Printing Paper Charts Directly From IHO-Compliant ENC

STERLING, VA, (March 1, , 2007) – LSI, a small business specializing in geospatial technologies and services, has completed its project investigating the feasibility of utilizing IHO S-57 compliant Electronic Navigational Charts (ENC) as the exclusive data source for producing modern paper charts.

The study, funded by the Office of Coast Survey, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is centered on the production of paper charts directly from ENC data. The Office of Coast Survey is a component of the National Ocean Service. Founded in 1807, the Coast Survey is the oldest scientific organization in the United States and provides the necessary navigational products required for safe and efficient maritime commerce in and out of our Nation's ports.

The analysis allowed for certain assumptions which included:

• Automated production of printed ENCs is the goal;
• ENCs comply with IHO S-57 and the ENC Product Specification;
• The desired paper chart symbol set is the international set of chart symbols, not NOAA’s national symbol set;
• A “printed ENC” would be generated by a plotter, not printed lithographically;
• Rules for paper charts are those of NOAA (except for symbology).

LSI relied on its extensive expertise for developing and administrating complex geospatial solutions, including S-57 ENC data. As a systems and support provider to NOAA for many years, LSI could apply its experience in electronic chart production directly to the task of identifying issues related to paper chart production. 

“This study will help the world’s hydrographic offices identify changes needed to ENC and paper chart standards that would permit the making of paper charts directly from ENCs. If that can be achieved, mariners could print their own, up-to-date paper charts thus lowering their costs, improving the currency of their charts, providing a suitable backup for the electronic chart systems, and speeding distribution.,” says Dave Enabnit, Coast Survey's technical director.

The analysis showed that the majority of the geographic information required for a paper chart is present in an ENC. However, ENCs do not contain information regarding the cartographic placement of objects such as text or other chart specific information required to produce a standard paper product. The actual text information that is currently displayed on a paper chart is present in the data (sometimes in multiple objects or in a coded way) but the cartographic placement is not. Additional chart specific information is also required that is not currently supported by ENC such as borders, graticules, compass roses, tide-tables and other non-geographic information. Another issue is that of the chart scale. Clarity of the chart can be impacted adversely due to inconsistencies of data collected from sources of differing scales, e.g. data captured from an inset, and result in poor graphic representation when plotted directly.

LSI has identified critical issues related to printing ENC data. When possible, consequences of these issues and solutions to overcome them were provided. Ultimately, recommendations will be made as to whether changing specifications within S-57 or the production of paper charts might be advantageous.

For over 15 years, LSI has specialized in providing expertise directly related to the production of high quality geospatial data needed for digital nautical chart production. LSI’s innovative services include spatial data production and maintenance, software development, consultancy, enterprise-wide data assessment and quality control. Finally, with geospatial production, research and business development activities focused on expanding its activities in areas that include navigational data, development of true 3D data models and applications, cutting-edge data cleaning and quality systems, LSI continues to provide a full range of spatial expertise to government and industry.