From lead-line to Lidar: rediscovering exploration in hydrography
For generations, hydrographers explored the oceans with a lead-line and a chart that was mostly empty white space. Over the past hundred years, however, ocean mapping has leapt fro...

For generations, hydrographers explored the oceans with a lead-line and a chart that was mostly empty white space. Over the past hundred years, however, ocean mapping has leapt fro...

Recent research demonstrates that multibeam echosounder (MBES) water column data deserves closer attention from the hydrographic community, particularly for the remote estimation o...

In order to ensure safe navigation, Flemish Hydrography (FH) uses multibeam echosounders to precisely determine the depth and shape of shipwrecks. After a detailed survey and proce...

Thanks to major advances in both the technological methods used and the richness of the datasets available on the condition of wind farms, it is becoming easier for developers and...

The shallow nearshore coastal zone plays a critical role in coastal erosion processes, flood risk and ecosystem dynamics, yet it is one of the most difficult environments to survey...

As NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research prepares to bring its new flagship research vessel Anna Weber–van Bosse into service, attention is shifting from construc...

The maritime sector is entering what is often called the S-100 era. Much of the discussion so far has focused on compliance timelines and new product specifications. However, ...

To protect New Zealand’s coastline, Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) has launched the 3D Coastal Mapping Programme. Over three years, this technically dema...

In September 2025, Brazil reached a historic milestone in the modernization of nautical cartography with the conclusion of its first electronic navigational chart (ENC) produced un...

Hydrographers are swimming in a vast ocean of data. Whether from ENC databases, weather satellites, buoys monitoring ocean conditions or sonar pings from the latest bathymetric sur...

A research vessel that has been the cornerstone of ocean science in the United States for five decades is preparing to retire. On 20 September 2025, the RV Endeavor returned to the...

The world is ever changing. So is the profession of the hydrographic surveyor. But how will current technological and societal changes impact hydrographic surveying? Will this be a...

We are experiencing an industry-wide shift towards uncrewed and remote survey operations. However, recent developments in remotely operated vehicle (ROV) pipeline inspection method...

The Cayman Islands recently became the first nation to map its entire exclusive economic zone (EEZ) using autonomous systems, marking a significant moment for modern hydrography. L...

Using drone platforms and RGB images acquired with passive optical cameras, image-based UAV bathymetry is a cost-effective and accessible method of inspecting and surveying the sea...

The NOAA Office of Coast Survey’s newly revised hydrographic survey specifications and advanced toolsets streamline workflows, boost automation and enable seamless integratio...

Artificial intelligence (AI) is currently one of the hottest trends in many fields, including GeoAI for the processing of spatial data. This study briefly describes research in one...

Beneath the sunlit waves of Florida lies an intricate underwater world that few have seen but many depend on. Through the Florida Seafloor Mapping Initiative, Woolpert and partners...

The Tietê-Paraná Waterway is an important navigable route in Brazil, stretching over 2,400 kilometres. It comprises sections of the Paraná and Tietê river...

The exploration and classification of the seabed have always been crucial for various scientific, environmental and commercial purposes. Traditional methods of seabed classificatio...

Submarine canyons, carved into continental margins worldwide, play a key role in ocean circulation, sediment transport and marine biodiversity. Around Antarctica, their influence e...

The navy-after-next will be a ‘hybrid fleet.’ This concept was first articulated by then-Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Admiral Michael Gilday and embraced by his succ...

When Jonathan Beaudoin delivered his first multibeam training session, it wasn’t part of some grand plan – it started with a phone call and a willingness to say yes. Tw...

The delimitation of maritime boundaries plays a significant role in preserving a country’s sovereignty and jurisdiction. Their determination justify a country’s rights,...