Australasian Hydrographic Society

World Hydrography Day celebrated at the Australian Hydrographic Office with the launch of Australia’s new ENC Service - AusENC

Australian lives, livelihoods and environments are better protected thanks to the Australian Hydrographic Service’s achievement of Electronic Navigational Chart (ENC) coverage for Australia and Papua New Guinea waters.

Hydrographer of Australia, Commodore Rod Nairn, was joined by key representatives from government, industry, academia, the Royal Australian Navy and the local community to mark this achievement and celebrate World Hydrography Day by officially launching Australia’s new ENC service, AusENC.

“The new electronic navigational chart coverage is a highly significant contribution to the maritime safety of Australian lives, livelihoods and the environment. Devastating international shipping incidents continue to occur around the globe resulting in huge costs in lives, eco systems and money. The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) believes that using smart data in electronic navigational charts combined with real-time positioning and computer-based navigation systems, will reduce these incidents by 30 per cent,” Commodore Nairn said.

The launch of AusENC comes on the eve of the worldwide introduction of compulsory carriage of ENCs by commercial shipping, which has been mandated by the IMO and is being phased in from July 2012 to 2018.

The new AusENC service supports vessels operating in Australian and Papua New Guinea waters with simple ordering and easy availability of up-to-date electronic navigational charts, improving the safety of navigation for vessels importing and exporting the goods to and from Australia.

The local AusENC service complements the international service available through global distributor, the International Centre for ENC (IC-ENC).

“By helping to reduce groundings, the Australian Hydrographic Service’s AusENC not only protects the goods on which Australia relies—together with the people and vessels transporting them—but also safeguards the sensitive environments they travel through such as the Great Barrier Reef and the Torres Strait,” Commodore Nairn said.

The official launch at the Australian Hydrographic Service’s head office in Wollongong doubled as the annual celebration of World Hydrography Day, 21 June, to raise awareness of the importance of hydrography and nautical cartography to maritime safety, trade and environmental protection.

The Royal Australian Navy’s Australian Hydrographic Service fulfils Australia’s obligations under the International Convention for the Safety of Life At Sea by publishing official nautical charts and other hydrographic information required for safe navigation in Australian waters.

AHS Awards
The 2011/2012 AHS Awards have been announced. Congratulations to the following who will receive their awards either at the World Hydrography Day function or the 2012 AGM to be held later this year.

Award of Merit
• Literary and Media Achievement (Non-Fiction): Emeritus Professor Alan Frost
• Scientific and Technological Achievement (Group): CEESCOPE R&D Team (Peter Garforth, Paul Davies, James Min, Sandesh Joshi)
• Information Management Achievement (Individual): Ms Katherine Butcher
• Corporate Achievement (Port Operations): Paul Howe

Order of Merit (Service to the Australian Hydrographic Society) – Service Achievement (Operations)

• Mr Alec Millett
• Mr Bruce Baker
• Mr Malcolm Jones
• Mr Scott Elson

Order of Merit (Service to the Australian Hydrographic Society) – Service Achievement (Administration)
• Mr Malcolm Jones
Patron’s Letter of Appreciation – for exceptional support of the AHS
• Ms Fiona Millett
• Ms Rebecca Dicker

East Australian Region
On 21 June, the EAR celebrated World Hydrography Day with a formal dinner and presentation of one of the AHS Awards. The keynote speaker was the Hydrographer of Australia, Commodore Rod Nairn, AM, RAN. The photo shows the presentation by Commodore Nairn, AM, RAN to the CEESCOPE R&D Team of the Award of Merit – Scientific and Technological Achievement (Scientific Achievement by a Group).