Electronic Navigational Chart (ENC)

An Electronic Navigational Chart (ENC) is a digital data set designed to support safe maritime navigation. It is a geospatially referenced vector database of a specific maritime area and its adjacent coastal regions. The ENC is an official database created by a national hydrographic office for use with an Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS). It contains all the chart information necessary for safe navigation, and may contain supplementary information in addition to that contained in the paper chart (such as sailing directions) which may be considered necessary for safe navigation. The ENC is structured as a database, not as a graphical representation of a sea area. Therefore, the ECDIS uses the ENC database to build a display of the area. The ENC data is continuously updated, ensuring that mariners have the most current navigation information. The use of ENCs has been internationally adopted as the new standard in maritime navigation due to their accuracy, reliability, and compatibility with new technologies.
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