Last week Hydrographic Institute of the Republic of Croatia hosted a three-day international workshop organized together with the PRIMAR RENC (Regional ENC Coordinating Centre). The workshop presenter was Mr Stig Osaland from the Norwegian Electronic Chart Centre, a world-renowned expert in the field of electronic navigational charts (ENC) and ICT. In addition to six participants from the HHI, the workshop was attended by three representatives of the hydrographic office of Ukraine and two representative of the hydrographic office of Montenegro.

The theme was the ENC quality control and validation before distribution to end users using advanced ICT tools and services developed by PRIMAR in cooperation with its fifteen member states (photos in gallery).

PRIMAR is one of the world’s three regional ENC coordinating centres (RENCs), operated in accordance with the WEND (Worldwide ENC Database) principles established by the IHO resolution. Organizationally, PRIMAR represents an intergovernmental multilateral cooperation of its full members (more about PRIMAR-u at www.primar.org).

PRIMAR’s principal aim is to ensure a harmonized quality level of official ENCs from different producer nations and making this information available to end users on ships and other onshore and onboard services on a 24/7 basis.

Croatia, as a long-standing full member of PRIMAR (since 25 October 2005), besides using PRIMAR’s tools and services to ensure highest quality of its ENCs (currently 96 ENC cells) and making them available to end users through PRIMAR, actively participates in the work of PRIMAR’s bodies and working groups from the first day. In this way, throughout the membership in PRIMAR, HHI contributes to its technological-technical and organizational development. Moreover, Croatia (HHI) hosted the meeting of the PRIMAR Advisory Committee (PAC) twice, last in November last year. Until recently, HHI representatives regularly participated in the meetings of the Joint Technical Experts Working Group (JTEWG).

Complying with the obligation of Croatia as signatory to the SOLAS convention regarding the production and mandatory use of ENCs, HHI recognizes the importance of ensuring ENC reliability and quality through well established production and validation procedures. HHI therefore recognized the importance of this workshop, and willingly accepted to host and organize the workshop. It was a pleasure to invite as participants our distinguished guests and dear colleagues from the hydrographic offices of Ukraine and Montenegro.

The workshop, consisting of nine thematic modules, each accompanied by corresponding simulation exercises with real data and validation tools, with discussions and exchange of opinions, met all expectations and achieved its objectives. All participants received certificates proving that they had mastered the usage of validation tools and ENC quality control procedures.

PRIMAR representatives regularly hold these workshops for the member states of PRIMAR worldwide.