News
The Hydrographic Society of Russia (HSR), has always kept in touch with companies working in the field of navigation and hydrography and taken an active interest in their new developments and achievements. That is why the HDNO (The Head Department of Navigation and Oceanography) approval of Transas charts has attracted HSR attention. In late October, a group of HSR members headed by Dr N. Neronov, their President, visited the Transas office in St. Petersburg, Russia. The main purpose of the visit was to meet the Transas production team and to familiarise members with the company’s latest developments in electronic cartography and navigational equipment. Mr Vladimir Vaigachev, Chief of Transas Chart Production Department, informed HSR members.
The HDNO of the Russian Federation have recently recognised Transas vector charts in the TX-97 format as valid for use in remote areas of the world’s oceans, as per Notices to Mariners issue 32/2003 *5093/3 of August 2003. According to the HDNO recommendation, use of the Transas world TX-97 database with updated paper charts will improve safety of navigation. The expert commission has confirmed that Transas vector digitised electronic charts represent a high-quality product, fully compliant with all relevant international standards and regulations including the ISO: 9000 quality system.
The in-house production of vector electronic charts is an important area of Transas activity. To date, the Transas World Collection consists of more than 10,000 charts, all digitised to the highest quality and level of accuracy, produced from paper chart data published by all the major national Hydrographic Offices. The world-wide coverage achieved by the Transas Chart Collection secures safe navigation in practically any region around the globe. Today, Transas employs 23 qualified hydrographers and a production team of 22 database operators engaged solely in the process of digitising new charts and quality control. The electronic charts in Transas proprietary TX-97 format are widely recognised on the international market, with over one million having been supplied with ECS and ECDIS systems to more than 7,000 customers throughout the world.
During the meeting, HSR members and Transas experts discussed the main trends in electronic cartography development, and the main problems and prospects for HSR collaboration with private companies.

Contact
The Hydrographic Society Russia (HSR)
Att. Viktor Rybine
Kozhevennaja linija 41
Saint-Petersburg 199106
Russia
Tel/Fax: +7 812 350 5026
vgr.gidro@mail.rcom.ru