ABSTRACT
The year 2012 will be the first year of mandatory installation of the Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (ECDIS) onboard ships. The first installation requirements refer to newly built vessels, depending on their type and size. Then in the years 2016-2018 the regulation will come in force for ships in service. The navigator of the vessel under the mandatory requirements of the SOLAS Convention will receive an essential tool changing the rules of navigation, watchkeeping and assessment of ship’s safety. This tool has alarm and indicator functions that provide important aid to the navigator. Its proper use requires a valid user-defined parameters of safe navigation and activation of selected alarms. A large number of applicable safety features causes difficulties in its use in navigation along a desired route. Therefore, it is advisable to specify a group of basic safety parameters as a minimum for the planning and safe monitoring of sea passage.
