Obligation of equipment with an Inland ECDIS device or a comparable device for displaying electronic

charts

Vessels that are subject to the obligation of equipment with an Inland AIS device, pursuant to article 4.07 of the Rhine Police Regulations, must also be equipped with an ECDIS device in information mode or a comparable device for displaying electronic charts connected with the Inland AIS device.

Moreover, they are required to use it in conjunction with an up-to-date electronic inland navigation chart. That means that the skipper must have installed the latest available version of the chart.

This mandatory possession of the equipment does not apply to:

• vessels that are not subject to mandatory possession of an AIS device (see When is it compulsory to install Inland AIS device?)

• ferries.

According to article 1.01, (l) of the Rhine Police Regulations, a ferry is a vessel providing a service crossing the waterway and which is classified as a ferry by the competent authority.