1. NOAA’s Nautical Charting Products and Services
Michael Henderson, Navigation Manager
Maritime Education Standards Council - June 8, 2016

2. Mariners Have Trusted Coast Survey for Over Two Centuries
First U.S. govt science agency, formed in 1807
Surveys 3.4 million square nautical miles
Creates and updates over 1,000 nautical charts
Speeds re-opening of ports after hurricanes and other disasters
Develops hydrodynamic models for coastal management

4. Briefly, a nautical chart is a specific portrayal of the environment in which mariners must safely navigate their vessel. Charts show what is under the water – that which we can’t see.
Soundings, or the water depth – not the bathymetry, but a shallow – or shoal – biased portrayal. That’s because the mariner needs to know if they have enough water underneath them.
It’s important to note that NOAA does not make changes to any significant charted feature, when that change is based solely on non-authoritative data (crowdsourced data), since NOAA is legally responsible for the accuracy of nautical charts. The Federal Tort Claims Act permits private parties to sue the United States for torts committed by persons acting on behalf of the United States, e.g. for errors in hydrographic surveying and nautical charting.

5. Improving chart production
Currently maintains 1,025 nautical charts
Checks each chart weekly, and applies all critical corrections
Data from Local Notices to Mariners
Creates new chart editions
New bathymetry and shoreline data from NOAA ships, contracted surveys, and remote-sensing aircraft

6. Click on the map-based chart locator at nauticalcharts.noaa.gov

8. Getting more charts into boaters’ hands

9. Making data more accessible
Tremendous innovation
Platforms for faster chart delivery to millions of customers
Connectivity creates new opportunities i.e., raster tile service

10. LIDAR Systems Accurately Position Shorelines and Other Features
Chart of NGS Remote Sensing Division’s shoreline work – LIDAR can correct position of a feature by 10 m on a 1:15,000 scale chart…can make a big difference for a 1000 ft long ship

11. NGS: Post-storm Aerial Photos http://storms.ngs.noaa.gov/storms/irene/

12. NOAA Tides / Tidal Currents
NOAA Current Predictions
More accurate NOAA tidal current predictions accessible via the Web.
Customized tidal current predictions for a user-selected day, week or year available in graphical and text format.
Capability to highlight current speeds above or below a user-defined threshold.
Station updates distributed on a quarterly basis; more frequent than annual published Tidal Current Tables
NOAA Tide Predictions
Expanded NOAA Tide predictions easily accessible via the Web
Customized display information for a selected day, week, month or year
Enhanced options for a variety of tidal datums, selections for height units, time zones, and threshold values
Maintained operationally with quarterly updates
Book mark capability for user friendly options

13. One-stop-shop website for NOAA’s Nautical Charting Products
Print-on-Demand paper charts meet carriage requirements
Free downloadable PDFs need plotter, or crop/reduce image for home printing
BookletCharts print out on 8 ½ x 11 paper
NOAA ENC® and NOAA RNC®
Online chart viewer - ENC and RNC
U.S. Chart #1 - now includes ENC symbols
Talk about additional vendors
Chart #1 is downloadable and has electronic chart
symbols

14. Blog: noaanauticalcharts.wordpress.com Twitter @nauticalcharts
Blog: noaanauticalcharts.wordpress.com
Kyle Ward - Navigation Manager
Charleston SC
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