ECDIS - ELECTRONIC CHART DISPLAY AND INFORMATION SYSTEM
| VERIFIED EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS - LATEST VERSION
2026/2027
ECDIS (Electronic Chart Display and Information System)
1. What does ECDIS stand for? Electronic Chart Display and
Information System.
2. What is the primary function of ECDIS? To replace paper nautical
charts as the primary means of navigation.
3. What does ECS stand for? Electronic Chart System.
4. What is the difference between ECDIS and ECS? ECDIS is type-
approved and meets IMO performance standards; ECS is non-type-
approved.
5. What does IMO stand for? International Maritime Organization.
6. What does IHO stand for? International Hydrographic Organization.
7. What does ENC stand for? Electronic Navigational Chart.
8. What is an ENC? A vector chart standardized by IHO (S-57) used in
ECDIS.
9. What does S-57 refer to? IHO Transfer Standard for Digital
Hydrographic Data.
10. What does S-52 refer to? IHO Specifications for Chart Content
and Display Aspects of ECDIS.
11. What does S-63 refer to? IHO Data Protection Scheme
(encryption for ENCs).
,12. What is a RNC? Raster Navigational Chart (scanned paper
chart).
13. What does RCDS stand for? Raster Chart Display System.
14. Can RCDS fully replace paper charts? No, it is considered a
backup, not a legal replacement like ECDIS.
15. What is SCAMIN? Scale Minimum; the minimum scale at which
an ENC object should be displayed.
16. What does POSREP stand for? Position Report.
17. What is the "Four-line check" on ECDIS? Checking chart
edition, update status, scale, and datum.
18. What datum do ENCs use? WGS-84.
19. Is datum conversion needed for ENCs on WGS-84 GPS? No.
20. What is a System Electronic Navigational Chart (SENC)? The
ENC converted into ECDIS's internal system format for display.
21. What is an ER (Encapsulation Record) in S-57? The file header
containing metadata about the ENC cell.
22. What is a DSID? Data Set Identification field in an S-57 file.
23. What does TAIS stand for? Traffic Area Information Service.
24. What is vector data? Data represented by mathematically
defined points, lines, and polygons.
25. What is raster data? Data represented by a grid of pixels (like
a photo).
26. Why is vector data preferred for ECDIS? It is interactive,
scalable, and allows querying of objects.
27. What does "Back-up Arrangement" mean in ECDIS? A
secondary system (another ECDIS or paper charts) to take over if
the primary fails.
28. What does NAUT stand for in ship notations? Nautical (e.g.,
NAUT-OS means One-Man Bridge).
29. What is the "Home" or "Reset" view? Returns the display to
the default scale and center.
, 30. What is a "Pick Report"? A text box showing all attributes of a
selected chart object.
Category 2: Display Settings & Modes (31-60)
31. What are the three main display modes? Base, Standard,
Other.
32. What is "Base" display mode? Minimum info for safe
navigation (soundings, contours, hazards).
33. What is "Standard" display mode? Base plus features useful
for routine navigation (buoys, lights, landmarks).
34. What is "Other" display mode? Standard plus all remaining
objects (names, cables, pipelines).
35. What are Display Categories? DISPLAYBASE, STANDARD,
OTHER (standard IHO groups).
36. How are isolated dangers shown? As a specific isolated danger
symbol (quarg symbol) if in shallow water.
37. What is the "Isolated Danger Symbol"? A diamond with a
cross inside.
38. When does an isolated danger symbol appear? When an
isolated danger is in shallow water but outside the safety contour.
39. What are the four chart display scales? Overview, General,
Coastal, Approach, Harbour/Berthing (5 scales technically).
40. What is "Overscale" warning? Warning when zooming in
beyond the compilation scale of the ENC.
41. Is it safe to navigate on an overscale chart? No, spatial
accuracy decreases and gaps may appear.
42. What color indicates overscale? Magenta/purple text or
overlay.
43. What is "SCAMIN" filtering? Hiding objects when the display
scale is smaller than the object's SCAMIN value.
44. Can a user override SCAMIN? Yes, typically in display settings,
but it clutters the screen.
| VERIFIED EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS - LATEST VERSION
2026/2027
ECDIS (Electronic Chart Display and Information System)
1. What does ECDIS stand for? Electronic Chart Display and
Information System.
2. What is the primary function of ECDIS? To replace paper nautical
charts as the primary means of navigation.
3. What does ECS stand for? Electronic Chart System.
4. What is the difference between ECDIS and ECS? ECDIS is type-
approved and meets IMO performance standards; ECS is non-type-
approved.
5. What does IMO stand for? International Maritime Organization.
6. What does IHO stand for? International Hydrographic Organization.
7. What does ENC stand for? Electronic Navigational Chart.
8. What is an ENC? A vector chart standardized by IHO (S-57) used in
ECDIS.
9. What does S-57 refer to? IHO Transfer Standard for Digital
Hydrographic Data.
10. What does S-52 refer to? IHO Specifications for Chart Content
and Display Aspects of ECDIS.
11. What does S-63 refer to? IHO Data Protection Scheme
(encryption for ENCs).
,12. What is a RNC? Raster Navigational Chart (scanned paper
chart).
13. What does RCDS stand for? Raster Chart Display System.
14. Can RCDS fully replace paper charts? No, it is considered a
backup, not a legal replacement like ECDIS.
15. What is SCAMIN? Scale Minimum; the minimum scale at which
an ENC object should be displayed.
16. What does POSREP stand for? Position Report.
17. What is the "Four-line check" on ECDIS? Checking chart
edition, update status, scale, and datum.
18. What datum do ENCs use? WGS-84.
19. Is datum conversion needed for ENCs on WGS-84 GPS? No.
20. What is a System Electronic Navigational Chart (SENC)? The
ENC converted into ECDIS's internal system format for display.
21. What is an ER (Encapsulation Record) in S-57? The file header
containing metadata about the ENC cell.
22. What is a DSID? Data Set Identification field in an S-57 file.
23. What does TAIS stand for? Traffic Area Information Service.
24. What is vector data? Data represented by mathematically
defined points, lines, and polygons.
25. What is raster data? Data represented by a grid of pixels (like
a photo).
26. Why is vector data preferred for ECDIS? It is interactive,
scalable, and allows querying of objects.
27. What does "Back-up Arrangement" mean in ECDIS? A
secondary system (another ECDIS or paper charts) to take over if
the primary fails.
28. What does NAUT stand for in ship notations? Nautical (e.g.,
NAUT-OS means One-Man Bridge).
29. What is the "Home" or "Reset" view? Returns the display to
the default scale and center.
, 30. What is a "Pick Report"? A text box showing all attributes of a
selected chart object.
Category 2: Display Settings & Modes (31-60)
31. What are the three main display modes? Base, Standard,
Other.
32. What is "Base" display mode? Minimum info for safe
navigation (soundings, contours, hazards).
33. What is "Standard" display mode? Base plus features useful
for routine navigation (buoys, lights, landmarks).
34. What is "Other" display mode? Standard plus all remaining
objects (names, cables, pipelines).
35. What are Display Categories? DISPLAYBASE, STANDARD,
OTHER (standard IHO groups).
36. How are isolated dangers shown? As a specific isolated danger
symbol (quarg symbol) if in shallow water.
37. What is the "Isolated Danger Symbol"? A diamond with a
cross inside.
38. When does an isolated danger symbol appear? When an
isolated danger is in shallow water but outside the safety contour.
39. What are the four chart display scales? Overview, General,
Coastal, Approach, Harbour/Berthing (5 scales technically).
40. What is "Overscale" warning? Warning when zooming in
beyond the compilation scale of the ENC.
41. Is it safe to navigate on an overscale chart? No, spatial
accuracy decreases and gaps may appear.
42. What color indicates overscale? Magenta/purple text or
overlay.
43. What is "SCAMIN" filtering? Hiding objects when the display
scale is smaller than the object's SCAMIN value.
44. Can a user override SCAMIN? Yes, typically in display settings,
but it clutters the screen.
