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Articles

Number 11 (2014)

No Solace from SOLAS The Effects that Deeper Draughts and the ENC are having on Safe Navigation

Submitted
May 6, 2015
Published
2014-05-30

Abstract

Chapter V Regulation 9 of the SOLAS Convention, annexed for reference, requirescontracting governments to provide hydrographic services. Many signatories cannotprovide these unaided. This is despite the fact that new cruise ship itineraries and traderoutes are being established in their waters for increasingly larger and deeper draughtvessels. This article reviews a number of chart related casualties. These demonstrate thatno chart, paper or digital, is infallible. This emphasizes the urgent need for new and betterhydrographic data collection in some key oceanic areas. Potential innovative solutions fordata acquisition and hydrographic capacity building strategies are considered.