Division 1.1 Definitions

Fairway Information Services (FIS) mean geographical, hydrological and administrative information regarding the waterway (fairway) that are used by boatmasters and fleet managers to plan, execute and monitor a voyage. The terms ‘boatmaster’ and ‘skipper’ used in the present standard shall be deemed to be equivalent with the term ‘ship master’ used in the River Information Services (RIS) Guidelines (Commission Regulation (EC) No 414/2007^f1), while the term ‘fleet managers’ is defined in Commission Regulation (EC) No 415/2007^f2.

FIS provide dynamic information (such as water levels, water level predictions) as well as static information (such as operating times of locks and bridges) regarding the use and status of the inland waterway infrastructure, and thereby support tactical and strategic navigation decisions.

Traditional means to supply FIS include visual aids to navigation, notices to skippers published on paper, provided by broadcast and by fixed telephone on locks. The mobile phone has added new possibilities of voice and data communication, but cellular network is not available in all places and at all times. Tailor-made FIS for the waterways can be supplied by radiotelephone service on inland waterways, Internet service or electronic navigational chart service, such as the Inland Electronic Chart Display and Information System (Inland ECDIS) with Electronic Navigational Chart (ENC).