Imray to stop publishing paper charts

[dunedin]

Sorry I have just looked at the thread but I remember that some chart agents used to print out Admiralty Charts from digital copies, won't the same facility be operated with Imray? Surely they will still produce digital charts and if a chart agent has the printer then it should be easy enough to print out a chart.

I doubt it. As covered earlier, printing is cheap and easy. The costly bit is all the cartography work creating the raster charts that are actually printed. So, as I understand it, all of that stops when 2025 editions are finalised.

 

[requiem]

Sorry I have just looked at the thread but I remember that some chart agents used to print out Admiralty Charts from digital copies, won't the same facility be operated with Imray?

It's important to distinguish between raster and vector charts here. Admiralty raster charts, so far as I'm aware, will continue to be available for some time as they've rightly realized that many stakeholders were left behind by the shipping industry's move to ENC vector charts.

Raster charts are easily printed, but conversely require significant manual effort to update and maintain, and that is what it appears Imray is no longer able to support. In contrast, official ENC charts (which are in vector format) cannot be easily printed as they are designed for interactive use.

 

[st599]

Certainly how it works at the Admiralty Chart Agent in Gib. We were regular customers and they advertised in our local pilot book.

That's what UKHO announced the end of, then delayed implementation date.

 

[Sandy]

Sorry I have just looked at the thread but I remember that some chart agents used to print out Admiralty Charts from digital copies, won't the same facility be operated with Imray? Surely they will still produce digital charts and if a chart agent has the printer then it should be easy enough to print out a chart.

Chart Agents do print HO charts on demand.

I just wish Imray would be explicit about the word 'producing'.

 

[dunedin]

Chart Agents do print HO charts on demand.

I just wish Imray would be explicit about the word 'producing'.

That’s because UKHO were forced to pause their plans to withdraw all paper (and raster) charts by 2026. But they will likely seek to withdraw their paper also as soon as they are permitted to.

 

[Sandy]

That’s because UKHO were forced to pause their plans to withdraw all paper (and raster) charts by 2026. But they will likely seek to withdraw their paper also as soon as they are permitted to.

But that does not answer the question, what do Imray mean by stop producing. Do they mean stop processing the data and printing charts or just stopping all printing?

 

[dunedin]

But that does not answer the question, what do Imray mean by stop producing. Do they mean stop processing the data and printing charts or just stopping all printing?

See their announcements and previous posts including #121 above.
Stopping publishing (doing) charts.
Focusing on pilot books and Explore With Imray.
So nothing left to print after 2025.

 

[st599]

But that does not answer the question, what do Imray mean by stop producing. Do they mean stop processing the data and printing charts or just stopping all printing?

Imray will continue to serve the maritime community via our renowned pilot books, cruising guides, and the popular ‘Explore with Imray’ digital product. These resources will remain a cornerstone for sailors and adventurers, offering reliable, verified information for both coastal and offshore navigation.

Chart production and support, including Imray Notices to Mariners, will continue through the 2025 season. Beyond that, no new editions will be published.

This lead time provides a valuable opportunity for leisure and coded vessels to secure Imray’s high-quality paper charts whilst stocks are available. As one of only two chart providers recognised by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Imray charts are tailored to leisure sailors, and offer an excellent alternative to official government charts, especially in light of price increases for those charts scheduled for January 2025.

So no further charts produced which leaves only UKHO for coded vessels (who've already announced they're ceasing production at some point) and no legal electronic alternative available.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

So no further charts produced which leaves only UKHO for coded vessels (who've already announced they're ceasing production at some point) and no legal electronic alternative available.

I am not sure I understand what you are saying:

"UKHO are only for coded vessels" what's to stop others buying them surely you wouldn't have to produce evidence of coding to buy a chart.

UKHO as far as I remember stopped producing the printed chart and effectively pushed that down to chart agents who print from digital versions, are you saying that UKHO are going to stop allowing chart agents to print charts? something that would dent their revenue stream.

Are you also saying that UKHO have announced they are ceasing production ( implying charts) If so what is the Hydrographer and the survey vessels going to do?

All academic to me but may be of interest to others that like Sandy prefer to have a paper chart.

 

[RunAgroundHard]

I am not sure I understand what you are saying: ….

It means that coded vessels need to have paper charts to be coded because ECDIS systems are impractical for small leisure yachts operating commercially: too expensive and too many bits for the reliable back up requirement to go paperless.

A pragmatic revision to the regulations is required to use so called consumer market leisure systems for navigation in certain sectors, IMHO

 

[AntarcticPilot]

But that does not answer the question, what do Imray mean by stop producing. Do they mean stop processing the data and printing charts or just stopping all printing?

It is maintaining a team of cartographers that is expensive, not printing. Printing is the least expensive part of the production process. So I am sure that Imray mean that they are ceasing all processing.

 

[st599]

UKHO as far as I remember stopped producing the printed chart and effectively pushed that down to chart agents who print from digital versions, are you saying that UKHO are going to stop allowing chart agents to print charts? something that would dent their revenue stream.

Are you also saying that UKHO have announced they are ceasing production ( implying charts) If so what is the Hydrographer and the survey vessels going to do?

UKHO announced they were ceasing production of Raster charts and Print on Demand: UKHO plans to end production of all printed Admiralty charts by 2026 | CA

They then delayed implementation as at the moment only UKHO and Imray paper charts are legal on a small coded vessel. The alternative, ECDIS is impractical as it requires redundant power supplies, redundant GNSS feeds, a 24" monitor and other stuff that yachts don't have. There is work going on to write a new standard for a smaller "For Navigtion" plotter, but it isn't published yet, so we're years away from mass produced products on the market.

 

[Tradewinds]

It is maintaining a team of cartographers that is expensive, not printing. Printing is the least expensive part of the production process. So I am sure that Imray mean that they are ceasing all processing.

How are they going to produce accurate chartlets ( obvs ‘not for navigation’) for their pilot books? Surely some process will be involved.

 

[RunAgroundHard]

UKHO announced they were ceasing production of Raster charts and Print on Demand: UKHO plans to end production of all printed Admiralty charts by 2026 | CA

They then delayed implementation as at the moment only UKHO and Imray paper charts are legal on a small coded vessel. The alternative, ECDIS is impractical as it requires redundant power supplies, redundant GNSS feeds, a 24" monitor and other stuff that yachts don't have. There is work going on to write a new standard for a smaller "For Navigtion" plotter, but it isn't published yet, so we're years away from mass produced products on the market.

There are solutions available now if a degree of pragmatism was applied. It doesn’t need new standards.

 

[st599]

There are solutions available now if a degree of pragmatism was applied. It doesn’t need new standards.

Unfortunately they aren't being pragmatic. All current chartplotters are "Not for Navigation" so the RYA and RIN have started work on a new specification https://cdn.ymaws.com/rin.org.uk/re...s/smallcraft/Proposal_for_EN_system_Rev6_.pdf

 

[RunAgroundHard]

Unfortunately they aren't being pragmatic. All current chartplotters are "Not for Navigation" so the RYA and RIN have started work on a new specification https://cdn.ymaws.com/rin.org.uk/resource/resmgr/groupresources/smallcraft/Proposal_for_EN_system_Rev6_.

I know, but they are being used for that, that is where the pragmatic approach could be best for safety and cost. The market has already delivered good software and hardware that allows safe navigation.

I guess we shall see what the RYA and RIN produce. It may not be that bad.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

How are they going to produce accurate chartlets ( obvs ‘not for navigation’) for their pilot books? Surely some process will be involved.

A much reduced team could do that - maybe only one person.

 

[st599]

I know, but they are being used for that, that is where the pragmatic approach could be best for safety and cost. The market has already delivered good software and hardware that allows safe navigation.

I guess we shall see what the RYA and RIN produce. It may not be that bad.

I'm not sure it's within their gift unfortunately. I think that they probably need international agreement to change the rules.

 

[lustyd]

had no prior warning!

This is the prior warning. It's not an immediate thing

 

[Fr J Hackett]

What about French SHOM charts