Commercial release of the 3rd Edition official Malacca and Singapore Straits Electronic Navigational Chart

The Hydrographic Offices (HOs) of the three littoral states, namely Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, of the Malacca and Singapore Straits, together with the Japan Hydrographic Assocation (JHA), jointly announced the commercial release of the 3rd Edition official Malacca and Singapore Straits Electronic Navigational Charts (MSS ENC) on 1 May 2012.

The MSS ENC consists of six cells covering from One Fathom Bank, Malaysia, Riau waters of Indonesia and to the eastern entrance of the Singapore Strait (see Appendix 1). Jointly produced by the HOs of Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, with technical advice provided by the Hydrographic and Oceanographic Department of the Japan Coast Guard and the Nippon Foundation. Relevant updates and feedback from users on the earlier version have also been incorporated into the latest MSS ENC.

The official MSS ENC meets the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) specifications and standards. The MSS ENC, used together with ECDIS, is recognized as the paper chart equivalent which meets the carriage requirements of the SOLAS Convention (Chapter V/19).

Given that the Malacca and Singapore Straits are one of the world's busiest shipping routes between Indian Ocean and the South China Sea, the availability of the official MSS ENC would benefit the shipping community as it provides mariners with important information on the area. The MSS ENC, together with ECDIS, will serve as a useful tool to aid ships as they navigate through the busy waterways. This would further enhance navigational safety and help minimize shipping casualties and protect the marine environment.

The 3rd Edition of MSS ENC is available from the HOs of Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore as well as JHA through their respective appointed distributors and sales agents. The contact addresses are as listed in Appendix 2.

Appendix 1 and 2

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