Todd Chart Agency Admiralty Webchart Order

13 January 2009, 9:28pm

13 January 2009 - Official Admiralty Distributor, Bangor-based Todd Chart Agency has secured the first global commercial order for the UKHO’s newly-launched Admiralty WebChart Service (AWCS).

Established in 1990, Todd Chart Agency Limited is a family-owned company which has grown to become the largest retailer of nautical charts in Ireland, and one of the largest in the UK.

Todd Chart’s customer is Ravenscroft Ship Management Inc, who have placed an order for WebChart to be used within shore-based navigation systems and the Emergency Response Room for their Fleet of vessels which includes tankers, bulk carriers, general cargo and offshore support vessels, operating on a number of tramp routes worldwide, with focus in the North Sea and Brazilian waters for their offshore support vessels.

AWCS enables users to view official Admiralty navigational charts online and was developed in response to a requirement from ship managers and the wider marine community looking to use UKHO products for shore-based operations to support planning information for ships at sea.

AWCS can be accessed from any internet-connected PC, providing users with immediate access to worldwide Admiralty charts that are constantly updated.

Although AWCS can not be used as a primary means of navigation under SOLAS Regulations, it provides access to ARCS and ENCs through a simple user-interface, similar to that of existing web mapping services, featuring standard tools such as drag, pan and zoom, and it is viewable within a standard web browser.

The service also allows users to measure bearings and distances between different reference points and view metadata associated with a particular feature. Planned future upgrades to AWCS include the introduction of additional layers and the ability to import, create and share routes among a group of users.

Todd Chart Agency MD, Capt. William Todd said: “Todd Charts prides itself on providing a fast, cost effective and quality chart service both to our customers and we are delighted to have secured this order with our valued customer Ravenscroft Ship Management and are working with them to ensure that we obtain feedback on the service as it is put into everyday use”.

UKHO Partnership Manager John Dawson said: “New UKHO products such as Admiralty WebChart and the Admiralty Vector Chart Service (AVCS) have been developed to enable the international mariner to move effortlessly towards the future of digital navigation.”

“Our Admiralty Partners around the world play a vital role in supporting our aim to continue to protect the safety of lives at sea, and we are extremely proud of the time and energy Todd Chart Agency have devoted to securing this order with Ravenscroft.”

Todd Chart Agency

Geo: International