Charting for Modern Needs

Extract

With the rapid changes taking place in so many countries – new ports, new terminals and anchorages and new buildings of significance to mariners – it is essential that users report back to us whenever they feel that our charting service could be improved. Whilst it is flattering that we seldom do have criticism, this is not always very helpful. At the recent International Hydrographic Conference in Monaco preliminary results of a recent questionnaire issued by the International Chamber of Shipping on the use and availability of navigational charts and Notices to Mariners were made known; it was flattering to hear that over 2000 of the replies stated that they used British Admiralty products as their primary series, but disconcerting that about a quarter of the replies said that arrangements for the supply of both charts and Notices to Mariners were less than adequate. Even for the various national or world-wide series of charts, it has given me food for thought to hear that our own arrangements were considered to be ‘adequate’ in Western Europe (including the Mediterranean) by only 504 out of 1150 ships, by 753 out of 2547 ships in North American waters, and by 457 out of 1507 ships in the Middle and Near East. Many other areas seem to reveal reports just as conflicting as those which we have heard at earlier Chart Users' Panel meetings, when we have repeatedly asked for reports of areas where our service could be improved, but seldom if ever have had any reports of difficult areas.