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Jul 15, 2017by: Larry Dorminy No Comments

NOAA Nautical Chart News

New products and activities for navigation safety…

The latest news

We are well into summer and Coast Survey has been busy providing commercial mariners and recreational boaters with top notch navigation products and services. Here are just a few things we have been up to.

Rear Adm. Shepard M. Smith to chair the International Hydrographic Organization Council

Rear Adm. Shepard M. Smith, director of NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey and the U.S. national representative to the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), was elected as the chair of the newly established IHO Council.

The council was established in November 2016 as a result of the adoption of amendments to the Convention on the International Hydrographic Organization. It is composed of 30 leading hydrographic nations from the membership of the IHO, and functions much like a corporate board of directors, overseeing performance management and the business side of the IHO.

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Ready to hit the water this weekend? Find out if your nautical charts have been updated recently with our Weekly Chart Updates.

NOAA offers new certification program in nautical cartography

The International Board on Standards and Competence for Hydrographic Surveyors and Nautical Cartographers (IBSC) recognized and approved Coast Survey’s new certification program in cartography (CAT-B) at their 40th meeting in Willington, New Zealand.

The new program will grant certificates to up to 13 cartographers per year, through a combination of lectures, hands-on chart production experience, work details to various branches within the Coast Survey, and field trips to working hydrographic survey vessels. The first class (which is already full), will begin in fall 2017 at Coast Survey headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland. The duration of the program is 51 weeks and comprises six courses.

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NOAA hosts first open house on nautical cartography

NOAA hosted the first open house on nautical cartography on Friday, July 7th. The event featured posters, presentations, and tours focusing on nautical cartography, highlighting the field of charting and GIS. Industry partners, international mapping groups, government agencies, and many international charting offices were in attendance. The open house welcomed a total of 200 visitors, representing 24 countries.

This one-day event, held in the Science Center on NOAA’s Silver Spring, MD, campus, was planned in conjunction with with the 28th annual International Cartographic Conference 2017 (ICC) in Washington, D.C. where NOAA also had a presence with an exhibit booth and presentations.

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New commemorative chart marks the Battle of Midway’s 75th anniversary

Coast Survey and the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries created a commemorative nautical chart for the Battle of Midway’s 75th anniversary. This nautical chart was first published in 1943, and the commemorative chart includes the original depth soundings surrounding the islands overlaid with historical photos from the battle. Read more

Coast Survey hurricane prep was in full swing before hurricane season started

Official hurricane season didn’t start until June 1, but Coast Survey’s navigation managers were heavily involved throughout April and May in training exercises with the U.S. Coast Guard, ports authorities, and NOAA’s National Weather Service.

Why is Coast Survey involved? With our expertise in underwater detection, NOAA navigation response teams and survey ships are often the first ones in the water after a hurricane, looking to make sure that no hidden debris or shoaling poses a danger to navigation.