Electronic Navigational Charts
Data Specifications
- Area of Coverage: All U.S. waters
- Date(s) Available: Vary by location
- Format: Vector database
- Resolution/Scale: Multiple scales
Overview
NOAA Electronic Navigational Charts (NOAA ENCs) have been developed to support safe navigation in U.S. waters. A NOAA ENC contains navigational features in a vector format produced by digitizing each feature’s geometry into a specific object. NOAA cartographers collect the vector features using a data standard (S-57) recognized by international treaties and the International Hydrographic Organization. The navigational objects are maintained in a database along with additional information about their real-world characteristics, such as geographic position, shape, color, and age of the data.