The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is a United States agency dedicated to assessments in climate, weather, oceans, and coasts. Among its many roles, NOAA provides products, tools, and services to ensure safe and efficient maritime passage along U.S. coastal waters and the Great Lakes. NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey maintains the nation’s nautical charts and publications for U.S. coasts (Atlantic Coast, Great Lakes, Gulf Coast, Pacific Coast, and Alaskan Coast) covering 95,000 miles of shoreline and 3.4 million square nautical miles of waters.
The full NOAA nautical chart collection is available here on longitudemaps.com
Nautical Charts
Cartographers in NOAA's Office of Coast Survey, Marine Chart Division, practice the art and science of designing, compiling, updating, and distributing nautical charts. Nautical charts are a special type of map specifically tailored to the needs of marine navigation. Charts show water depths and the delineation of shoreline, prominent topographic features and landmarks, aids to navigation, and other navigational information.
A nautical chart is a work area on which the navigator plots courses, ascertains positions, and views the relationship of the ship to the surrounding area. It assists navigators in avoiding dangers and arriving safely at their destination. NOAA cartographers use sophisticated software and techniques to produce charts to exacting specifications. Every chart and every piece of source material to be compiled onto a chart is a bit different.