The Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS) is a critical tool for voyage planning and route monitoring, enhancing navigational safety at sea. In compliance with the latest revision of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), the International Maritime Organization (IMO) mandated the installation of ECDIS by July 2018, based on vessel categories. The equipment and operational qualifications must be approved by the ship’s flag state and follow recommendations from the ship’s classification society.

JRC’s latest ECDIS models, the JAN-7201S and JAN-9201S, feature an integrated route editing system that combines graphic input and numeric table input into a single streamlined interface. Any waypoints selected on the navigational chart are immediately added to the numeric table, and vice versa, creating a seamless interaction between chart and table. Up to four routes can be edited simultaneously, and portions of routes can be cut, combined, or replaced as needed. A built-in safety check feature allows users to validate edited routes with a single click. If any errors are detected, the system highlights the relevant sections on both the chart and table for quick identification and resolution.

The JAN-7201S/9201S also introduces a new user interface, the jGUI, which provides an intuitive, icon-based menu system. Critical data is consistently displayed in fixed locations on the screen for easy reference, while the menu’s icon-based structure ensures that functions are readily accessible. Additionally, target tracking (TT) and AIS symbols feature mouseover pop-ups that display key information at a glance.