ECDIS reference cards are claiming to increasing safety onboard

Reference cards are fast becoming an important tool in increasing knowledge of vital navigation systems onboard ship.

ECDIS has become a core part of life on the bridge, and despite crew members attending ECDIS training courses and refreshing their knowledge by various means, there’s a lot to remember. Many groundings have occurred as a result of this lapse (not lack) of knowledge.

One method of refreshing knowledge of important ECDIS menu systems recently has been by the use of “ECDIS reference cards”, essentially a reduced user manual written usually by training companies looking to extend their training beyond the classroom, and also written from the perspective of the seafarer by only including the practical necessities needed to operate the equipment. Some are even customisable to fit with company policies and procedures.

The proof of whether they will directly affect ship safety has yet to be seen, but they are certainly a step in the right direction