Download - IHO

v
INTRODUCTION
The International Hydrographic Bureau (IHB) is pleased to present Part 1 of the Annual Report
referring to the activities of the Organization for 2009. This report will be of interest to Member States
and to those who have contributed to successfully progressing the various technical and administrative
developments of the IHO, which contribute to issues affecting safety at sea, protection of the marine
environment, development and security.
The Report consists of two parts;
Part 1 – IHO Programme. Part 1 presents the progress of the IHO Work Programme in 2009, as
reflected through reports and documents of the meetings of Committees, Sub-Committees, Working
Groups, Regional Hydrographic Commissions and other bodies of the Organization.
Part 2 - Finance. Part 2 presents the status of the financial developments of the Organization for 2009
at the close of the financial period in accordance with Article 11 of the Financial Regulations. It also
includes the External Auditor‟s Annual Report as required by Article 20 of the Financial Regulations.
An important event in 2009 was the 4 th Extraordinary International Hydrographic Conference (EIHC)
that took place during the first week of June in the Prince RAINIER III Auditorium. 215 delegates
from 61 Member States and 31 observers from non-Member States and Non-Governmental
International Organizations (NGIOs) attended the Conference. 15 proposals submitted by the ISPWG,
HCIWWG, MSDIWG and Member States were considered. It is of interest to note that the Conference
approved an improved definition for “Hydrography” and also the revised Strategic Plan of the
Organization. More than half a day of the Conference was devoted to considering the status of ENCs
production and availability. In the margin of the Conference three other events took place; the first
meeting of the S-23 WG, the first meeting of the IRCC and the celebration of World Hydrography
Day (WHD).
The first meeting of the Inter Regional Coordination Committee (IRCC) took place immediately after
the 4 th EIHC. IGA Gilles Bessero, the Director of SHOM was elected as the Chair of this Committee.
The reports of the RHCs and other bodies represented in this Committee were examined. The
inaugural meeting of the Hydrographic Services and Standards Committee (HSSC) was held in
Singapore from 15-17 October 2009, hosted by the Singapore HO. The Committee took over the role
of CHRIS. During the meeting the work of the HSSC‟s ten subordinate WGs was examined. Both
Committees became operational on 1 st January 2009 within the framework of the new technical and
administrative restructuring of the Organization.
11 RHCs, the HCA and the Black and Azov Seas WG met during the year. The main topics considered
at the meetings were related to ENCs, Maritime Safety Information (MSI), Capacity Building, INT
charts and other issues of regional interest. It has also to be noted that in 2009 the first meeting of the
Western Indian Ocean GEF-Marine Highway and Coastal Contamination Prevention Project took
place in Johannesburg, South Africa where progress of the project was discussed and a way forward
was decided.
Capacity Building activities continued to provide important support especially to developing States, in
order to enhance their hydrographic capabilities. Seminars and workshops were organized on a variety
of topics and technical visits were made to various States based on the programme established by the
Capacity Building Committee based on requests from the RHCs. A Capacity Building project covering
nautical cartography and funded by the Nippon Foundation started in 2009 with a number of students
from Member States receiving training at the UKHO.