Growth

The growth for companies in hydrography has two sides. On the one hand, there is growth because the industry is penetrating into other fields such as large infrastructural projects developing ports and harbours, the oil and gas industry expanding their field of attention to further and deeper parts of the oceans, and the offshore wind parks that are being planned everywhere around the globe. These fields are all looking to hydrography to provide them with good bathymetric data. The developments are taking place at a rapid pace and on a scale never seen before. Then on the other hand, the growth is no longer just in the Northern Atlantic, but also the Southern Atlantic and the African as well as the South American coastal waters are booming with activity. The same goes for the Chinese waters and other large parts of the Pacific.  

It’s exactly those two paths to growth that the new CEO of QPS Tomas Hjelmberg sees for the Dutch hydrographic software producer QPS (see the interview with Hjelmberg on page 10). His strategy will be to focus on designing a seamless and total workflow for users in different applications and fields of work related to hydrography in all parts of the world. Hjelmberg sees mother company Saab and its extensive network as a tool in meeting the goals of the future.  It wouldn’t be bad advice for others to just follow this strategy to make the most out of the growing need for hydrographic data.  

After launching our new comparison website Geo-matching.com during Ocean Business in Southampton last year, most of you are sure to have encountered the website that wants to guide you through the maze of specifications of hardware and software in hydrography. Over the past year, we have added many new product categories, so it is worth checking the website regularly. This issue includes a survey of Autonomous Unmanned Vehicles and lots more information, reviews, videos and brochures can be found at www.geo-matching.com.  

I also have the pleasure of introducing two new contributing editors of Hydro  International. Marck Smit from the Royal Netherlands Institute of Sea Research (NIOZ) and Jelle Roders, freelance hydrographic consultant, have joined our editorial board and will, together with their fellow editors, ensure
that you receive an up to date overview of developments in the field. We welcome Marck and Jelle and wish them lots of luck!  

It’s time once again for the biggest exhibition in hydrography and oceanography that takes place every two years: Oceanology International is on from 11 to 13 March at the London ExCeL Centre. You will find an extensive preview of the show in this issue. Many members of Hydro  International’s team will be present at the show. Please come and visit us at booth M10 to pick up an extra issue of Hydro International, to take a look at our Geo-matching survey on AUVs or just to have a chat with one of our team members. We look forward to seeing you!