The first hydrographic surveys in Greek waters were made by the Hellenic Navy in 1906 and two years later in 1908 the first nautical chart was published by the HN. Up until today, 252 nautical charts have been published. Greece has participated as a founding member of the International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO) since its foundation in 1919 and the present IHO president is former director (Hydrographer) of the HNHS vice-admiral A. Maratos, elected in 2002.
The mission of the HNHS is:
- support of navigation with the publication of national and international nautical charts and publications
- support of national policy on issues of hydrography, cartography, oceanography and international rights of the sea, with attendance to the work of international organisations
- support for operational requirements of the HN
- technical support of public services in the fields of hydrography, cartography, oceanography and safety of navigation.
To demonstrate the extent of the HNHS mission, Greece is said to administer 9,835 islands, islets and rocks (228 of them inhabited). It also has about 520 harbours, ports and marinas, 1,354 gulfs and coves, 161 passages and channels and a total coastline length of roughly 18,400km. To these, new harbours, ports and marinas should be added, as well as a lot of other work and investment underway in the sea area and coastal zone over which pronouncement by the HNHS is required. The HNHS is also designated national co-ordinator for navigational warnings and operator of the NAVTEX system.
Thirty military personnel and 132 civilian personnel form the HNHS, apart from the vessel crews. This personnel is constituted from all the necessary technical specialities: surveying engineers, geometers, designers, physicians, geologists and chemical oceanographers. HNHS also operates three main hydrographic vessels and four hydrographic boats carried by them.
As part of her mission, HNHS collaborates with other Greek public services and universities. It has signed Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with the Hydrographic Services of France, Russia, Germany, Italy, Ukraine, UK, USA, Albania, Romania, Tunisia and Norway, and has permanent collaboration with other countries. It also participates in various activities of the IHO, the IOC and the IMO and in relevant NATO committees and working groups. It participates too in hydrographic and cartographic research projects such as the Seapower Symposium (hydrographic works in Albania), the Gavdos project and the European Sea Level Service (ESEAS). HNHS was also able adequately to satisfy requested needs in preparation for the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.
Significant modernisation in equipment and methods has been carried out over recent years, with the introduction of multi-beam sonar, digital single-beam sonar, GPS receivers with RTK and LRK capabilities for both hydrography and topography and automated hydrographic survey software. In addition, an extensive project has been undertaken leading to the production of ENCs for Greek and adjacent waters complying with IHO specification S57 Ed. 3.1. In April 2004, the HNHS began releasing Greek ENCs and providing updating services on a monthly basis through the Regional ENC Co-ordinating Centres (RENCs). |
