international hydrographic organization annual report 2011 ... - IHO

OTHER INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
(Task 1.1.17)
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON MARINE DATA
AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Paris, France, 29-31 March
In March Captain WARD attended the International Conference on Marine Data and Information Systems
(IMDIS) representing the IHO and presented information on the recently adopted IHO Standard S-100.
The IMDIS Conference was co-organised by France’s Institut français de recherche pour l'exploitation
de la mer (IFREMER), the EU SeaDataNet Project, and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic
Commission (IOC) and the International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange (IODE).
The conference covered a wide range of oceanographic data issues from the specific application of data
and data sets to the need for better coordination and availability of data in common and accessible
formats. In this context, the work of the IHO and its recent adoption of S-100 as an international standard
and the establishment of an underpinning, open and dynamic Registry was most relevant and attracted a
number of questions from the participants.
CIRM ANNUAL MEETING
The Hague, Netherlands, 11-12 April
The Comité International Radio-Maritime (CIRM) held its annual Conference in Scheveningen,
Netherlands, on 11 and 12 April. CIRM is the body that represents the maritime electronics industry in
the development of relevant international regulations and standards and is recognised by the IHO as a
Non- Governmental International Organization. CIRM maintains an active role in the IHO Hydrographic
Services and Standards Committee (HSSC), with a number of its members also participating as Expert
Contributors in various HSSC Working Groups.
Captain WARD represented the IHO at the Annual Meeting of CIRM and provided an update on issues
and activities of interest to CIRM members, and in particular the relevance of the IHO S-100 geospatial
data standard to the e-Navigation concept currently under development by the IMO. He also highlighted
various ECDIS equipment and software kernel issues that are beyond the control of the IHO and will
require action from ECDIS manufacturers to rectify.
Alongside Captain WARD, the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Pilots’ Association
(IMPA), the Head of the Operational Safety Section of the IMO , and representatives of the International
Harbourmasters’ Association IHMA), and the International Electro-technical Commission (IEC) also
attended the meeting as observers.
After the meeting, Captain WARD visited the Netherlands Hydrographic Office, where he was greeted by
Captain FLOOR DE HAAN, Hydrographer of the Netherlands. Captain WARD was given a tour of the
facilities and discussed topical IHO issues with senior members of the staff.
Element 1.2 INFORMATION MANAGEMENT
Development and Maintenance of the IHO Web Site
(Task 1.2.1)
The IHB continued to improve its internal and external Information Technology (IT) infrastructure.
Improvements were also made to the IHB conference room IT infrastructure to include a dual-screen
projection capability and improved internet access for delegates.
The maintenance of the IHO web site, which is an important resource for the Organization, is an ongoing
task that is undertaken by several members of the IHB staff. It is an essential reference for coordinating
the work of IHO Committees and Working Groups and Regional Hydrographic Commissions. It also
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