important in the Swedish and Finnish archipelagos, where numerous submerged rocks and shoals can represent hazards to navigation.

Particular features of navigation in the Baltic Sea

The Baltic Sea is characterised by low salinity, generally limited tidal ranges and highly variable weather conditions.

Unlike the Atlantic Ocean, changes in sea level are mainly influenced by wind, atmospheric pressure and water exchange with the North Sea.

In some areas, weather-related changes in water level can be significant, particularly in the Gulf of Finland and Gulf of Bothnia.

During winter, parts of the Baltic Sea can become covered by ice. Conditions are particularly demanding in the Gulf of Bothnia and certain areas of the Gulf of Finland.

Nautical charts should therefore be complemented by weather information, Notices to Mariners and, where necessary, ice reports and forecasts.

Major publishers of Baltic Sea nautical charts

Admiralty: international nautical chart coverage

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

Its catalogue includes general, coastal and harbour charts covering the Danish Straits, the German coastline, Sweden, Finland and the Baltic States.

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

NV Charts: nautical charts for recreational sailing

NV Charts offers extensive coverage of the Baltic Sea.

Its nautical atlases cover the German coastline, the Danish islands, Bornholm, southern Sweden, Poland and the Baltic States.

The various NV Charts Baltic series include general charts, coastal charts and detailed harbour and anchorage plans. They are designed in particular for sailing yachts and recreational boats.

National hydrographic authorities

Several hydrographic authorities produce official nautical charts for their respective territorial waters.

Major organisations include the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) in Germany, the Swedish Maritime Administration, the Danish Geodata Agency and the Finnish hydrographic authorities.

The Polish, Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian hydrographic authorities also produce charts covering their respective waters.

These organisations participate in the Baltic Sea Hydrographic Commission, which coordinates hydrographic activities and contributes to the harmonisation of hydrographic data and charting.

SHOM and general chart coverage

SHOM also provides general charts covering the Baltic Sea and its main approaches.

These charts can be used to prepare offshore passages and routes connecting the Baltic Sea with the North Sea.

Paper or digital nautical charts for sailing in the Baltic Sea?

A paper nautical chart allows sailors to plan a route, plot a course and visualise the different stages of a cruise.

It also provides a navigation reference independent of electronic equipment.

Digital nautical charts can be used with navigation software, GPS chartplotters and compatible ECDIS systems.

Raster charts reproduce the appearance of paper charts, while vector charts allow users to interrogate 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.

How to choose the right Baltic Sea nautical chart scale

The appropriate scale depends on the planned voyage.

A general chart can be used to plan a passage between Kiel and Stockholm or between Copenhagen and Helsinki.

A coastal chart is better suited to a cruise around Bornholm, along the Polish coast or in the Gulf of Finland.

Detailed charts and harbour plans allow sailors to study approaches to Stockholm, Helsinki, Tallinn, Gdańsk or Copenhagen.

When navigating in the Swedish and Finnish archipelagos, several large-scale charts may be required to accurately represent channels, shoals and passages between islands.

Conclusion

A Baltic Sea nautical chart is an essential resource for planning navigation between Scandinavia, Germany, Poland and the Baltic States.

From the Danish Straits to the Gulf of Finland, from Bornholm to Stockholm and from the Åland Islands to the Gulf of Bothnia, each area has its own geographical and navigational characteristics.

Admiralty, NV Charts, SHOM and the national hydrographic authorities provide complementary chart coverage suitable for coastal navigation, offshore passages and harbour approaches.

The choice of chart depends primarily on the sailing area, required scale and preferred format. Up-to-date nautical charts, supplemented by weather forecasts and local navigational information, remain essential for planning a voyage in the Baltic Sea.

FAQ – Baltic Sea Nautical Charts

Which nautical chart should I choose for sailing in the Baltic Sea?

The choice depends on the geographical area and required scale. Admiralty provides international coverage, NV Charts offers nautical atlases particularly suited to recreational sailing, while national hydrographic authorities produce official charts for their respective waters.

Which nautical chart should I use for sailing in Sweden?

Official Swedish nautical charts and NV Charts atlases cover different areas of the Swedish coastline. Detailed charting is particularly important in the Stockholm Archipelago, where there are numerous islands, channels and shoals.

Which nautical chart should I use for sailing in Denmark?

Charts covering the Danish Straits, the Øresund, Great Belt, Little Belt and Bornholm allow sailors to plan the main routes between the Baltic Sea and the Kattegat. Admiralty, NV Charts and official Danish charts provide different types of coverage for this region.

Which nautical chart should I use for the Åland Islands?

The Åland Islands require detailed charts showing passages between islands, rocks, marked channels and anchorage areas. Official Finnish and Swedish charts cover this region.

Which nautical chart should I use to cross the Baltic Sea between Germany and Sweden?

A passage between Kiel and Stockholm or between Rostock and southern Sweden requires a chart covering the entire route, supplemented by detailed charts for coastal and harbour approaches.

What is the difference between an Admiralty chart and an NV Charts atlas?

Admiralty publishes official hydrographic charts designed for different types of navigation. NV Charts produces nautical atlases specifically designed for recreational sailing, combining several charts at different scales with harbour and anchorage plans.

What scale should I choose for a Baltic Sea nautical chart?

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

Do Baltic Sea nautical charts show anchorage areas?

Depending on their scale, nautical charts show anchorage areas, water depths, seabed characteristics and certain restrictions. Local regulations should nevertheless be checked, particularly in nature reserves and marine protected areas.