Georgia, Batumi, 30 June – 2 July 2015  The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) accomplishes the major part of its five basic work programmes through the work of 15 Regional Hydrographic Commissions (RHC) 

Over the past years, Croatia as full member of the Mediterranean and Black Seas Hydrographic Commission (MBSHC) has participated in the work of the Commission on a regular basis, in between and during conferences, which take place in the country of one of its Members every two years.

Croatia hosted the MBSHC Conference in 1999, and under the statutes presided over the Commission in the two-year period (1999 – 2001). The last XVIII MBSHC Conference was held in Turkey in September 2013, with the participation of Director of the Hydrographic Institute of Croatia. This year’s XIX MBSHC Conference will take place in Batumi, Georgia, by the end of June. An exhaustive Conference agenda is provided in a standardised format according to thematic areas.

Electronic navigational charts will be main topic of the Conference again, because of specific problems related with ENC and ECDIS, which have been mandatory navigational aids for particular types and sizes of vessels since 2012. Further issues to be discussed are the e-navigation Strategy Implementation Plan, and Maritime Safety Information (MSI).

Unfortunately, for financial reasons Croatia will not have its representative at the Conference, but all important issues and topics are addressed in its National Report according to the prescribed format. The report has been sent to the current Chairman Cap. Gezgin (Turkey), and to the IHO office which publishes National Reports of all MBSHC Members on its website.