BSB raster charts are copies of the paper charts with a high resolution and produced by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, (NOAA), the Civil Hydrographic Organisation of the United States for their home waters.

For non US waters the company Maptech produces also BSB charts. Their charts cover large parts of the European waters including the Mediterranean.

Since 2003 a number of BSB charts are protected against copying. These charts are being released as BSB version 4. To use these charts you have to register. (once).

Chartworx systems support the encrypted as well as the unencrypted versions.