Sinapi elected IHO secretary general as new directing committee takes shape
Rear Admiral Luigi Sinapi has been elected secretary general of the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), with Adam Greenland of New Zealand voted in as the new director. The elections took place on 23 April at the fourth IHO Assembly, held at the Rainier III Auditorium in Monaco.
Sinapi, an Italian naval officer and hydrographer, has served as IHO director for the past six years, having previously led the Italian Hydrographic Institute as director and national hydrographer from 2015 to 2020. His career spans more than three decades in naval command, scientific research and international diplomacy, and he holds advanced qualifications in physics, international diplomacy and marine geomatics. In his new role, he will head up the IHO Directing Committee for the next three years, succeeding Mathias Jonas as secretary general.
Greenland brings over 45 years of maritime and hydrographic experience to his new position. He has served as New Zealand's national hydrographer since 2010, during which time he led award-winning initiatives including the country's first high-density electronic navigational chart and the Pacific Regional Navigation Initiative, which strengthened maritime safety across five Pacific Island nations. He was recognized with the Alexander Dalrymple Award back in 2017 for his outstanding contributions to world hydrography. Greenland will serve alongside continuing Director John Nyberg.
Navigating a defining moment for the hydrographic sector
The new Directing Committee takes office on 1 September 2026 and will steer the IHO through what is widely regarded as a pivotal period for the global hydrographic community. Chief among the priorities is the implementation of S-100, the next-generation framework for digital nautical products that is set to transform how hydrographic data is produced, distributed and used by mariners and maritime systems worldwide.
The fourth IHO Assembly, which ran from 20 to 23 April, brought together delegates from 104 IHO Member States. It was the organization's triennial gathering of the global hydrographic community at its highest level.
