IHO S-63 Charts

S-63 is an International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) standard for distributing S-57 vector charts. S-63 prevents unauthorized copying of charts and also provides confidence that the charts have not been tampered with.

SEAiq can use S-63 charts from any source. The simplest method is to use one of the automatic chart download and updater for charts from PRIMAR, ChartWorld, Admiralty (AVCS), OneOcean, or Australian Hydrographic Office (AHO). In addition to making the initial download easy, these methods will also automatically check for updates and prompt you when they are available.

When installing S-63 charts, it is important to install both the chart file(s) and the S-63 cell permit file(s). The chart files contain the charts and associated data; cell permit files contain keys and other information required to process the charts.

Cell permits can be installed in any of these types of files:

• PERMIT.TXT: The standard S-63 file name.
• ABC_PERMIT.TXT: Any file that ends with PERMIT.TXT.
• AVCSPermits.zip: A zip file distributed for Admiralty AVCS (UKHO). This archive contains PERMIT.TXT which will automatically be used.
• ENC.zip: A zip file distributed by Australian Hydrographic Office (AHO). This archive contains PERMIT.TXT which will automatically be used.
• If you use a service that distributes cell permits in an archive format, please let us know and we can consider adding to the supported archives.

Settings

User Permit

• Request : Pressing this button requests to register your device for a User Permit. Your device must be connected to the internet.
• User Permit : This shows the S-63 user permit for SEAiq on this device. Each piece of hardware has its own unique S-63 user permit, which normally needs to be given to your S-63 chart vendor so they can create so-called chart permits. Tapping on this selection allows you to export the user permit in number of ways.

Certificates

• Use Default Certificates : S-63 requires you to have a certificate in order to confirm that the charts you are using are authentic. SEAiq comes with embedded certificate files and the normal behavior is to use those. Disable this if you do not want to use these certificates. In which case you must be sure to download your own certificates. When processing charts, SEAiq checks all available certificates and accepts the chart only if one certificate authenticates the chart data.

• Download IHO Certificate : This allows you to download a certificate from IHO. This is used to verify charts signed using the IHO certificate.

  SEAiq comes with the default PRIMAR and IHO certificates. This is only required if you disable Use Default Certificates because you wish to download them yourself.

  The download link used is https://iho.int/uploads/user/Services%20and%20Standards/ENC_ECDIS/data_protection/S-63_SA_Certificate_Exp_2033.zip.

• Download PRIMAR Certificate : This allows you to download a certificate from PRIMAR. This is used to verify charts signed using the PRIMAR certificate.

  SEAiq comes with the default PRIMAR and IHO certificates. This is only required if you disable Use Default Certificates because you wish to download them yourself.

• Diagnostics : Displays list of all charts you have installed permits for and lists the status and any errors/warnings.

Deprecated

• Extra User Permit : This allows you to enter a secondary user permit. The S-63 standard allows charts purchased for a Data Client such as SEAiq on one device to be used with the same Data Client on another device (IHO S-63, v1.1.1, April 2012, section 10.5.3). If you purchased charts for SEAiq on another device, you can enter the other device user permit here. This allows those charts to be viewed.

  Important: This function is deprecated. It will not function for new installations after 1 July 2020. It will be disabled for all installations after 1 May 2021. More information.

You can find diagnostics by going to the Settings tab, selecting S-63 Data Protection, and then Diagnostics. You will be presented with detailed information about the import status of each chart cell.