Nautical charts for Norwegian coast and sea areas

Norwegian nautical charts on paper are organised in different chart series, where the scale and content are adapted to different shipping and user needs. When navigating in narrow waters, maps on the largest scale should be used, as these provide the best and most detailed information. Small-scale charts are greatly simplified in inland waters.

Norgeskart

Harbour Chart

Harbour charts consists of 45 charts on a scale from 1:5,000 to 1:25,000, and covers harbours and approaches along the Norwegian coast. Some harbour chart have so-called specials in even larger scales of central parts of harbours or narrow waters. In Svalbard there is one harbour map. Nautical chart 513 which covers several places in Svalbard on a large scale.

Harbour charts provide the user with a detailed picture of depth conditions and quay facilities in the ports and approaches in the coastal areas.

Main Chart

The main chart series and the main chart series for Svalbard, Jan Mayen and Bouvet Island consist of a total of 167 nautical charts covering coastal waters.

The Main Chart Series comprises 143 charts on a scale 1:50 000 (with a few exceptions), and covers the norwegian coast from the border with Sweden to Grense Jacobselv (the border with Russia).

The nautical charts are often equipped with so-called specials on larger scales, over narrow waters. The topography in many of the main series charts has been transferred from landkartserien N50.

The Main Chart Series for Svalbard, Jan Mayen and the Bouvet Island comprises 24 charts. The scale varies from 1:60 000 to 1:100 000, and covers coastal polar waters  Large parts of Svalbard remain before the area is covered by charts on a scale of 1:100,000.

The Main Chart Series are charts primarily for navigation in inner coastal waters.

Coastal Chart

The Coastal Chart Series comprises a total of 10  charts in scale 1:350 000, covering the Norwegian coast from the border with Sweden to Grense Jakobselv (the border with Russia).

The chart series is published in Mercator's projection.

The Coastal Charts are primarily for navigation in coastal coastal waters not covered by the main chart series, in open sea areas along the coast, as well as on the fishing banks.

General Charts

The General Chart Series comprises a total of 12 charts from 1:700 000 to 1:10 000 000, covering the North Sea, the Norwegian Sea, Svalbard, the Barents Sea, the Greenland Sea, Iceland, Eastern Greenland, the North Atlantic and Antarctica.

The chart series is published in Mercator's projection.

The charts form part of an International Chart Series under the International Hydrographic Organisation's direction. They are marked with INT in addition to the international chart number. 

The construction parallel in the nautical charts will often deviate from the medium latitude.

The General Charts are primarily for planning and navigation over long distances.

Keep the charts updatet

After purchase, it is the responsibility of the user, to keep the chart updated using the Norwegian Notices to Mariners (Efs).

Changes of significant navigational importance are published consecutively in the Efs every 14 days, which is available free of charge at kartverket.no/efs.

Every seafarer shall be aware of the risks involved in not sailing on up-to-date nautical charts, and the liability they thereby incur.

Format

Nautical charts can be printed on both paper and plastic (Tyvek). Tyvek is fiberglass that is tear-resistant, water-resistant, foldable, and can be written on with a soft pencil.

Print on Demand Charts

The Norwegian Mapping Authority's nautical charts are available as Print on Demand charts (POD). POD charts refer to updated charts printed by retailers on request from the public.

Through the Print on Demand service, charts are updated with all safety critical updates up to and including the most recent Notices to Mariners (Efs).

To buy the official Norwegian nautical charts, contact our POD distributors in Norway and abroad.

A POD chart will be in accordance with the requirements of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO)/SOLAS. All Norwegian nautical charts are available as POD charts only.

Se chart index in Norgeskart