Latitude and longitude

Latitude:
Latitude is a measurement on a globe or map of location north or south of the Equator.
Technically, there are different kinds of latitude—geocentric, astronomical, and geographic (or
geodetic)—but there are only minor differences between them. In most common references,
geocentric latitude is implied. Given in degrees, minutes, and seconds, geocentric latitude is the
arc subtended by an angle at Earth’s center and measured in a north-south plane poleward
from the Equator.

Longitude:
Longitude is a measurement of location east or west of the prime meridian at Greenwich, the
specially designated imaginary north-south line that passes through both geographic poles and
Greenwich, London. Measured also in degrees, minutes, and seconds, longitude is the amount
of arc created by drawing first a line from the Earth’s centre to the intersection of the Equator
and the prime meridian and then another line from the Earth’s centre to any point elsewhere
on the Equator. Longitude is measured 180° both east and west of the prime meridian.

Their importance in water transportation:

Any position on the earth can be described by its latitude and longitude which are the lines of
an imaginary [ grid ] laid on the earth's surface. Grid lines running east to west and parallel to
the equator are known as parallels of latitude with the equator itself being 0° latitude. Lines
that run north to south, between the North and South Poles, are known as meridians of
longitude.
The prime meridian or 0° longitude, runs through the Greenwich Royal Observatory in the
United Kingdom from which it takes its name. Measured by the angle that they form at the
[ centre ] of the earth , lines of latitude and longitude are known by degrees (°), minutes ('), and
tenths of a minute there being 60' in 1°, and 360° in a circle.
The [ angle of latitude ] is measured from the centre of the earth along the prime meridian
from the equator (0°), ranging from 0° to 90° north and to the south. The [ angle of longitude ]
is measured at the centre of the earth along the equator from the prime or Greenwich meridian
(0'), ranging from 0° to 180° east and to the west.
The latitude and longitude scales are printed at the edge of the nautical map with grid lines
crossing them allowing positions to be measured and plotted. Positions are described, as
latitude being the first in °N or °S, followed by longitude in °E or °W i.e., 53° 42'.7 N 5° 20.3 W.
When coastal sailing, it easier to give a position by referring to a fixed sea or landmark using
direction and distance than using latitude and longitude. Direction is measured clockwise as an
angle relative to north. Describing the direction of an object in relation to the [ boat's
position ] , or between two objects, is done by taking a bearing the direction in which the boat
is sailing, and known as a heading.
Depth and height at sea is measured in metres. Depth as shown on a nautical map is relative to
a fixed datum and is usually the Lowest Astronomical Tide or [ LAT ] being the lowest water
level ever expected. The water depth is higher than shown because of the height of tide. The
datum from which heights are measured depends on the type of object measured.
References :
https://www.britannica.com/science/latitude
https://www.working-the-sails.com/navigation_basics.html