NV Charts Nautical Charts for the Mediterranean, Black Sea and Sea of Marmara: Precision Expertise for Sailing from the Strait of Gibraltar to the Bosphorus

When meticulously planning a voyage, whether for a summer cruise along the French Riviera, exploring the Greek islands or discovering the rugged coastline of the Black Sea, the chart table is the operational centre where safety and efficiency are planned with absolute precision. The Mediterranean basin, including the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea, is one of the most diverse and demanding sailing areas in the world, combining strong thermal winds, steep terrain and strategically important maritime passages. Choosing a chart suited to your type of sailing is an essential safety requirement for managing busy approaches and rocky shallow-water areas.

Nautic Way Maritime Bookshop, an authorised NV Charts agent, offers the publisher's complete catalogue, specifically designed for leisure sailing. With a range covering the entire basin — from Spain to Turkey, via France, Italy, Croatia and Greece — NV Charts folios provide sailors with excellent readability and detailed information to plan and safely manage every port of call.

What are NV Charts nautical charts for the Mediterranean used for?

The value of an NV Charts chart lies in its ability to combine complex hydrographic data in an intuitive folio format, turning your navigation documents into a genuine strategic decision-support tool.

Practical uses and real-world situations

• Planning complex routes: Thanks to the different scales provided within the same folio, sailors can plan their route from offshore areas through to the final approach to a harbour, such as the entrance to the Bay of Naples (IT 2) or the approach to Corfu (GR 1).

• Discovering anchorages and coastal navigation: These charts are designed to help sailors discover excellent anchorages, often overlooked by global digital navigation systems, while providing detailed knowledge of the seabed.

• Safer navigation in high-traffic areas: In the Mediterranean, accurately identifying aids to navigation and isolated dangers is vital. NV Charts' colour-coded visual references and scale tabs make it easier to read the chart quickly under pressure during challenging approaches.

Added value compared with digital-only navigation

Although chartplotters are now ubiquitous, the paper version remains the ultimate backup system. NV Charts offers a distinctive hybrid approach: for the price of a paper chart, you receive a complete package including the bound paper booklet, a downloadable digital version and a dedicated application. This redundancy ensures that, even in the event of an electrical failure — a significant concern in marine environments — you still have a reliable means of determining your vessel's position.

What type of sailor are these charts recommended for?

Nautic Way offers solutions for all types of sailors, ensuring that each crew has the right tool for its needs and level of experience.

• Beginner sailors: They will appreciate the clear information, simplified symbols and ease of use of the precisely bound folios.

• Skippers and experienced sailors: For whom cartographic accuracy based on official data is an essential requirement for safe offshore passages between the Balearic Islands and Sicily.

• Tech-savvy users: The paper + digital package allows the charts to be installed on up to 5 devices (PC, Mac, tablet and smartphone). The included NV Charts Navigator Light software allows navigation data to be synchronised every 15 minutes.

• Day and night navigation: The excellent readability of the folios allows quick interpretation of lights and signals, which is essential for night passages in the Aegean or Adriatic Seas.

Reading and understanding NV Charts

NV Charts' success is based on an ergonomic graphic layout designed for immediate interpretation of the key features of maritime areas.

Scales and folio format

NV Charts is distinctive in offering its charts in folio format (bound booklet), combining several charts at different scales for the same sailing area:

• FR series (France): From Cabo Creus to Toulon (FR 9), from Toulon to Menton (FR 10), and Corsica (FR 11).

• IT series (Italy): Covering Menton to Elba (IT 1), Elba to Naples (IT 2), and Sardinia (IT 3 and IT 4).

• ES series (Spain): Including the Balearic Islands (ES 2) and the coastline from Gibraltar to Alicante.

• GR and HR series (Greece and Croatia): Covering the Ionian Islands, the Cyclades, Crete and the Adriatic.

• Pilot charts: For offshore passage planning, including Pilot 3 (Eastern Mediterranean) and Pilot 4 (Western Mediterranean).

Key navigational information

Each folio contains colour-coded visual references for easy switching between charts and tabs indicating the different scales. Sailors will find essential information including detailed bathymetry, aids to navigation, isolated dangers and detailed harbour plans. These documents allow sailors to cover many nautical miles with a thorough understanding of both coastal and offshore environments.

Reliability, updates and safety

The reliability of hydrographic information is the first pillar of safe navigation.

Update and download system

All NV Charts are regularly updated using official data. For the digital versions included in the package, the process is simplified through the Product ID (confidential code) shown on the back of the booklet. The instructions allow the data to be downloaded to tablets (Apple and Android) and PCs.

Safety best practices

Using both paper charts (for an overall view) and digital charts (for instant GPS positioning through the application) provides strong protection against navigation errors. Nautic Way points out that the included software, although straightforward, provides the essential functions needed for safe navigation while allowing sailors to make the most of their cruises.

Nautic Way's long-standing expertise serving sailors

Choosing Nautic Way Maritime Bookshop means relying on recognised specialist expertise:

• Authorised NV Charts agent: We are an authorised NV Charts agent and offer the complete catalogue, from Pilot charts to regional folios.

• Heritage and expertise: Based in Challans, France, we serve professional mariners and leisure sailors with recognised expertise in nautical cartography and navigation books.

• Specialist advice: Our in-depth knowledge of thousands of references enables us to guide you towards the folio (FR, IT, ES, GR or HR) best suited to your Mediterranean sailing project.

• Multimodal expertise: We understand the benefits of combining traditional paper charts with digital navigation solutions (ENC, raster charts and applications) to maximise safety.

FAQ

Which NV Charts nautical chart should I choose for sailing along the French Mediterranean coast?
The choice depends on your sailing area: folio FR 9 covers Cabo Creus to Toulon, FR 10 covers Toulon to Menton and Monaco, while FR 11 is entirely dedicated to Corsica.

Is this chart sufficient on its own for safe navigation?
Although NV Charts packages are very comprehensive, combining paper and digital charts, it is recommended to use them together with complementary documents such as sailing directions, tide tables and safety guides available from Nautic Way.

How often should I replace my NV Charts chart?
NV Charts charts are regularly updated using official data. Because aids to navigation and coastal seabed conditions can change over time, it is essential to use the latest edition before each major cruise.

Can NV Charts be used with a GPS?
Absolutely. NV Charts paper packages include a digital version compatible with the NV Charts App, allowing you to track your GPS position in real time directly on the digital chart.

What is the difference between an NV Charts chart and a SHOM chart?
SHOM is the official French hydrographic office. NV Charts uses official hydrographic data while offering a format specifically designed for leisure sailing, with folios combining multiple scales in a single booklet, together with digital access and an application included in the package at no additional cost.