Pilot Charts

work by Maury

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Last updated

July 1, 2026

Quick Summary

Matthew Fontaine Maury, a U.S. naval officer and pioneer in oceanography, developed pilot charts to improve maritime navigation. By collecting data on winds and currents from ship captains in specially prepared logbooks, Maury compiled these charts. His work enabled ships to shorten their sea voyages by providing information on the main wind fields of the Earth. This innovation inspired the first international marine conference in 1853 and led to the creation of charts for the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans. Maury also published The Physical Geography of the Sea, the first modern oceanographic text, and recommended separate shipping lanes in the North Atlantic to prevent collisions.1

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History
Maury’s Pilot Charts, containing recommended routes, earned him the title of “Pathfinder of the Seas.” Within a few years, as steam propulsion was introduced and wind ceased to be a navigational consideration, modern shipping routes were gradually adopted. They are based simply on the fact that…
Read More
Maury’s Pilot Charts, containing recommended routes, earned him the title of “Pathfinder of the Seas.” Within a few years, as steam propulsion was introduced and wind ceased to be a navigational consideration, modern shipping routes were gradually adopted. They are based simply on the fact that…
Read More