Chart Plotter

An electronic navigation device that displays a vessel’s position on a digital nautical chart.

A chart plotter combines position information, normally received from GNSS such as GPS, with an electronic chart. It can display course and speed, create waypoints and routes, and monitor progress during a passage. Depending on the installation, it may also show information from AIS, radar, an echo sounder and other connected equipment.

The display is an aid to navigation rather than a substitute for maintaining a lookout or assessing all available information. Chart data and corrections must be current, the selected scale must be appropriate, and the navigator should understand the equipment’s settings, alarms and limitations. Position accuracy does not guarantee that every charted feature is equally accurate or up to date.