Over 4,000 Tankers Not Ready for Upcoming ECDIS Mandate

More than half of the world’s tankers of three,000 gross tonnes or extra will adjust to new SOLAS rules on the obligatory carriage of an Electronic Chart Display & Information System (ECDIS) that may enter into drive on 1 July 2015, however nonetheless over 4,000 tankers are usually not but prepared.

[contextly_sidebar id=”XuL877vEcsQTlLr1G1FXYNLDtTXAisL0″]Of the 8,750+ tankers within the international fleet which are required to adjust to these rules by their first survey following this date, 54% at the moment are utilizing ENCs (Electronic Nautical Charts) on ECDIS, based on information from the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office, a authorities group accountable for offering navigational charts and different nautical publications.

UKHO says that whereas progress has been made in latest months with the worldwide ‘ECDIS readiness’ determine having risen from 42% in September 2014 to the present determine of 54%, nonetheless over the remaining 56% of tankers – over 4,000 – are usually not but utilizing an ENC service.

The UKHO information additionally reveals a variety of attention-grabbing disparities within the adoption of ECDIS between components of the worldwide tanker fleet. UKHO says that 83% of LNG tankers are at present utilizing an ENC service, in comparison with 70% of crude oil tankers and simply 36% of product tankers. All three classes have proven a considerable enchancment in ECDIS readiness since September 2014.

Thomas Mellor, Head of OEM Technical Support and Digital Standards for UKHO, commented that whereas the worldwide tanker neighborhood has made vital progress, a big portion of the fleet just isn’t but utilizing an ENC service.

“Even allowing for exemptions and the grace period until their first survey after 1 July 2015, which could be up to 12 months later, this is a considerable undertaking and the ECDIS supply chain can expect to come under considerable pressure in the coming months,” Mellor.

“Tanker owners and operators that have not yet planned for the adoption of ECDIS should address this immediately in order to make the transition in a safe, timely manner and avoid the risks of non-compliance. From an operational, commercial and reputational perspective, the consequences of failing to comply with the ECDIS regulations – and therefore the SOLAS Convention – can be severe,” Mellor added.

Amendments to the SOLAS Convention requiring the obligatory carriage of ECDIS for ships engaged on worldwide voyages had been adopted in 2009, placing into place a rolling timetable of deadlines for various vessel sizes and lessons. The requirement for all current tankers of three,000 gross tonnes or extra, aside from vessels to be taken out of service inside two years, is to be fitted with ECDIS no later than their first survey on or after 1 July 2015.

The ECDIS transition course of is not going to embrace not solely the set up of ECDIS on-board, but additionally crew coaching, revisions to bridge insurance policies and procedures, and sophistication approval, amongst others. UKHO says that this course of is anticipated to put strain throughout the ECDIS provide chain, together with OEMs, shipyards, crew, coaching suppliers, crewing firms, class societies and Flag States, and requires appreciable advance planning by tanker firms.