Continuing the long-standing good and successful cooperation, yesterday the HHI was venue for the 2nd working meeting with representatives of the Italian Hydrographic Office (Istituto Idrografico della Marina – IIM).
Agenda items included issues from several different subjects. The meeting started with an overview and assessment of previous cooperation between the two hydrographic offices. Administrative items dealt with the issue of formalisation of bilateral cooperation in two possible ways: by amending the existing technical agreement signed at the level of two ministries of defence, or by concluding a standard bilateral agreement according to the model agreement of the International Hydrographic Organization, which has been prepared as final draft. Technical items covered several issues. These include agreeing upon the way to solve the ENC overlap issue between the two offices, as well as time schedule for its implementation. Status and improvement of INT paper chart publishing was also examined, according to schedule established at regional level. Under strategic and organisational issues, current models of organisational structure of both offices were presented, as well as possible restructuring concepts in order to address new challenges faced by all hydrographic offices worldwide. One of major challenges falls within the scope of basic activities, and relates to the need for ensuring in due time availability of new generation of ENCs and other publications according to new IHO S-100 standard. Another challenge is to ensure availability of hydrographic data, which are increasingly used in many other activities connected with the sea and coastal areas.
As regards the forthcoming 2nd session of the IHO Assembly, the main organ of the IHO, which meets every three years, major documents were discussed, where a high degree of mutual understanding was established on the most important issues and official proposals submitted for discussion at the IHO Assemby. The working session ended with visiting the HHI departments and Museum of Hydrography, exchange of gifts, and a collective photograph.
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