ECDIS on board most Australian Border Force cutters, including ABFC Roebuck Bay, operated with a non-type-approved naval software version that was not updated to the latest applicable standards of the International Hydrographic Organization. The ECDIS therefore did not comply with the minimum requirements of an ECDIS being used to meet the chart carriage requirements of the regulations. As a result, the enhanced safety features of the new presentation library, which would have potentially alerted the officers to the danger posed by the reef, were not available.
The upgrade of ECDIS on board ABF cutters serves to bring the vessels into alignment with the latest applicable standards of the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO). The update to PresLib 4.0 ensures that ABF watchkeepers now have the benefit of the improved user experience, new symbols, enhanced safety features and reduction in audible alerts that was the intended purpose of the new presentation library.
Safety action taken: The ABF advised the ATSB of safety action, undertaken to update the ECDIS on board all ABF cutters to the S-52 Presentation Library 4.0. The ECDIS manufacturer, Northrop Grumman Sperry Marine, provided a software update for the VisionMaster FT Naval Total Watch system in May 2018. The ABF commenced a program of hardware upgrades along with software installation in June 2018. By September 2018, all ABF cutters operating with ECDIS were updated to the latest applicable standards of the IHO.
