The International Maritime Organization (IMO) subcommittee on Navigation, Communications, and Search and Rescue (NCSR) has extended the transition period for IHO S-52 software updates for ECDIS to August 31st, 2017. The International hydrographic Organization's (IHO) extension proposal was accepted by NCSR to allow ship owners more time to acquire the latest software updates for IHO S-52 presentation library scheme and remain compliant with guidelines on maintenance of ECDIS software in IMO circular MSC.1/Circ.1503.
The IHO Presentation Library 3.4 edition will be accepted as compliant until the August 31st, 2017 deadline for existing ECDIS. Ship owners are advised that the IHO Presentation Library 4.0 edition will be the only accepted software version as compliant from September 1st, 2017 onward.
Ship owners are recommended to contact their ECDIS original equipment manufacturer (OEM) to start the transition process for software upgrades. The upgrades themselves will vary dependent on the ECDIS make and model. It is important that ship owners work closely with their ECDIS OEM to properly identify all steps needed to upgrade the software in ECDIS across their respective fleet.