Although NoorderSoft does not produce or edit Electronic Navigation Charts (ENC's) its software is fully equipped to represent these charts. NoorderSoft develloped its own S-57 kernel to give the users of its voyage planning software access to the official, extremely detailed charts that many waterway authorities publish, called ENC's. The company has much expertise in the area of Inland ECDIS (the standard for the charts), S-57 (the used standardised data model) and ENC production. This is due to the European standards, that prescribe a full compatibility of all River Information Services. It caused NoorderSoft to adapt its own data model to the Inland ECDIS standard and to adopt as many elements of the S-57 data model as possible into its own technologies.

NoorderSoft's S-57 kernel technology can be made available to others, under common licence agreement. More information can be provided on demand.

Voyage Planning and chart representation require different types of data. While chart data concern a detailed description of a limited area, voyage planning data concern a COMPLETE description of a LARGE area. Otherwise, digital planning would not be possible: one cannot find the shortest path through a network of which the data are incomplete!

It is however possible to adopt many features of the chart data model into the network data model. Using the same objects and attributes to describe locks and bridges, for example, and using the same coding for various types and cathegories of constructions.

NoorderSoft uses Inland ECDIS elements whenever this is possible. The position of the waterways in the network is expressed with "Waterway Axis", and the attributes used to describe locks and bridges is compatible. Geographical data are all in WGS84. Distances and dimensions are in identical units and use the same interpretation rules. Imported and exported data (such as operating hours, lock delays and vessel information) use identical formats (e.g. xml-based schemes and schedules).

Although the use of Inland ECDIS compatible data does not make much difference for the voyage planning processes, it allows a far easier exchange between different elements of River Information Services, such as a representation of a planned voyage in an Inland ECDIS Chart and an exchange of (planned) position data in Tracking and Tracing functionalities.

NoorderSoft maintains and edits its data partly by means of Inland ECDIS compatible tools, such as the ENC-designer by SevenCs. Expertise of the production of special purpose charts (such as the small scale overview chart of the inland waterways network of Europe) is amply available.