The 16th Meeting of the Marine Spatial Data Infrastructure Working Group (MSDIWG16) was held in Lisbon from 18 to 21 March 2025. The event gathered experts, stakeholders, and representatives from international organizations, who discussed key issues and future guidelines for the development of marine spatial data. The meeting began with introduction speeches and official opening, followed by multidisciplinary session focussing on Portuguese initiatives within MSDI. The representatives of Portugal outlined relevant topics and projects, and the participants had an opportunity to discuss challenges and possibilities within the sector.
During the meeting, several presentations and discussions on the status of national MSDI systems took place, including successes, challenges and further plans. Presentations were made by regional MSDI working groups and stakeholders, who shared their experiences and proposals for improvement of cooperation. The second and third day were dedicated to technical discussions on the development and use of new technologies, including the application of artificial intelligence in optimising the performance of hydrographic offices, pilot project of S-122 implementation through MSDI, and upgrade of INToGIS system. The future of MSDIWG within UN-GGIM was also discussed.
Representatives of the Hydrographic Institute of the Republic of Croatia, Vinka Kolić Bubić and Goran Strinić, presented Croatian solution to MSDI and achievements so far in the presentation and sharing of data within the HHI competence.
On the last day of the meeting, the MSDIWG16 report was prepared, to be presented at IRCC17. The participants evaluated the meeting and defined the priorities for future work.
Photo: https://www.hidrografico.pt