NOAA Raster Navigational Charts (RNC)

Description

NOAA, National Ocean Service, Office of Coast Survey, Marine Chart Division is responsible to build and maintain a suite of more than 1000 nautical charts that are used by commercial and recreational mariners to navigate the United States and U. S. territory waters safely.A Nautical Chart is a graphic portrayal of the marine environment. They are used to lay out courses and navigate ships by the shortest and most economically safe route. They can also serve as base maps for resource management and shoreline development planning by state and local government.Charts depict the location of the shoreline, minimum water depths, aids to navigation, hazards to navigation, the nature and form of the coast, water depths, the general character and configuration of the sea bottom, the rise and fall of the tides, protected areas, and the characteristics of the Earth's magnetism.The suite of charts is compiled and maintained with data provided by federal, state, and private partners such as the National Ocean Service elements, United States Coast Guard, United States Army Corps of Engineers, United States Power Squadron Auxiliary, Port Authorities.The charts are currently available as Lithographically printed paper charts, Electronic Raster Nautical Charts (RNCs), up-to-date paper charts (printed with print on demand technology), and are now offered as Digital Vector Electronic Nautical Charts (ENC).The NOAA RNCs are electronic images of the NOAA paper charts. The NOAA RNCs were productized with a successful Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with private sector partner BSB Electronic Charts, a subsidiary of Maptech, Inc. Andover, Massachusetts. As of November 1, 2005 the NOAA RNC's are available for free download via the NOAA website.

Resources

Name Format Description Link
21 Downloadable Data https://www.charts.noaa.gov/InteractiveCatalog/nrnc.shtml
21 Downloadable Data https://www.charts.noaa.gov/RNCs/RNCs.shtml
55 RNCProdCat_19115.xml https://www.charts.noaa.gov/RNCs/RNCProdCat_19115.xml
0 View the complete metadata record on InPort for more information about this dataset. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/39966
21 Agreement for data download. http://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/Raster/download_agreement.htm
0 Website listed for Office of Coast Survey https://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/
0 Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2024. GCMD Keywords, Version 19. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords
33 NOAA Data Management Plan for this record on InPort. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inportserve/waf/noaa/nos/ocs/dmp/pdf/39966.pdf
21 Webpage dedicated to describing why NOAA RNCs are no longer a navigational product and alternative navigational products. https://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/charts/farewell-to-traditional-nautical-charts.html
0 View the complete metadata record on InPort for more information about this dataset. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/39966
21 Webpage dedicated to describing why NOAA RNCs are no longer a navigational product and alternative navigational products. https://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/charts/farewell-to-traditional-nautical-charts.html
0 Website listed for Office of Coast Survey https://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/
33 NOAA Data Management Plan for this record on InPort. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inportserve/waf/noaa/nos/ocs/dmp/pdf/39966.pdf
0 Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2024. GCMD Keywords, Version 19. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords
21 Webpage dedicated to describing why NOAA RNCs are no longer a navigational product and alternative navigational products. https://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/charts/farewell-to-traditional-nautical-charts.html
0 View the complete metadata record on InPort for more information about this dataset. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/39966
21 Webpage dedicated to describing why NOAA RNCs are no longer a navigational product and alternative navigational products. https://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/charts/farewell-to-traditional-nautical-charts.html
0 Website listed for Office of Coast Survey https://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/
0 Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2025. GCMD Keywords, Version 22. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords
33 NOAA Data Management Plan for this record on InPort. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inportserve/waf/noaa/nos/ocs/dmp/pdf/39966.pdf

Tags

  • ngdaid166
  • united states nautical charts
  • navigation
  • u.s. waters
  • national ocean service
  • national geospatial data asset
  • oceans
  • nautical charting
  • doc/noaa/nos/ocs
  • noaa
  • marine navigation
  • u.s. exclusive economic zone
  • office of coast survey
  • u.s. department of commerce
  • ngda
  • ocs
  • united states navigational charts
  • nautical charts
  • ocean-born commerce
  • mariner
  • hazards
  • water oceans and coasts theme
  • u.s territories

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