Over 350 people, comprising delegations from 77 International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO) Member States plus Associate Member States, UN bodies, industry partners and associated stakeholders, gathered in Monaco from 24-28 April for the First Session of the IHO Assembly. Much of the focus was on how hydrographic data is managed and shared, and how national Hydrographic Offices should engage in Marine SDI and the wider uses of hydrography, something that OceanWise’s personnel have been promoting for over 10 years.
In support of these messages, OceanWise exhibited its Marine Mapping, Environmental Data Sharing and Publishing products and services, as well as promoting the company’s Data Management Training and Capacity Building courses. The level of interest was both unprecedented and very encouraging as the IHO community migrates from being navigational chart product and service providers to being able to actively support the Blue Economy through the wider sharing, exchange and re-use of its geospatial data, and in doing so, participate in national and regional Marine and National Spatial Data Infrastructure initiatives.
The IHO MSDI Working Group, for which OceanWise provides the Secretariat, celebrated its 10th anniversary at the event and hence reaffirmed its importance in providing support to all IHO Member States as they embark along this journey of change.
Indonesian Delegation and Assembly Chair, Dr Parry Oei, on the OceanWise stand in Monaco.
