Marine guides

S-57 vs S-63 charts: differences and Open Marine support

Understand unencrypted ENC data and protected commercial charts.

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Format and protection

S-57 is a hydrographic data exchange standard; S-63 provides a protection scheme for ENC data. Having a file does not mean every application can use it or that its licence permits use.

Open Marine support

Open Marine Charts supports importing and converting unencrypted S-57. It does not decrypt S-63 or protected commercial charts.

Before departure

Check the source, coverage, updates and licence. Software does not turn an unauthorised or outdated source into a suitable navigation chart.

A format is not a licence

S-57 describes a hydrographic data exchange format; S-63 adds a protection and access-management scheme for ENC data. Licence, authorisation, coverage and currency are separate questions. A familiar file extension alone does not establish permission for a particular use.

What to expect from Open Marine

The project documents import of unencrypted S-57 and conversion for locally served tiles. It does not implement S-63, oeSENC or decryption of protected commercial charts. If your charts need one of those systems, ask the provider for an authorised compatible solution.

Sources and further reading

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