Updated: 26 October 2026 · 3 min read
e-Navigation is an International Maritime Organization (IMO) strategy, developed together with IALA and the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), to digitalise the information chain behind safe navigation – ship to shore, berth to berth.
The official definition
“The harmonized collection, integration, exchange, presentation and analysis of marine information on board and ashore by electronic means to enhance berth to berth navigation and related services for safety and security at sea and protection of the marine environment.”
In short: the same standard data, to the right people, at the right time, on the right device.
Key milestones
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 2008 | IMO approves the e-Navigation strategy |
| 2014 | Strategy Implementation Plan (SIP) approved, updated in 2018 |
| 2019 | IMO publishes descriptions of Maritime Services (MSC.1/Circ.1610) |
| 2026 | S-100 ECDIS may be used under IMO’s revised ECDIS performance standards |
Maritime services
e-Navigation is delivered as maritime services provided by competent authorities – VTS information, navigational assistance and traffic organisation, pilotage, tug and port services, maritime aids to navigation (coordinated by IALA), maritime safety information, nautical chart services, meteorological and hydrographic information, search and rescue, and others. Each is described by S-100 data products and delivered over suitable communication channels.
Enabling technologies
| Component | Role |
|---|---|
| IHO S-100 and its S-1xx / S-2xx products | Common data model for charts, AtoN, tides, VTS… |
| VDES | Next-generation VHF data link with far more capacity than AIS, including satellite |
| MRN (Maritime Resource Name) | Unique identifiers for ships, AtoN, services and documents |
| Maritime Connectivity Platform | Identity and service registry so ships and shore can find and trust each other |
| Common Shore-based System Architecture | Lets shore systems share data rather than work in silos |
What it means for AtoN authorities
- Digital AtoN alongside physical ones – real, synthetic and virtual AIS AtoN.
- AtoN data as a digital product under S-201.
- Real-time status monitoring becomes an expectation.
- Data-driven risk assessment (e.g. IALA’s IWRAP and PAWSA tools) to optimise AtoN provision.
Phuc Nguyen Marine’s remote monitoring platform and AIS AtoN equipment are practical first steps on the e-Navigation roadmap. See the solution.
References: IMO e-Navigation SIP; IMO MSC.1/Circ.1610; iala.int.