Digital Nautical Charts Catalogue – Nautic Way Maritime Bookshop

Introduction

The digital nautical charts catalogue of Nautic Way Maritime Bookshop brings together the main electronic charting solutions designed for coastal, offshore and ocean navigation. A digital nautical chart can be displayed on a GPS chartplotter, navigation software, onboard computer or ECDIS system, providing essential information for route planning and monitoring.

Digital cartography exists in several forms. Raster charts reproduce the image of a paper nautical chart in digital form, while vector ENC charts consist of structured cartographic data that allows dynamic display. Other solutions, such as Navionics, C-MAP and NV Charts, are specifically designed for compatible chartplotters and navigation software.

The catalogue includes Shom, Admiralty, Navionics, C-MAP, NV Charts, PRIMAR ENC, LiveChart, SnMap and various solutions designed for navigation software. The choice therefore depends both on the navigation area and on the equipment or software being used.

What is a digital nautical chart?

A digital nautical chart is an electronic representation of a maritime area used to plan, visualize and monitor navigation.

Depending on the technology, it may display:

• coastlines and islands;

• depths and soundings;

• depth contours;

• shoals and hazards;

• wrecks;

• buoys and navigational marks;

• lighthouses and lights;

• channels;

• regulated areas;

• submarine cables and pipelines;

• ports and anchorages;

• information required for route planning.

The digital chart is displayed through compatible equipment. Depending on the product, this may be a marine chartplotter, GPS, computer, navigation software or ECDIS system.

The first selection criterion is therefore always compatibility between the digital chart and the navigation system.

Raster and vector nautical charts

Two main technologies are used in electronic cartography: raster and vector.

A raster nautical chart is a georeferenced digital image of an existing chart. It therefore retains the general appearance of a paper nautical chart while allowing it to be displayed on a screen. Shom provides digital nautical charts in GeoTIFF format, while Admiralty ranges also include raster solutions.

A vector nautical chart works differently. It consists of individual cartographic objects: soundings, buoys, wrecks, coastlines, regulated areas, lights, channels and other features. The software can manage these elements individually and adapt their display.

Official ENC charts use standards such as S-57. Shom organizes its ENC products according to different scale levels, ranging from overview charts to berthing charts, with specific categories for general, coastal, approach and harbour navigation.

S-57 and S-63 ENC charts

ENC – Electronic Navigational Charts are a specific category of digital vector nautical charts.

The S-57 standard defines the structure of the cartographic data. S-63 is used for the protection, encryption and licensing of commercial ENC data.

These charts are mainly used with ECDIS – Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems, particularly in professional navigation.

An ENC may contain depths, soundings, buoys, wrecks, submarine cables, regulated areas, channels and other cartographic objects. The navigation system can display this information according to the selected scale and settings.

Shom ENC data is distributed in S-57 format protected by S-63 through PRIMAR. Licences may be associated with a specific update period and user system.

This type of cartography is particularly suitable for commercial vessels, shipping companies, maritime administrations and users operating an ECDIS or compatible navigation software.

Shom digital nautical charts

Shom – Service hydrographique et océanographique de la Marine provides several families of digital cartography.

Shom charts cover the English Channel, Iroise Sea, French Atlantic coast, Bay of Biscay, Mediterranean Sea and numerous French overseas territories.

Digital Shom cartography may cover areas such as Brest, Cherbourg, Le Havre, Saint-Malo, La Rochelle, Lorient, Marseille, Toulon, Ajaccio, Bastia and Nice.

For official vector charts, data is organized into ENC cells corresponding to different scales and levels of detail. A harbour cell designed for the approach to Marseille or Nice therefore does not serve the same purpose as a cell covering a large coastal or oceanic area.

Shom also provides digital raster nautical charts, including GeoTIFF formats corresponding to georeferenced images of nautical charts.

Admiralty and international digital cartography

Admiralty solutions are an important reference for international maritime cartography.

They provide coverage for numerous regions, including the English Channel, North Sea, Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, Caribbean, Red Sea, Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean.

International navigation can therefore use different digital charting solutions depending on the areas crossed: the English Channel around Cherbourg and Dover, the North Sea around Rotterdam, the Atlantic towards Lisbon or the Azores, the Mediterranean around Gibraltar, Palma or Valletta, and then the Caribbean or Indian Ocean.

For professional systems, official ENC charts make it possible to work with data originating from the hydrographic offices responsible for the different areas.

Navionics and C-MAP for chartplotters

Navionics and C-MAP digital cartography solutions are primarily designed for sailors using compatible GPS chartplotters and navigation systems.

The Nautic Way digital catalogue includes several C-MAP families, including C-MAP 4D, Discover, Max and Reveal, as well as Navionics+ and Platinum+. Formats and coverage areas vary according to the product and equipment being used.

These charting solutions are widely used for recreational boating, coastal cruising, fishing and offshore navigation.

Depending on the system, charts may be supplied on SD or microSD cards. Exact compatibility should always be checked against the chartplotter model.

NV Charts and other digital solutions

NV Charts also provides digital cartography associated with its coverage areas.

Its digital charts cover regions including Europe, the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, the Bahamas and parts of North America. They can be used for coastal and cruising navigation in areas such as the Baltic Sea, North Sea, Mediterranean and Caribbean.

Other digital solutions are designed for specialist navigation software. The catalogue includes LiveChart for SeaPro, SnMap for ScanNav and C-MAP or SnMap cartography designed for Adrena.

The choice of a digital nautical chart must therefore take into account not only the geographical area, but also the software or navigation system on which it will be used.

Digital charts for the Atlantic and English Channel

The English Channel and Atlantic coast provide a good example of the diversity of electronic charting requirements.

Navigation between Dunkirk, Calais, Dieppe, Le Havre, Cherbourg and Saint-Malo requires detailed coastal charting, particularly because of maritime traffic, tidal currents, channels and numerous coastal hazards.

In the Iroise Sea, around Brest, Ouessant and the Brittany coast, a high level of detail becomes particularly important for approaches and passages between islands.

Along the French Atlantic coast, requirements may include Lorient, Concarneau, La Rochelle, Royan, Arcachon, Bayonne and Saint-Jean-de-Luz, before moving towards more general chart coverage for navigation towards Spain, Portugal, Madeira or the Azores.

Digital charts for the Mediterranean

The Mediterranean is also extensively covered by the main digital charting solutions.

Mariners can plan routes around Marseille, Toulon, Cannes, Nice, Ajaccio, Bastia or Bonifacio, and then continue towards Sardinia, Sicily, Italy, Croatia or Greece.

The Adriatic Sea, Ionian Sea and Aegean Sea also require charting adapted to the different navigation scales.

For a long Mediterranean cruise, it may be necessary to combine general coverage with higher levels of detail for approaches and harbours.

Digital charts for the Caribbean and oceans

Digital nautical charts also cover major tropical and ocean navigation areas.

In the Caribbean, they may cover Martinique, Guadeloupe, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, Grenada, Antigua, Saint Martin, the Virgin Islands and the Bahamas.

For an Atlantic crossing from the Canary Islands or Cape Verde to the Caribbean, the navigator needs chart coverage suitable for the entire route.

The same principle applies to major voyages in the Red Sea, Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean. A circumnavigation may require several publishers and several digital charting technologies depending on the regions crossed.

How to choose a digital nautical chart

Digital chart selection should follow a precise method:

• Identify the equipment being used: chartplotter, GPS, computer, navigation software or ECDIS.

• Identify the manufacturer of the system and its generation.

• Determine the compatible format for the equipment.

• Define the geographical area: France, Mediterranean, Atlantic, Caribbean, Pacific, etc.

• Determine the required level of detail: ocean, general, coastal, approach or harbour.

• Choose the charting technology: raster, vector ENC or proprietary charting.

• Check the update procedure.

• For professional ENC charts, check licensing requirements, including the user system and validity period.

• Check complete route coverage, particularly approaches and ports of call.

This method helps avoid a common mistake: selecting cartography that covers the desired geographical area but is incompatible with the onboard equipment.

Digital charts and navigation scale

As with paper charts, the level of detail available on a digital chart depends on the scale and the underlying data.

A chart covering a large ocean area does not necessarily contain the same level of detail as a cell or chart designed for harbour approach.

In an ENC system, several cells may therefore be required to cover an entire route. One cell may cover a general area, another a coastal area and another a detailed harbour approach.

Zooming the screen does not create new cartographic data. It is therefore essential to have the charts or cells corresponding to the actual level of detail required.

Digital charts and navigation safety

Electronic cartography greatly facilitates route planning and monitoring, but its use must remain consistent with fundamental navigation principles.

The precision displayed on a screen does not eliminate the need to verify position, depth, hazards, navigational information and the currency of the available data.

For professional navigation using ECDIS, official ENC charts and their updates are subject to specific requirements. For recreational navigation, chartplotter and navigation software cartography constitutes an electronic navigation tool whose functionality depends on the system being used.

Digital cartography should therefore be regarded as one element of an overall navigation system rather than simply as an electronic image.

Conclusion

The digital nautical charts catalogue of Nautic Way Maritime Bookshop brings together solutions for many different uses: recreational boating, cruising, fishing, offshore navigation, professional navigation and major ocean crossings.

Shom, Admiralty, PRIMAR ENC, Navionics, C-MAP, NV Charts, LiveChart and SnMap meet different requirements depending on geographical area, technology and navigation system.

When choosing a digital nautical chart, four criteria are essential: the navigation area, the system being used, the chart format and the required level of detail. Compatibility, geographical coverage and update procedures should then be checked.

Digital cartography can therefore cover the English Channel and French coastline as well as the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Indian Ocean and Pacific, while adapting to different navigation scales, from harbour approaches to major ocean crossings.

FAQ – Digital Nautical Charts

What is a digital nautical chart?

A digital nautical chart is an electronic representation of a maritime area designed to be displayed on a chartplotter, computer, navigation software or ECDIS system.

What is the difference between a raster and a vector chart?

A raster chart is a georeferenced digital image of a nautical chart. A vector chart consists of structured cartographic objects that the software can display, query and manage individually.

What is an ENC chart?

An ENC, or Electronic Navigational Chart, is an official electronic vector nautical chart. ENCs are particularly used with ECDIS systems in professional navigation.

What is the difference between S-57 and S-63?

S-57 defines the structure of vector cartographic data used for ENC charts. S-63 concerns the protection, encryption and licensing of this data.

What is an ECDIS?

ECDIS stands for Electronic Chart Display and Information System. It is an electronic navigation system designed, among other purposes, to use ENC charts in professional navigation.

Which digital nautical charts are compatible with a GPS chartplotter?

This depends on the manufacturer and model of the chartplotter. Solutions such as Navionics, C-MAP and certain NV Charts products are available for different systems, but compatibility must always be checked before use.

Which digital charts are available for France?

France is covered by several Shom digital cartography solutions, in different forms depending on the intended use, including raster charts, ENC vector data and solutions designed for various navigation systems.

Which digital chart should I use in the Mediterranean?

The Mediterranean is covered by Shom, Admiralty, Navionics, C-MAP, NV Charts and other digital charting solutions, depending on the geographical area, equipment and software being used.

Are digital nautical charts available for the Caribbean?

Yes. Major digital charting solutions cover the Caribbean, including the West Indies, Bahamas, Virgin Islands and many other areas.

Can a digital chart replace a paper nautical chart?

This depends on the type of navigation and system being used. In professional navigation, official ENC charts used on an approved ECDIS meet specific requirements. For other forms of navigation, digital charts should be used according to the characteristics and limitations of the relevant system.

Are digital nautical charts updated?

Yes, depending on the product. Update procedures vary according to the publisher, technology and licence. ENC charts in particular have update mechanisms associated with their distribution.

Does zooming provide more detail on a digital nautical chart?

No. Zooming enlarges the data already available but does not create new cartographic information. To obtain a higher level of detail, the appropriate chart or ENC cell for that scale must be available.

Which digital nautical chart should I choose for an Atlantic crossing?

Choose chart coverage that covers the entire route from departure to arrival, and check that coastal areas, approaches and ports of call also have the required level of detail.

Which digital charts should I choose for a round-the-world voyage?

A circumnavigation generally requires several coverage areas and may combine several publishers or hydrographic offices. Selection should be carried out stage by stage for the Atlantic, Mediterranean, Red Sea, Indian Ocean, Pacific and the various coastal areas crossed.