UKHO Hosts RN Navigation Staff
The United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO) opened up its doors to Royal Navy Navigational staff to give them with an insight into their work. Staff from Britannia Royal Naval College (BRNC) in Dartmouth spent time learning about the breadth of nautical chart compilation and associated work that is conducted by UKHO on behalf of the Royal Navy (RN) as well as the Merchant Mariner.
The college delegation included Lt Cdr Goeran Swistek, of the Federal German Navy, and RN staff Lt Jon Bannister, Lt Tom Jenkins, Lt Mike Samways along with UKHO Chart Office Manager Peter Heal who is based at the Dartmouth campus.
They were shown how data is sourced and analysed, visited the branch which charts The Gulf, Red Sea, India and South East Asia, saw digital survey processing in the Bathymetric Data Centre, printing of charts on demand, discovered more about Geodesy and Imagery, explored mutual digital chart training opportunities before finishing up touring UKHO's archives which date back over three centuries.
Peter Heal said that the trip was organised to bring some of the RN Navigation staff to the UKHO for an insight into UKHO products and services. UKHO has a special relationship with BRNC, which has been training RN officers since 1863, as staff teach navigation at Initial Officer Training level at the Dartmouth College and the college's bridge simulator is used by staff to further understand the maritime environment in which UKHO charts and publications are used. In addition UKHO provides charts and publications in support of the training.
