{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-regulation-2018-1973/annex/division-ELECTRONIC/section-5",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-regulation-2018-1973/annex/division-ELECTRONIC/section-5.json",
  "legislation": "eur/2018/1973",
  "legislation_title": "Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1973 of 7 December 2018 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) No 909/2013 on the technical specifications for the electronic chart display and information system for inland navigation (Inland ECDIS) referred to in Directive 2005/44/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-regulation-2018-1973",
  "path": "annex/division/ELECTRONIC/section/5",
  "kind": "division",
  "number": "SECTION 5",
  "heading": "GLOSSARY OF TERMS",
  "text": "Term or abbreviation\nDefinition\nSource\nAcronym\n6-character-code of the feature/of the attribute.\nDocument referred to in point 2(a) of Section 1\nActor\nAn actor transforms an electrical quantity into another physical quantity (e.g. optical). An actor is the opposite of a sensor.\nAIS\nOn-board equipment allowing automatic identification of ships for enhanced ship monitoring as well as voyage data recording and other functions. The automatic identification system should comply with the technical and performance standards laid down in Chapter V of the SOLAS Convention (Safety of Life at Sea).\nDocument referred to in point 2(r) of Section 1\nAll information density\nAll information density (all display) means the maximum amount of SENC information. Here, in addition to the standard display (Standard Information Density), also all other objects are displayed, individually on demand.\nSection 1 of this Annex\nAttribute\nA defined characteristic of an entity (e.g. the category of a light, the sector limits, the light characteristics etc.).\nDefinitions for diverse attributes may be derived from the Feature Catalogue for Inland ENCs referred to in point 2(h) of Section 1 of this Annex.\nDocument referred to in point 2(a) of Section 1\nCell (chart cell)\nA cell is a geographical area containing Inland ENC or bathymetric Inland ENC data.\nDocument referred to in point 2(a) of Section 1\nCIE colour calibration\nProcedure to confirm that the colour specified in IHO S-52 is correctly reproduced on the ECDIS display.\nDocument referred to in point 2(c) of Section 1\nDatum\nA set of parameters specifying the reference surface or the reference coordinate system used for geodetic control in the calculation of coordinates of points on the earth. Commonly datums are defined as horizontal and vertical datums separately. For the practical use of the datum it is necessary to have one or more well distinctive points with coordinates given in that datum.\nThe horizontal datum is a set of parameters specifying the reference for horizontal geodetic control, commonly the dimensions and the location of a reference ellipsoid. (The horizontal datum must be compliant with WGS 84.)\nThe vertical datum is a surface to which elevations and/or depths (soundings and tide heights) are referred. For elevations commonly a level (equipotential) surface, approximately the mean sea level is used, for depths in many cases low water.\nDocument referred to in point 2(c) of Section 1\nand\nDocument referred to in point 2(n) of Section 1\nDisplay base\nMinimum information density; means the minimum amount of SENC information that is presented and which cannot be reduced by the operator, consisting of information that is required at all times in all geographic areas and under all circumstances.\nDocument referred to in point 2(d) of Section 1\nDisplay scale\nThe ratio between a distance on the display and a distance on the ground, normalised and expressed as a ratio, e.g. 1:10 000.\nDocument referred to in point 2(c) of Section 1\nEBL\nElectronic Bearing Line\nSection 4 of this Annex\nECDIS\nElectronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS) means a navigation information system which with adequate back-up arrangements can be accepted as complying with the up-to-date chart required by regulations V/19 and V/27 of the 1974 SOLAS Convention, as amended, by displaying selected information from a system electronic navigational chart (SENC) with positional information from navigation sensors to assist the mariner in route planning and route monitoring, and if required display additional navigation-related information.\nDocument referred to in point 2(d) of Section 1\nEdge\nA one-dimensional spatial object, located by two or more coordinate pairs (or two connected nodes) and optional interpolation parameters.\nDocument referred to in point 2(a) of Section 1\nElectronic chart\nVery broad term to describe the data, the software, and the electronic system, capable of displaying chart information. An electronic chart may or may not be equivalent to the paper chart required by SOLAS Convention.\nDocument referred to in point 2(c) of Section 1\nENC\nElectronic Navigational Chart; the data base, standardised as to content, structure and format, issued for use with ECDIS on the authority of government authorised hydrographic offices. The ENC contains all the chart information necessary for safe navigation and may contain supplementary information in addition to that contained in the paper chart (e.g. sailing directions) which may be considered necessary for safe navigation.\nDocument referred to in point 2(d) of Section 1\nENC cell\nThe geographic division of ENC data for distributing purposes.\nDocument referred to in point 2(e) of Section 1\nETSI\nEuropean Telecommunications Standards Institute\nEnumeration\nA specific quality or quantity assigned to an attribute (e.g. ‘leading light’, the limiting angles, the code specifying the light's colour – see attribute).\nDocument referred to in point 2(o) of Section 1\nFeature\nAn identifiable set of information. A feature may have attributes and may be related to other features.\nA digital representation of all or a part of an entity by its characteristics (attributes), its geometry, and (optionally) its relationships to other features (e.g., the digital description of a light sector specifying, amongst others, sector limits, the colour of the light, the visibility range, etc., and a link to a light tower, if any).Definitions for diverse features may be derived from the Feature Catalogue for Inland ENCs referred to in point 2(h) of Section 1 of this Annex.\nDocument referred to in point 2(c) of Section 1\nFeature catalogue\nThe comprehensive list of currently identified features, attributes and enumerations which are allowed for the use in Inland ENCs.\nDocument referred to in point 2(o) of Section 1\nFile\nAn identified set of S-57 records collected together for a specific purpose. The file content and structure must be defined by a product specification.\nDocument referred to in point 2(c) of Section 1\nGNSS\nGlobal Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) is a system that uses satellites to provide autonomous geo-spatial positioning.\nHeading\nThe direction in which the longitudinal axis of a craft is pointed, usually expressed as an angular distance from north clockwise through 360 degrees (true, magnetic or compass).\nDocument referred to in point 2(c) of Section 1\nHead-up display\nThe information shown on the display (radar or ECDIS) is directed so that the vessel's heading is always pointing upward. This orientation corresponds to the visual view from the bridge in direction of the vessel's heading.\nThis orientation may require frequent rotations of the display content. Changing the vessel's course, or yawing of the vessel may render this unstabilised orientation mode illegible.\nDocument referred to in point 2(c) of Section 1\nHuman Machine Interface (HMI)\nThe user interface or human–machine interface is the part of the machine that handles the human–machine interaction. The engineering of the human–machine interfaces is enhanced by considering ergonomics (human factors). There are many ways to develop human-machine interface (HMI) screens for machine and process automation applications. Guidelines, standards, and handbooks covering HMI design include those published by ISA, ASM, ISO, and NUREG.\nIEC\nInternational Electrotechnical Commission: An international (non-governmental) organisation which produces world standards for electrical and electronical engineering with the objective of facilitating international trade.\nDocument referred to in point 2(c) of Section 1\nIHO\nInternational Hydrographic Organization: Coordinates the activities of national hydrographic offices; promotes standards and provides advice to developing countries in the fields of hydrographic surveying and production of nautical charts and publications.\nDocument referenced in point 2(c) of Section 1\nIHO registry\nIHO Geospatial Information Infrastructure Registry. A registry is the information system on which a register is maintained. In the case of S-100 IHO hosts a registry that provides a facility to store various registers of hydrographic-related information.\nDocument referenced in point 2(m) of Section 1\nIMO\nInternational Maritime Organization: formerly called IMCO, the IMO is the specialised agency of the United Nations responsible for maritime safety, efficiency of navigation and prevention of marine pollution from vessels.\nDocument referenced in point 2(c) of Section 1\nInformation Mode\nMeans the use of the Inland ECDIS for information purposes only without overlaid radar image.\nSection 1 of this Annex\nInland AIS\nAutomatic identification system for inland waterway vessels as set out in the Regulation (EC) No 415/2007 for vessel tracking and tracing systems.\nDocument referenced in point 2(p) of Section 1\nInland ECDIS\nAn Electronic Chart Display and Information System for inland navigation, displaying selected information from an Inland System Electronic Navigational Chart (Inland SENC) and optionally, information from other navigation sensors.\nSection 1 of this Annex\nInland ENC (IENC)\nInland Electronic Navigational Chart (IENC) means the database, standardised as to content, structure and format, for use with inland electronic chart display and information systems operated on-board of vessels transiting inland waterways. An IENC is issued by or on the authority of a competent government agency, and conforms to standards initially developed by the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) and refined by the Inland ENC Harmonization Group. An IENC contains all the chart information necessary for safe navigation on inland waterways and may contain supplementary information in addition to that contained in the paper chart (e.g. sailing directions, machine-readable operating schedules, etc.) which may be considered necessary for safe navigation and voyage planning.\nSection 1 of this Annex\nInland ENC domain\nDomain within the IHO Geospatial Information Infrastructure Registry dedicated for Inland ENC – related entries.\nDocument referenced in point 2(m) of Section 1\nInland SENC\nInland System Electronic Navigational Chart: a database resulting from the trans formation of the Inland ENC by Inland ECDIS for appropriate use, updates to the Inland ENC by appropriate means and other data added by the mariner. It is this database that is actually accessed by the Inland ECDIS for the display generation and other navigational functions. The Inland SENC may also contain information from other sources.\nSection 1 of this Annex\nIntegrated display\nMeans a head-up, relative-motion picture consisting of the Inland SENC overlaid with the radar-image with matching scale, offset and orientation.\nSection 1 of this Annex\nLook-up table\nA table giving symbology instructions to link SENC objects to point, line or area symbolisation and providing display priority, radar priority, IMO category and optional viewing group.\nDocument referred to in point 2(c) of Section 1\nNavigation mode\nMeans the use of the Inland ECDIS for conning the vessel with overlaid radar image.\nSection 1 of this Annex\nNorth-up display\nInformation shown on the display (radar or ECDIS) with the north direction upward.\nDocument referred to in point 2(c) of Section 1\nOther navigational information\nNavigational Information not contained in the SENC, that may be displayed by an ECDIS, such as radar information.\nDocument referred to in point 2(c) of Section 1\nOwn vessel\nThe term which identifies the vessel upon which an ECDIS is operating.\nDocument referred to in point 2(c) of Section 1\nOwn vessel's safety contour\nThe contour related to the own vessel selected by the mariner from the contours provided for in the SENC, to be used by ECDIS to distinguish on the display between the safe and the unsafe water, and for generating anti-grounding alarms.\nDocument referred to in point 2(c) of Section 1\nPerformance standard for ECDIS\nStandard developed under the authority of IMO to describe the minimum performance requirements for navigational devices and other fittings required by the SOLAS Convention, included in MSC.232(82), as adopted by IMO on 5 December 2006.\nDocument referred to in point 2(c) of Section 1\nPick report (feature report)\nThe result of querying a displayed point-symbol, line or area for further information from the data base which is not represented by the symbol.\nDocument referred to in point 2(c) of Section 1\nPresentation library for ECDIS\nA set of mostly digital specifications, composed of symbol libraries, colour schemes, look-up tables and rules, linking every feature and attribute of the SENC to the appropriate presentation of the ECDIS display. Published by IHO as Annex A, Special Publication No 52 (S-52).\nDocument referred to in point 2(c) of Section 1\nProduct specification\nA defined subset of the entire specification combined with rules, tailored to the intended usage of the transfer data.\n(The ENC Product specification specifies the content, structure and other mandatory aspects of an ENC.)\nDocument referred to in point 2(c) of Section 1\n(Radar) range\nDistance from the radar antenna. For inland navigation the radar range has to be sequential switchable according to the Radar Regulations.\nDocument referred to in point 2(q) of Section 1\nRelative motion display\nA relative motion display shows the chart information and radar targets moving relative to the vessel position fixed on the screen.\nDocument referred to in point 2(c) of Section 1\nRoute planning\nAn ECDIS function in which the area is displayed which is needed to study the intended route, to select the intended track, and to mark the track, its way points and navigational notes.\nDocument referred to in point 2(d) of Section 1\nSCAMIN\nThe minimum scale at which the feature may be used e.g. for ECDIS presentation.\nDocument referred to in point 2(a) of Section 1\nSENC\nSystem Electronic Navigational Chart: An internal data base in an Inland ECDIS which results out of the transformation of ENCs and their update files and other data added by the boat master. It is this data base that is actually accessed by the ECDIS for the display generation and other navigational functions. The SENC may also contain information from other sources.\nDocument referred to in point 2(c) of Section 1\nSpatial object\nAn object which contains locational information about real world entities.\nDocument referred to in point 2(c) of Section 1\nStandard Information Density\nThe default amount of SENC information that shall be visible when the chart is displayed when ECDIS is switched on. A screen with Standard Information Density (standard display) is the default state of the Inland ECDIS.\nSection 1 of this Annex\n[Vessel] Tracking and Tracing\nTracking: function of maintaining status information on the vessel, possibly combined with information on cargo and consignments; tracing: and the retrieval of information concerning the whereabouts of the vessel, possibly combined with information on cargo, consignments and equipment, as set out in the Regulation (EC) No 415/2007 for vessel tracking and tracing systems.\nDocument referred to in point 2(p) of Section 1\nTrue motion display\nA display in which the own vessel and each radar target moves with its own true motion, while the position of all charted information remains fixed.\nDocument referred to in point 2(c) of Section 1\nUser-defined settings\nMeans the possibility to use and store a profile of display and operation controls- settings.\nSection 1 of this Annex\nVRM\nVariable Range Marker.\nSection 4 of this Annex\nWGS 84\nWorld Geodetic System: The geodetic basis for the ‘Navigational Satellite Timing and Ranging — Global Positioning System’, which enables the surveying of the earth and its entities and was developed by the United States Department of Defence. This global geodetic reference system is recommended by IHO for hydrographic and cartographic use.\nDocument referred to in point 2(n) of Section 1",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/2018/1973/annex/division/ELECTRONIC/section/5",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-11-01T14:43:43.977506+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}