Regular annual meeting of Strategic and Financial Working Groups (PSWG and PFWG) of PRIMAR Regional ENC Coordinating Centre (PRIMAR RENC) as well as the workshop on How to use PRIMAR portal services were held in Split, in the Hydrographic Institute of the Republic of Croatia from 20 to 22 May 2025. The meeting was attended by representatives of PRIMAR, Norway, Sweden, Finland, France, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, and Croatia. Croatia was represented by the Director Vinka Kolić Bubić and her associates.
The agenda included the common topics related to the strategic and financial issues and the presentation of current marketing activities of the Marketing Working Group (PMWG).
The key strategic issue was related to the need to adapt the operation of PRIMAR and its members regarding the production and distribution of new generation ENC according to IHO standard S-101. The subject standard S-101 refers to the preparation of hydrographic offices for the coming digital navigation by implementing S-100 Universal Hydrographic Data Model serving as the basis for development of the IMO e-navigation concept.
Related thereto, past activities and progress on joint projects were analysed. Two projects were highlighted as most significant: Canadian S-100 Sea Trial project by the Canadian Hydrographic Service, supported by International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) and PRIMAR, and Baltic Sea Project. They represent a significant advancement for PRIMAR in their effort to build a database which will include a growing S-100 data groups and to deliver S-100 products to users on the market. Likewise, PRIMAR expects to add a growing number of S-100 products to their production base in the coming years. New S-100 data will be added to PRIMAR product catalogue and available as from June 2025.
PRIMAR representatives also held a workshop related to How to use PRIMAR portal services being the main platform to access S-57 and new S-100 ENC products and services. PRIMAR portal enables its users to access ENC charts and products, manage licences and download ENC data, access quality control and validation tools, inform on news and plans regarding standard S-100 transition, follow up on technical notifications, etc. The portal has been continuously developed and upgraded.
Croatia, as a long-time full PRIMAR member, uses PRIMAR tools and services aiming to ensure the top quality ENC (320 cells currently) and to ensure their availability to end users.
About PRIMAR
PRIMAR is one of the world’s two regional ENC coordinating centres (RENC), operated in accordance with the WEND (Worldwide ENC Database) principles established by the IHO resolution. From an organizational point of view, PRIMAR is an intergovernmental multilateral cooperation of its full members.
PRIMAR’s principal aim is to ensure a harmonized quality level of ENCs from different producer nations and make them available to end users on ships and other onshore and onboard services on a 24/7 basis.
PRIMAR is a non-profit organization, investing the proceeds of the sale of ENCs in the maintenance of existing and development of new services and functionalities. In the context of technological solutions and many services which it provides, PRIMAR has been recognized as a leading RENC.