South Africa has been a full member of the IHO since 1951 and currently chairs the Southern African and Islands Hydrographic Commission. The Hydrographic Office co-ordinates the charting of the waters within IHO Region H. It also provides a range of services and information to the SAN and the International Maritime community. This includes one hundred Navigational Charts for South Africa and Namibia, covering a total length of coastline of 5,380km, three volumes of South African Sailing Directions, Tide Tables and various other publications and instructional charts.
The Office has 27 staff members, most of whom are non-uniformed or civilian members of the Defence Force. Five sections exist within the Office:
- Paper Charting is the largest section within the office and conducts all vetting of survey data, plus chart compilation and production
- Electronic Navigation Charting, the newest (eight years) addition to the hydrographic office. At present, there are two SAN-produced ENCs in circulation
- The Tidal section maintains a system of ten tide gauges around the coast
- The Safety Information and Nautical Publications section promulgates Coastal Navigation Warnings and Navarea VII warning, in addition to compiling and updating all publications produced by the Office. All
Navigational Warnings and Notices to Mariners are
also published on the Hydrographic Office web-site (www.sanho.co.za)
- The Survey Operations and Training section is staffed by uniformed members and is closely linked to the SAS Protea. It conducts detached surveys around the coast, utilising small craft of opportunity or a survey launch from SAS Protea. This section also conducts all the Hydrographic Training of Ratings and Officers
Although all the waters around the coastline of South Africa have been surveyed, some areas (± 40 per cent) still require surveying by modern means. This is an ongoing task and SAS Protea normally spends about 180 days per year at sea on survey operations. The Hydrographic Service is one of four role players involved in South AfricaÕs Extended Continental Shelf Project (ECSP). A desktop study has been completed to determine the scope of work and the Hydrographic Service has been committed to conduct all the bathymetric data gathering for a UNCLOS article 76 claim. This additional survey task will run parallel to the planned coastal survey plan and it is estimated that the task be completed by the end of 2007. The SAS Protea has recently undergone a modernisation in terms of underwater sensors to enable it to conduct deep-water surveys. The modernisation included the fitting of a deep-sea echosounder and a multi-beam system with a 3,000m-range capability.
After fifty years of operation, the SA Hydrographic Service is abreast of modern technology and has embraced the challenges of ENC production. The South African Hydrographic Office at the Golden Jubilee of its establishment will continue to provide a professional service to Mariners and the International Community for the foreseeable future.
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