John Dawson News

It’s a matter of when – not if. Digital is with us, and while many industries have embraced its potential, there is still some reticence in the shipping sector to take the plunge. Norwegian navigation expert Nautisk has rethought its entire product offering to embrace digital, so what have they learned? Nautisk’s head of marketing, John Dawson, explains. Nautisk has been a specialist chart agent for more than 100 years, and our core product base has been paper charts and printed publications for the shipping sector.

The UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) sees an increase in the number of counterfeit versions of its Admiralty charts & publications. Counterfeit documents do not satisfy SOLAS carriage requirements, as they have not been issued by an officially approved government body or authorised hydrographic office. They may also fall foul of Flag State Authorities and Port State Control rules, as well as increasing the safety risk for vessels, crews and cargoes. UKHO's John Dawson said: ‘We urge purchasers, users, inspectors and regulators to be vigilant for counterfeit Admiralty charts and publications. Because counterfeit versions have not been through the same rigorous checking procedures as official charts and publications, they cannot be trusted for voyage planning or navigational purposes.