International Hydrographic Organization IHO

04/09/2026

“Innovate, unite and advance”.

These words summarise the objectives of the incoming Secretary-General of the IHO as the new leadership was officially presented to HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco. 💡🌊

The incoming team has taken the helm at a pivotal time, with the organization undergoing a transition in how it operates. This is accompanied by the opening of a new IHO office and entity and the implementation of the S-100 framework underway around the world.

🔗Learn more about all of this as well as the leadership’s priorities for the coming term here: https://iho.int/en/new-direction-at-the-iho



General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans | Gouvernement Monaco | Palais Princier de Monaco - Prince's Palace of Monaco | 국립해양조사원 / Korea Hydrographic and Oceanographic Agency

“Innovate, unite, and advance”. This is the ambition announced by the incoming Secretary General of the IHO as the new leadership was officially presented to HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco. Following the elections by Member States, the new directing team at the IHO Secretariat came into office o...

20/08/2026

"International cooperation in hydrography can be transformed into professional competence and lasting national and regional capability." 🌊💪

These words, spoken by IHO Director and Secretary-General-elect Rear Admiral Luigi Sinapi during the graduation ceremony for the Category A Master of Science in Hydrographic Science at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM), perfectly frame the success of the joint project between the IHO, the Republic of Korea (ROK), USM and the U.S. Navy. 🏫🎓

This project sponsors two participants from different IHO Member States each year to at-tend the master's programme and has, to date, supported 27 graduates from 16 countries.

After graduation, the participants are encouraged to act as multipliers of knowledge within their organizations, training colleagues, mentoring younger professionals, improving procedures, and building stronger teams that contribute to the global development of hydrography. 🗺

As part of the week's activities, Director Sinapi visited the USM School of Ocean Science and Engineering and the Hydrographic Science Research Center. The visit included exchanges with faculty and students and a review of ocean-observing and hydrographic capabilities, including systems used to monitor autonomous ocean platforms.

Director Sinapi also took the opportunity to visit The University of Mississippi - Ole Miss, where he engaged with university leadership and students to explore areas of cooperation at the intersection of hydrography, marine and environmental science, technology and maritime law.



국립해양조사원 / Korea Hydrographic and Oceanographic Agency

19/08/2026

Register now for the 2026 ABLOS Seminar: Oceanic Data Sharing and the Law of the Sea 🚢⚓

The upcoming ABLOS Seminar will bring together international experts to explore the role of ocean data and data sharing in supporting the implementation and development of the Law of the Sea. 🌊🤿

The seminar will feature presentations from EMODnet and the Portuguese Task Group for the Extension of the Continental Shelf, as well as case studies on Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and the BBNJ Agreement from the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO and Oceano Azul Foundation.

📅 When? 16 September 2026
📍 Where? Lisbon, Portugal
💻Virtual attendance possible.

For more information and how to register, please visit: https://iho.int/en/oceanic-data-sharing-and-the-law-of-the-sea-to-be-addressed-in-ablos-seminar

Hosted by the Hydrographic Institute of the Portuguese Navy.



Hidrográfico | International Association of Geodesy

Note: This image was generated using AI.

The upcoming ABLOS Seminar will bring together international experts to explore the role of ocean data and data sharing in supporting the implementation and development of the Law of the Sea.

18/08/2026

Are you interested in how AI and autonomous technologies are transforming ocean mapping? Curious about funding opportunities, public-private partnerships and philanthropy supporting ocean knowledge? Want to discover what is happening across Latin America and the Caribbean?

Join experts from across the global ocean community at the GEBCO Symposium 2026 to exchange knowledge, experiences and practical case studies on topics including:
🔹Autonomous vehicles, long-endurance USVs and AI for ocean mapping
🔹Bathymetry supporting biodiversity, marine conservation, navigation and ocean governance
🔹Ocean data sharing, private-sector engagement and evolving policy
🔹Practical applications of the free and openly accessible GEBCO data
🔹Ocean mapping for marine spatial planning, sustainability and informed decision-making (SOPM)
🔹Financing ocean mapping, the Blue Economy and new investment perspectives
🔹New applications of seabed mapping, from marine conservation to underwater cultural heritage

Speakers will showcase practical case studies from across Latin America and the Caribbean, including the Galápagos, the Nazca Ridge National Reserve, the Cayman Islands and the Colombian Pacific.

The Symposium will also feature an interactive workshop where participants can exchange ideas on financing, funding and investment opportunities, including public-private partnerships, as well as coordination towards future Ocean Decade and UN Ocean Conference milestones, including UNOC4.

Join researchers, hydrographers, policymakers, industry representatives, students and ocean enthusiasts from around the world in Cartagena, Colombia, to explore how seabed mapping can support global ocean action, sustainability and informed decision-making.

📆 Dates: 8 and 9 October
📌 Hotel Capilla del Mar, Bocagrande, Cartagena, Colombia
👉 Registration and further information here: https://iho.int/en/gebco-symposium-2026

14/08/2026

4 IHO Member State candidates spent 2 weeks at sea gaining knowledge & skills with the EWH Project. 🌊♀️

Aboard the oceanographic research vessel Pourquoi Pas?, the participants coming from Peru, Indonesia, Spain and the United Kingdom, gained valuable hands-on experience with oceanographic and hydrographic survey techniques as part of the EWH - Shom 2026 On-Board Opportunity.

During the voyage, the candidates received training on topics including sediment processes in submarine canyons, numerical model development, and internal tide simulation. They also took part in real survey operations, including the deployment of Vertical Microstructure Profilers (VMPs).

Want to learn more about their experience and discover other EWH activities? Please visit: https://iho.int/en/project-activities



ADMIRALTY | Armada | Ifremer | Dirección de Hidrografía y Navegación | Marina de Guerra del Perú

05/08/2026

This week, the IHO is participating in the 16th Session of the United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM). 🌎🌊

The IHO is there to help advance progress on Integrated Marine Geospatial Information and the global rollout of the S-100 framework for hydrographic data.

A special milestone this session: the Joint Working Group on Marine Geospatial Information, uniting the UN-GGIM Working Group on Marine Geospatial Information and the IHO Marine Spatial Data Infrastructure Working Group, celebrates its first anniversary.

One year in, and the land-sea data gap keeps getting smaller. 🌐

With the BBNJ Agreement now in force, the Joint Working Group is well placed to lend its technical expertise and practical guidance on interoperable geospatial standards - supporting, not duplicating, the institutions established under the Agreement.

UN-GGIM sets the global standard for coordinated, accessible geospatial information, powering sustainable development for Member States worldwide.

Representing the IHO Secretariat is Director John Nyberg.

01/08/2026

MPA Day: Supporting Ocean Protection Through the IHO S-100 Framework! 🌊 🌐

As part of the S-100 universe, the S-122 Marine Protected Areas Standard enables enhanced information on the boundaries, regulations and levels of protection of MPAs to be delivered directly to ECDIS and other marine information systems.
This supports compliance with local regulations and contributes to the conservation of marine ecosystems.

Additionally, to support the development of S-122, the IHO is collaborating with ProtectedSeas to enhance collaboration on the collection and delivery of MPA data and information.

Endorsed by the UN Ocean Decade, MPA Day is a global event dedicated to raising awareness about MPAs and their essential role in ocean conservation, sustainable development, and community well-being.



Marine Protected Areas Day

21/07/2026

🌊 How can reliable marine geospatial information help turn ocean governance frameworks into practical action?

IHO Director, Dr. John Nyberg, will participate in the webinar, “Ocean & Sea Governance: Why Marine Geospatial Information Matters”, as part of the 16th session of the United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM).

Join the event to explore how trusted, interoperable and fit-for-purpose marine geospatial information can support ocean and sea governance, marine spatial planning, safety of navigation and related policy processes.

📅 Date: 23 July 2026
🕛 Time: 12:00–13:00 UTC

🔗 Register here: d8ebbcec-a999-40f9-aea6-463851a77b3e@0f9e35db-544f-4f60-bdcc-5ea416e6dc70" rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/d8ebbcec-a999-40f9-aea6-463851a77b3e@0f9e35db-544f-4f60-bdcc-5ea416e6dc70



Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO | United Nations

15/07/2026

An underwater volcano discovered last year has been officially named! 🌋🌊

Located around 1,500 km south of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean, a flat-topped submerged volcano measuring 56 km by 44 km and a striking 2,620 metres of relief, has officially been registered in the GEBCO Gazetteer of Undersea Feature Names under the name Fanjaka Guyot.

The term Fanjaka comes from the Antandroy dialect of southern Madagascar, meaning something beautiful, interesting, and important - and in local tradition, evoking royalty, authority, and legitimacy. For a feature of this scale, it fits. 👑

The proposal brought together OceanX, a nonprofit focused on advancing ocean science, with researchers from the Institut d'Enseignement Supérieur d'Anosy and the University of Toliara, facilitated by the South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON). 🌍🤝

Dr. Njaka Masimana, member of the team, states that: "We are proud to see a name rooted in our local context officially appear on the map. This is both a symbolic and strategic step forward for us."

The IHO Secretariat accompanied this naming proposal through the submission process until its online publication in the GEBCO Gazetteer.

General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans | Université de Toliara

07/07/2026

Sharing the importance of hydrography with the next generation of ocean professionals 🧑‍🔬🌊

Last week, the 2026 cohort of the Académie de la Mer de Monaco (A*M) visited the IHO Secretariat, where they had the opportunity to explore the IHO headquarters, experience the S-100 simulator provided by NAVTOR, and attend a masterclass led by IHO Director Luigi Sinapi.

The masterclass covered a variety of topics, including:
🚢How hydrography is present in everyday life
🌐The implementation of the S-100 framework and its benefits for the entire ocean community
🗺The GEBCO programme

The ongoing collaboration between the IHO and A*M highlights the efforts of both institutions to raise awareness of the importance of the oceans, inspire future generations and tackle ocean challenges.

As part of the day’s activities, the cohort also visited the premises of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Centre Scientifique de Monaco.



Gouvernement Monaco | General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans