During the 18th and 19th centuries, the colonial Spanish authorities carried out some hydrographic surveys in Cuban waters and published the first nautical charts and the first Cuban sailing directions. Between the third and fourth decades of the 20th century, the Hydrographic Office of the United States carried out systematic hydrographic surveys in Cuban waters and published the nautical charts of the coasts and main ports of Cuba.

The first national Hydrographic Office in Cuba was created in 1922, and Cuba has been a member state of the IHO since 1950. Nevertheless, it was not until after the victory of the Cuban Revolution with the foundation of the Cuban Institute of Hydrography (ICH) in 1969, that the activities of Cuban hydrography and nautical cartography developed into a true service.
During 1970 and 1972 hydrographic surveys of the Cuban interior, territorial and adjacent waters were carried out jointly with the Head Department of Navigation and Oceanography of the Soviet Union. Paralleling these developments, national hydrographic specialists acquired modern techniques and the necessary capabilities in order to become self-sufficient as the country’s Hydrographic Service.

Since 1992, the Cuban Hydrographic Service has undergone a further modernisation process, which has included the introduction and the production of automated systems for the acquisition and processing of hydrographic datasets, the use of Differential GPS, the modernisation of echo sounders, computer-aided editions of nautical charts and publications, and the creation of the National Hydrographic Data Center.

In 1995, as part of the structural and functional improvement of Cuban state institutions, an integration process of the Cuban Hydrographic Institute (ICH) and the Cuban Geodetic and Cartographic Institute (ICGC) took place. The Directorate of Hydrography and Geodesy (which has later become the National Hydrographic and Geodetic Office) was founded together with the Entrepreneurial Group GEOCUBA which together constitutes the Hydrographic and Geodetic Service of the Republic of Cuba (SHGC).
The SHGC is carrying out a programme for the development of electronic nautical chart production. At this time we have the complete raster chart collection in BSB format and have just finished training and are commencing the production of the first Cuban Electronic Navigational Charts (ENC), based on the IHO international standard S-57.

Since 1993, the Cuban Naval Academy ‘Granma’ has produced graduate Hydrographic and Oceanographic engineers to meet the needs of SHGCÕs wide-profile specialists.
The SHGC has also made an important contribution to regional and international activities. Cuba is a founder member of the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico Hydrographic Commission of IHO (CHCGM), where it has carried out notable work. Also, Cuba participates in the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico Bathymetric Chart Project (IBCCA).
The SHGC works towards increasing the safety of navigation on the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico waters and also in enhancing the bonds and relationships between the hydrographic services and offices of the region.