Background of producing the SCS ENC The South China Sea (SCS) is one of the world's busiest international sea lanes. More than half of the world's supertanker traffic passes through the region's waters. Over half of the world's merchant fleet (by tonnage) sails through the SCS every year. Over the years littoral MSs of the SCS, as well as some countries outside the region, have produced small scale paper charts covering the area. MSs of the EAHC produced large scale ENCs covering their own waters, particularly the major ports. Regional Cooperation Realizing that official and high quality small scale ENCs conforming with the established IHO standard were not available for the SCS, the EAHC MSs decided to cooperate closely and resolve the situation so that mariners could use most up-to-date chart information for voyage planning and enhancing safety of navigation, rather than resorted to some commercially developed electronic products which were either prepared in proprietary formats, or containing unofficial data with very infrequent updating. First Edition SCS ENC In March 2005, the First Edition SCS ENC was launched using a number of paper charts ranging from a scale of 1:200,000 to 1:1,250,000 produced by the littoral MSs as source data. The MSs had generously shared with the EAHC the copyright of the data depicted from these selected paper charts and ENCs. Second Edition SCS ENC The Second Edition SCS ENC is launched on 1 October 2008 and is produced based on most up-to-date data. The compilation scale of this new edition ENC is 1:700,000 and is categorized under the usage band of General Navigational Purpose. It complies with IHO Transfer Standard for Digital Hydrographic Data S-57 Edition 3.1.1 specifications. Third Edition SCS ENC The Third Edition SCS ENC is launched on 1 January 2019 and is produced based on most up-to-date data. The compilation scale of this new edition ENC is 1:700,000 and is categorized under the usage band of General Navigational Purpose. It complies with IHO Transfer Standard for Digital Hydrographic Data S-57 Edition 3.1.1 specifications. The Third Edition SCS ENC that launched on 1 January 2019 is provided to users free of charge until further notice. Third Party Distribution To allow wider distribution of the SCS ENC, third parties, such as Hydrographic Offices outside the region, chart agents and ENC centres are allowed to distribute the ENC. These third parties need to obtain distribution permission from the EAHC. They should not charge their customers for the SCS ENC. Download SCS ENC To download the SCS ENC, user has to register with the EAHC. After registration, registered user will receive via email a password for accessing the Download Page and the Updating Page. Updating The SCS ENC will be updated on monthly basis. Registered users will receive notification by email when updates are available for downloading..