Class B Hydrographic Surveying Course
Skilltrade together with STC started a new hydrographic surveying course in Rotterdam (The Netherlands) in line with the requirements as laid down by the IHO (International Hydrographic Office). The partnership resulted in a course schedule for the so called class "B" program, which is defined as: "a programme which provides a practical comprehension of hydrographic surveying for individuals with the skill to carry out the various hydrographic surveying tasks".
The idea to develop this course was initiated early 2006 as there is a real shortage of hydrographic surveyors in the industry. On Monday, 22nd Jan 2007, the first hydrographic surveying course started. Nine particpants from four different countries (three Dutch, one Irish, one English and four Polish).
The course is devided into four modules. Module-1: a five-day basic safety training course. Module-2: a three-week nauctical course encompassing all basic competencies of the Class "B" program: Mathematics, Statistics, Physics, Nautical Science and Communication Technology. Module-3: encompasses all professional competencies of the Class "B" program: Bathymetry, Tides, Water Levels and Flow, Positioning, Hydrographic Practice, Hydrographic Data Managment, Environmental Science and Legal Aspects. Module-4: pratcial training with a company. The requirement to follow all modules depends on the candidates background, experience, assessment form and interview.
The course also covers the following two Optional competencies of the class "B" program: Hydrography for Coastal Zone Managementand and Construction Hydrography. Practical experience is obtained in Landsurvey, vessel mobilisation, full project mobilisation, data collection and processing and a survey software course. Every week there is a different guest lectures from or visit to: anchor lay-barge, port surveying, environment surveying, multibeam echosounders, wreck survey, pipeline survey, cartography, ROV surveys and shallow water surveys plus the surveys of the Hydrographic Service of the Royal Netherlands Navy.
Up to the end of February, five students have followed Module-1 and Module-2, subjects: Mathematics, ICT, Physics and Nautical Science. All students have started Module-4, subjects: different types of and introduction to hydrography, Theory of errors, Statistics, Tides, Law of the Sea, Underwater Acoustics, Geodesy, Single and Multibeam echosounders and Landsurvey plus Company lectures from AllSeas, Port of Rotterdam, Rijkswaterstaat and Reson.
