The ECDIS era has arrived, with the type-approval of systems from Transas Marine. Transas' Jochen Rudolf and George Toma discuss the systems capabilities, advantages and future. The advent of the type-approved ECDIS has become one of the major highlights of the maritime industry at the end of the 20th century. Transas Marine with its Navi-Sailor 2400 ECDIS, was the winner amongst some 10 very serious competitors in the rigorous race to be the first to receive the type-approval certificate for ECDIS from BSH in Germany. The issue of the world's first type approval certificate for Transas ECDIS in October 1999 was preceded by almost two years of very thorough tests and expert assessments employed at BSH.