e-Navigation

In 2006 the International Maritime Organization started the development of an "e-Navigation" concept defined as the harmonized collection, integration, exchange, presentation and analysis of marine information onboard and ashore by electronic means to enhance berth to berth navigation and related services for safety and security at sea and protection of the marine environment.

The driving force behind this initiative was a concern among many stakeholders that lack of standards made development of new applications difficult and that the possible benefits of integration could not be reached. The important aspects were safety and efficiency and in the centre stood the human element that had to deal with a plethora of unintegrated systems. Much information necessary to solve real world problems was already out there, but needed to be made available in a human friendly way. Some of the misunderstandings leading to accidents could perhaps avoided by presenting the information in a more effective way.