According to NCC report, Dr. Ali Soltanpour, manager of Hydrography and Tidal Affairs of NCC said: “The Working Group of Hydrographic Services and Standards Committee of IHO (IHO-HSSC) is established based on the approval of this committee and due to the outbreak of Covid-19 virus, it held its first meeting virtually on April 29, 2021, and started working practically. This working group consists of experts from Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Croatia, Denmark, Ecuador, France, Germany, India, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Latvia, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, UK, US and private sector hydrographic observers including AML, DEA, ECA Robotics, EGS International, EOMap, Fugro, IFHS, Hogere Zeevaartschool, iXblue, JOA Survey, Kongsberg Maritime and Teledyne Marine”.

Soltanpour continued: “During the fifth meeting of The Hydrographic Services and Standards Committee of IHO (IHO-HSSC), the issue of the lack of a working group to focus on hydrographic activities was raised. At the eighth meeting of the above-mentioned committee, a working team was formed to review and prepare a new version of the Standards for Hydrographic Surveys (S-44 Edition 6.0.0.).

Besides, this working team took the responsibility of preparing a proposal to continue the activities as a working team or an independent working group. During the twelfth meeting of the aforementioned committee, the establishment of an independent working group to investigate matters related to hydrographic activities and related publications was approved and the Hydrographic Surveys Working Group (HSWG) was established under the Hydrographic Services and Standards Committee of IHO (IHO-HSSC) and its regulations were also approved.

The initial objectives of Hydrographic Surveys Working Group include reviewing the Standards for Hydrographic Surveys (S-44), updating IHO C13-Manual on Hydrography, the necessary training for using the S44, supporting the S44 translation for its widespread use, exploring new technologies and methods, and exchanging experiences between members and cooperation with other working groups, in particular the Data Quality Working Group (DQWG), to meet the existing needs to present and display marine data to marine users and Capacity Building Working Group to support the training courses”.

The representative of Iran in this working group is Dr. Ali Soltanpour and the next meeting of this working group will be held virtually for three consecutive days in June.