Download - IHO

41
An improved version of the guidelines was completed during the meeting and was subsequently
adopted by the IHO as IHO document C-17 - Spatial Data Infrastructures: “The Marine Dimension” -
Guidance for Hydrographic Offices.
The meeting also discussed an MSDI Capacity Building plan and an MSDI Stakeholders Involvement
plan.
3rd INTERNATIONAL ECDIS CONFERENCE
Singapore, 19-21 October
The 3rd International ECDIS Conference was held in Singapore from 15-17 October 2009. Captain
WARD presented the keynote speech. The conference concentrated on the forthcoming requirement for
an increasing number of vessels to use ECDIS for navigation.
Over 300 delegates heard a range of views and experiences from mariners and shipping companies
already using ECDIS. The consistent message that they delivered was: ECDIS improves navigation
safety, is welcomed by mariners and it saves money. Their principal words of caution were that
mariners must be properly trained to use ECDIS.
S-52 REVISION MEETING
IHB, Monaco, 26-27 March
An ad hoc group of the IHO Digital Information Portrayal Working Group (DIPWG) met at the IHB,
on 26-27 March 2009, to undertake a revision of IHO Publication S-52: “Specifications for Chart
Content and Display Aspects of ECDIS”. CHRIS-20 (Niterói, Brazil, November 2008) directed
DIPWG to “undertake a revision of S-52, including all annexes” in order to take account of the
adoption by IMO in December 2006 of revised Performance Standards for ECDIS and the transfer of
S-52 Appendix 3 Glossary of ECDIS-related to the IHO Hydrographic Dictionary S-32, and with a
view to simplifying S-52.
The group identified all operational specifications of the existing S-52 (main part) which were moved
to the IMO PS for ECDIS and undertook to develop a single document incorporating the existing
Appendix 2 of S-52 ECDIS Colours & Symbols Specifications and the remaining specifications of S-
52 on chart content. The resulting document, entitled S-52: Specifications for Chart Content and
Display Aspects of ECDIS which focusses on ECDIS portrayal aspects, was submitted to the
Hydrographic Services and Standards Committee (HSSC) at its inaugural meeting in Singapore in
October 2009. The IHO Presentation Library for ECDIS will become an annex to the revised S-52.
The group did not revise Appendix 1 Guidance on Updating the ENC, as the recently formed ENC
Updating Working Group (EUWG) was already tasked to review this document.
1st MEETING OF THE TIDAL AND WATER LEVEL WORKING GROUP (TWLWG)
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 30 March – 1 April
The 1st meeting of the TWLWG was held in Niteroi, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from 30 March to 1 April
2009. Representatives from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Finland, France, Norway, Portugal,
Spain, UK, USA, Venezuela and the IHB attended the meeting. Mr. PILLICH, Expert Contributor, and
Cdr. CAVALCANTE, IOC/GLOSS observer, also attended.
Captain TORRES, on behalf of VAdm. PALMER FONSECA, the Brazilian Director of Hydrography and
Navigation, opened the meeting. He commented on the valuable assistance on tidal matters that Brazil
had received from WG Member States following Brazil‟s first attendance at the former Tidal
Committee meeting in Canada in 2007. Mr. GILL (USA) welcomed delegates to his first meeting as
Chair.