FIG Working Week 2008

Once again the FIG has hosted another successful working week, this time in Stockholm (Sweden) at the time of year when the sun hardly sets. In his closing remarks, the FIG president Professor Stig Enemark noted that nearly 1000 participants from a record 95 countries participated, and that the conference theme ‘Integrating Generations’ provided plenty of discussion, learning and new ideas about how we, as surveyors, can contribute to a better world. Members of Commission 4 were among those who participated in the ACCO meeting and general assembly meetings as well as presented papers, chaired sessions and, of course, socialised with other surveyors during the 14 to 19 June period.?<P>

Vice Chair (Administration)David Neale led the Commission delegation, which included: Vice Chairs Michael Sutherland and Gordon Johnston; Ulf Olfsen who represented Commission 4 at the Standards Network meeting; and Steve Shipman of the IHO (who, when pushed, is always prepared to offer useful comments from the IHO perspective on hydrography). The Commission held its annual meeting on Monday afternoon where Vice Chairs reported on working group progress.

The Commission’s main technical session was held on the second day of the conference with a session on hydrographic surveying in practice, which included three papers. The first was a paper presented by Frida Andersson on behalf on Dr Petra Phillipson of the Swedish Maritime Administration on the use of high-resolution satellite imagery to produce nautical charts. The second was a peer reviewed paper (the peer review option was introduced at this conference) by Andrew Marsall and Paul Denys of the University of Otago in New Zealand, on the use of GPS buoys to transfer tidal datum. The final paper was by Volker Böder of Hafen City University in Germany on the efficiency of low-cost attitude sensors for hydrographic applications. Each paper generated deep discussion and offered good opportunity for learning by those who attended. Other papers on hydrographic data management and coastal zone management were presented. Some of these papers are still available on the FIG 2008 Working Week (web reference 1).

At the conference, several items that are important to the hydrographic community were discussed. These are summarised below.

The work of the IAB
Gordon Johnston reported that the International Advisory Board met last April in Sydney, Australia and considered several matters including a change to its name by removing the word ‘Advisory’, the application of nine courses worldwide for certification, funding of the Board and a request that the Board considers individual certification.

Election of Teo Chee Hai
Teo, a long standing Commission 4 delegate from Malaysia, was elected to the FIG Council as a Vice President for the period 2009–2010. Teo is a surveyor in private practice in Kuala Lumpur. Iain Greenway of the UK was elected as the other Vice President. They replace Paul van den Molen and Ken Allred whose terms come to an end at the end of 2008.

Planned Commission 4, 5 and 8 Working Group project
Commissions 4, 5 and 8 met to discuss details of a joint working group on coastal zone development policy. The joint working group will manage a technical session at the 2009 Regional Conference as well as pursue both a FIG publication and a technical session at the 2010 FIG Congress.

Election of Michael Sutherland
Michael Sutherland, current Vice Chair of Commission 4, has been convinced to run for Chair of the Working Group and has been elected for the period 2010–2014. Michael has been a strong contributor to the Commission by leading several technical sessions. He has also been the editor of FIG publication No. 36 on the Administration of Marine Spaces ( 8 2) and has contributed the article The Costa Rica Declaration, Pro Poor Coastal Zone Management to FIG publication No. 43 ( 8 3).
?There was also lots of time for social events, including The Foundation dinner at the VASA monument museum (where a large Viking ship has been restored), the Gala Dinner at the Winter Garden of the Grand Hotel (where we were told that a Nobel Prize Dinner was once held) and the Annual Commission 4/5/7 dinner on the Tuesday at a 500-year old restaurant cellar in the old part of the city of Stockholm. As you can imagine, much fun, food and wine were had by all and with nearly 24 hours of daylight there was little excuse for going back to our hotels.