CL 7/2017

IHO File No. S3/7198 CIRCULAR LETTER 07/2017 24 January 2017 ESTABLISHMENT OF THE GEBCO SCUFN UNDERSEA FEATURE NAMES PROJECT TEAM (UFNPT) References: A. HSSC Document HSSC7-05.1F INF4 - Development of an S-100 Product Specification for Undersea Feature Names and Registering SCUFN terms in the IHO Geospatial Information Registry B. GEBCO SCUFN Document SCUFN29-06C - Undersea Feature Names Project Team for the Development of S-100-based Products C. HSSC Document HSSC8-07.1C INF3 - Proposal for Terms of Reference of a SCUFN Project Team for the Development of an S-100 Product Specification for Undersea Feature Names and Registering SCUFN Terms in the IHO Geospatial Information Registry Dear Hydrographer, 1. At the joint meeting of the IHO-IOC GEBCO (General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans) Technical Sub-Committee on Ocean Mapping (TSCOM) and the Sub-Committee on Regional Undersea Mapping (SCRUM) that took place in December 2014, the Chair of the GEBCO Guiding Committee (GGC) opined that GEBCO products and services must continue to evolve to best serve the needs of their user communities. 2. Extending the model used for the Geospatial Information System (GIS) web map service for undersea features and the underlying data structure was one suggestion to better accommodate user requirements. As a consequence, it was proposed that the definitions adopted by the GEBCO Sub-Committee on Undersea Feature Names (SCUFN) for undersea features should be used as the authoritative reference for these concepts in a GIS data environment, and included in the IHO Geospatial Information Registry (IHO GI Registry). 3. The IHO Secretariat reported to the 7th meeting of the IHO Hydrographic Services and Standards Committee (HSSC) in November 2015 (Reference A) on a proposal made at the 28th meeting of the IHO-IOC GEBCO SCUFN to consider the development of an S-100-based product specification for undersea features and the harmonization of definitions. Canada accepted to take the lead on this action which was further developed at the 29th meeting of SCUFN in September 2016 (Reference B). 4. In November 2016, Canada reported to the 8th meeting of HSSC on the outcome of the th 29 meeting of SCUFN. It was noted in particular that the undersea feature names definitions that already exist in Publication B-6 - Standardization of Undersea Feature Names (Guidelines, Proposal Form Terminology) - and the Feature Concept Dictionary of the IHO GI Registry, the S-57 Feature Catalogue and the IHO Hydrographic Dictionary S-32 require to be harmonized under the S-100 framework (Reference C). 5. The HSSC noted the report from Canada and endorsed the proposal to create an Undersea Feature Names Project Team (UFNPT) under the Terms of Reference provided in Annex A. The HSSC also included a requirement for liaison with the UFNPT as work items in the Work Plans of the Nautical Cartography Working Group (WG), the Hydrographic Dictionary WG and the S- 100WG. Mapping our Seas, Oceans and Waterways - more important than ever 6. As planned by SCUFN (Action SCUFN29/140) and supported by HSSC (Action HSSC8/51), the IHO Secretariat now invites Member States (MS), IHO Stakeholders and the Secretariat of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of the UNESCO to consider nominating representatives to participate in the UFNPT and, if applicable, provide their name, affiliation, e-mail and possible candidacy as an office bearer (Chair [MS only], Vice-Chair [MS only], Secretary). Please note that Canada kindly offered to chair the UFNPT, if there is no other nomination for the position of Chair. 7. Nominations should reach the IHO Secretariat ([email protected], with a copy to [email protected]) not later than 20 March2017. 8. Member States are encouraged to invite relevant national stakeholders to participate in the Project Team as expert contributors. Member States are also invited to note the intention to arrange a kick-off meeting of the UFNPT during the 30th meeting of SCUFN (Genoa, Italy, from 2 to 6 October 2017). On behalf of the Secretary-General Yours sincerely, Mustafa IPTES Director Distribution: - IHO Member States - GGC Chair/ Vice-Chair/Secretary - SCUFN Chair/Vice-Chair/Secretary - SCUFN Generic Term Group - Secretariat of the IOC Annex A: Undersea Feature Name Project Team (UFNPT) - Terms of Reference and Draft Programme of Work (in English only) -2-  Annex A to IHO CL 07/2017 Undersea Feature Names Project Team (UFNPT) Terms of Reference and Rules of Procedure – Work Plan Reference: 29th meeting of SCUFN, Boulder, Colorado, USA, September 2016, endorsed by HSSC-8 1. Objective a) Consider Doc. SCUFN28-06B “Development of an S-100 Product Specification for Undersea Feature Names and Registering SCUFN terms in the IHO GI Registry” b) Establish procedures for the management and registration of undersea feature names approved by SCUFN and the management of proposals made to SCUFN c) Provide recommendations to SCUFN on the management of undersea feature names and the use of registers to record the proposals made to SCUFN and the names approved by the Sub- committee. 2. Authority The Project Team for Undersea Feature Names (SCUFN PT) reports to the IHO-IOC GEBCO Sub- Committee on Undersea Feature Names, SCUFN. The Terms of Reference and Rules of Procedure of SCUFN apply. 3. Composition and Chair a) The Undersea Feature Names Project Team (SCUFN PT) shall comprise representatives of IHO Member States (MS), IHO-IOC GEBCO Subject Matter Experts, Expert Contributors (EC) and observers from accredited NGIOs. The IHO Secretariat may also be represented. A membership list shall be maintained and posted on the IHO website. b) EC membership is open to entities and organizations that can provide relevant and constructive contribution to the work of the SCUFN PT. ECs shall seek approval of their membership from the Chair of the SCUFN PT. c) EC membership may be withdrawn, in the event that a majority of SCUFN PT members agree that an EC’s continued participation is either irrelevant or not constructive to the work of the SCUFN PT. d) The Chair of the SCUFN PT is designated by the parent body. e) If a Secretary is required, he/she should normally be drawn from a member of the SCUFN PT. 4. Procedures a) The SCUFN PT should work primarily by written correspondence and teleconferences. b) Decisions should be made by consensus. Dissenting opinions, if any, should be reflected in the SCUFN PT report. c) The SCUFN PT should liaise with other IHO bodies, international organizations, end users and industry to ensure the relevance and currency of its work. d) The SCUFN PT should report in accordance with its Work Plan. -A1-  Annex A to IHO CL 07/2017 UFNPT Work Plan 2017-18 Tasks A relate the assignment of names to the feature structure defined in IHO S-100 "The Universal Hydrographic Data Model" B define a register structure for a feature name register in alignment with the register structure defined in S-100 C define a mechanism to record the spatial aspects, the historical information regarding the origin of pre-existing published names, the historical variant names and the attributes of an undersea or other marine feature Work items Work Title Priority Next Start End Status Contact Related Remarks Item H-high milestone Date Date P-Planned Person Pubs / M-medium O-Ongoing Standard L-low C-Completed S-Superseded A.1 Develop a model for undersea H A.2 2017 2018 P PT Chair  Including minor feature feature names that allows for names, in compliance with the the definition of feature names feature model defined in IHO at multiple levels (e.g. S-100 and the ISO general Internationally approved, feature model defined in ISO Pending, National, standard 19109. Provincial/State/Local), A.2 Develop a plan to move from H 2017 2018 P PT Chair the existing model to the new data model for undersea feature names -A2-  B.1 Develop a register structure H 2017 2018 P PT Chair  Note that the register defined for a feature name register in S-100 itself complies with that complies with the the ISO 19135 standard. The registration procedures register defined in S-100 is a defined in the ISO standard TYPE register in that it 19135 Registration registers types of features. Procedures and works with The register required for the IHO S-100 defined undersea or other marine register feature names is an INSTANCE register that records names for particular instances of features. C.1 Define appropriate attributes H 2017 2018 P PT Chair for the SCUFN undersea or other marine feature name register to support the recording of both the spatial aspects and the historical information regarding the origin of pre-existing published names and historical variant names. Meetings Date Location Activity Between 2 and 6 October Genoa, Italy SCUFN30&UFNPT kick-off and 1st meeting 2017 (tbc) -A3-  PT 2nd meeting PT 3rd meeting Chair: Email: Vice Chair: Email: Secretary: Email: -A4- Dear Hydrographer, Please find attached herewith : CL 7/2017 : ESTABLISHMENT OF THE GEBCO SCUFN UNDERSEA FEATURE NAMES PROJECT TEAM (UFNPT Yours sincerely, IHO M.MOLLET