Service Quality of Inland Electronic Navigational Charts on the Yangtze River

Abstract

As a golden waterway in China, the Yangtze River is one of the busiest waterways in the world. The Changjiang Waterway Bureau has made inland electronic navigational charts (I-ENC) of the Yangtze River from Yibin to Liuhekou. It assists ships in safe navigation and provides information on waterway elements for analysis and prediction. Compared with traditional navigation and information methods, ENCs better promote the safety and efficiency of inland waterway navigation, thereby protecting the environment. The primary tool of this study is the questionnaire, including the basic information, business services, data services, available services, and product services of the Yangtze River I-ENC. This study analyzed the questionnaire combined with on-the-spot investigation, focusing on understanding respondents’ current views on the Yangtze River I-ENC to improve service quality. A total of 885 respondents completed the questionnaire from June 2021 to August 2021. The results show that the Yangtze River I-ENC mainly expands related products, such as Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS), mobile application, WeChat small program, internet online navigational charts, and paper navigational charts. Mobile application is the most popular among respondents. The primary purpose of I-ENC at the present stage is to assist navigation and improve navigation safety.