After requesting for more time for creating and updating the software required, IMO has granted an extension, helping to decrease stress levels over the update deadline.
Ship owners are satisfied that they now have additional time to establish a working relationship with ecdis manufactures in regards to new standard implementations thanks to the IHO (International Hydrographic Organization). Before this implementation update, both ship operators and ecdis manufacturers would need to make sure systems was in compliance with any new standards before September.
However, the transition period has been provided an extension by the IMO sub-committee. This extension extends the update of software to be completed by August 31st, 2017. The extension had been requested to ensure the ecdis manufacturers had sufficient time for developing the software updates, while giving owners the time to get them installed. The software updates are going to bring ecdis systems up to date while confirming with the S-52 standards of the IHO in regards to the presentation library 4.0.
The most recent presentation library focuses on the amount of audible alarms that ecdis puts off. This is due to many bridge teams simply becoming so annoyed by the number of alarms, that they are beginning to just turn the ecdis alarms off to get rid of the massive amount of alarms. Of course, this is obviously breaking the rules of the ship owner, and creating risks. In order to handle the alarm fatigue problems, IHO has put forth clear guidelines for the ecdis manufacturers regarding the electronic chart objects which trigger alarms. Additionally, there will be changes to the way certain information is introduced, such as anchorage area names or fairways. Landmark information along with buoys and lights are going to be viewable by a hover-over function, both of these help to decrease the time required for finding the data of a pick report. Therefore, the existing IHO presentation library (version 3.4) will remain active until August 31st, 2017 thanks to the extension by the IMO.