Unlike the user of a land map, the mariner has little opportunity to verify the chart and must be able to rely on the quality of the charted information.
Seafaring is an international occupation and Hydrographic Offices (HOs) world-wide have devoted a great deal of effort to standardising charts and publications. This facilitates both the ease of use of the products by the mariner and the exchange of data between HOs.

Similar standardisation has been achieved in the distribution and updating of charts and publications. In order to enable the mariner to identify the currency of the chart it carries endorsements such as 'New Chart', 'Small Correction', 'New Edition' or 'Revised Edition' together with the relevant date. Unlike some maps, nautical charts and publications can be formally cancelled. For details see the Catalogue of Netherlands' Nautical Charts and Publications (HP7) which is available free from A-agents.

Details about new editions and the cancellation of charts or books is published in the weekly NtM (BaZ), more commonly referred to for chart corrections.

In addition to navigation charts other miscellaneous charts are available showing routing, planning and tidal information.

In 2000 the Netherlands Hydrographic Service started with the production of Electronic Navigational Charts (ENC’s) for the use in Electronic Chart Display Systems (ECDIS).
Also available are Raster Navigational Charts (RNC’s) from all INT-charts.

Other organisations may produce 'non-official' charts in both paper and electronic format. These do not necessarily meet official international standards and regulations and the producers may not accept responsibility for the data contained therein.

nautical chart


hydrographic chart

(Nautical charts, 1800 series - Official nautical chart for coastal and inland waters, ENC/RNC) These are indispensable aids to navigation. There is a misconception that modern, accurate positioning systems have rendered the chart obsolete. This is not true, whilst these systems provide information as to where you are, the chart is a vital tool in establishing where you are going and enabling you to get there safely. Some vessels are required by law to carry official (i.e. government approved), corrected (up to date) charts whilst other vessels are not. However were a non chart carrying vessel to be involved in a shipping accident an insurance company might consider a lack of charts to constitute poor seamanship

Miscellaneous charts

(Mariners’ Routeing Guide, Deep Draught Planning Guide, Tidal Streams atlases (in HP33), Charts for educational purposes, , Chart 1).

These miscellaneous charts supply necessary additional information and are not on their own to be used for navigation!

The following publications are available to assist with navigation. They provide information that is either additional to, or more detailed, than can be shown on the chart.

Catalogue Published in Dutch and English it provide all the information about the nautical charts and publications by the Hydrographic service The Netherlands Coast Pilot Published in English it contains information relating to the Netherlands and Belgian coastal waters, coastline, seaports and their approaches. List of Lights A standardised text containing the characteristics of most of the navigational lights in the Netherlands. Published in Dutch. Tide table An annual publication, in Dutch and English, giving tidal heights and tidal stream information for the coastal and adjacent waters of the Netherlands. Symbols, abbreviations and terms used on charts. The internationally standardised book edition of "Chart-1" published in Dutch and English Wreck index A summary of basic wreck data for the coastal and adjacent waters of the Netherlands. Published in Dutch. Buoyage-systems in the Netherlands An information booklet published in Dutch.

RNlN Hydrographic service