THIS CIRCULAR LETTER INVITES YOU TO SUBMIT COMMENTS
IHO File No. AB-4/S-5
CIRCULAR LETTER 06/2017
24 January 2017
CALL FOR COMMENTS ON DRAFT NEW EDITION 1.0.0 OF IHO PUBLICATION S-8A –
STANDARDS OF COMPETENCE FOR CATEGORY "A" NAUTICAL CARTOGRAPHERS
References:
A. IHC-XVIII - Decision No. 18 - IHO Work Programme 2013-2017;
B. IHO Circular Letter 90/2015 dated 17 December - Adoption of the New Publication S-
5B Edition 1.0.0 Standards Of Competence For Hydrographic Surveyors, Category B;
C. IHO Circular Letter 50/2016 dated 28 September - Adoption of Edition 1.0.0 of IHO
Publication S-5A - Standards of Competence for Category "A" Hydrographic
Surveyors;
D. IHO Circular Letter 42/2016 dated 5 September - Outcome of the 8th meeting of the
Inter-Regional Coordination Committee (IRCC8);
E. IHO Circular Letter 57/2016 dated 10 October - Call for comments on draft new
edition 1.0.0 of IHO Publication S-8B Standards of Competence for Category "B"
Nautical Cartographers;
F. IHO Resolution 2/2007 as amended - Principles and Procedures for Making Changes
to IHO Technical Standards and Specifications.
Dear Hydrographer,
1. Task 3.3.9 of the 2013-2017 IHO Work Programme authorised the FIG/IHO/ICA International
Board on Standards of Competence for Hydrographic Surveyors and Nautical Cartographers (IBSC) to
develop separate competency requirements for Category "A" and Category "B" Hydrographic
Surveyors and Nautical Cartographers (see Reference A). As announced in References B and C, the
IHO adopted revised versions of the Standards of Competence for Category "B" and then Category "A"
Hydrographic Surveyors (IHO Publications S-5B and S-5A).
2. In accordance with the IBSC work programme which was endorsed by the Inter-Regional
Coordination Committee (IRCC) at its eighth meeting in Abu Dhabi, in May 2016 (see Reference D),
the IBSC is now developing a similar set of separated Standards of Competence for Nautical
Cartographers at the Category “A’ and “B” levels. Reference E called for comments on the draft new
edition 1.0.0 of IHO Publication S-8B Standards of Competence for Category "B" Nautical
Cartographers and the feedback received was considered by the IBSC and a new draft will soon be
available for consultation in the IHO website.
3. In accordance with Reference F, the Chair of the IBSC has requested the IHO Secretariat to
circulate a draft new edition 1.0.0 of S-8A - Standards of Competence for Category "A" Nautical
Cartographers seeking comments from Member States and stakeholders.
Mapping our Seas, Oceans and Waterways - more important than ever
4. Both draft editions 1.0.0 of S-8B and S-8A will be considered by the IBSC at its 40th meeting
(IBSC40 - Wellington, New Zealand, 20-31 March 2017) and then submitted to Member States for
approval, subject to the endorsement by the IRCC at its 9th meeting (Paramaribo, Suriname, 12-14 June
2017).
5. In order to maintain the original timetable for the adoption of the new standard by mid 2017, the
IBSC Chair has submitted a request in his report to the Assembly to authorize the IRCC to seek
Member States' approval by correspondence through the Secretariat. This would avoid the delay that
will otherwise occur because of the requirement to seek the endorsement of the Council that will by
then be established but will not meet until October, prior to seeking Member States’ approval.
6. Similar to S-5A and S-5B (References B and C), the new editions of S-8A and S-8B will be
supplemented by the companion document - Guidelines for the Implementation of the Standards of
Competence for Hydrographic Surveyors and Nautical Cartographers. This document is intended to
assist educational and training organizations in the preparation of submissions to the IBSC in relation to
the relevant Standards of Competence. The document was developed by the IBSC from the current
Guidelines for the Implementation of the Standards of Competence for Hydrographic Surveyors in order
to refer to the four Standards and is also available for consultation with the draft edition of S-8A.
7. In accordance with the process of consultation required under Reference F, the draft edition of S-
8A is now available (in English only) on the IHO website at:
www.iho.int → Standards & Publications → Download → Draft Publications for discussion
8. Member States are invited to review the draft and to provide their comments on the first draft
edition 1.0.0 of S-8A to the IHO Secretariat at
[email protected]. Training and Education Institutions
recognised by the IBSC are also invited to provide their comments. The deadline for comments is 20
March 2017.
9. Subject to the approval of a new edition of S8-A and S8-B by the Member States by mid 2017,
institutions seeking recognition of their nautical cartography programmes by the IBSC in 2018 (at the
IBSC41 meeting) will be expected to submit their programmes based on the new Standards S-8A and S-
8B.
On behalf of the Secretary-General
Yours sincerely,
Mustafa IPTES
Director
Distribution:
- IHO Member States
- Nautical Cartography Training and Education Institutions recognised by the IBSC
Dear Hydrographer,
Please find attached herewith :
CL 6/2017 : CALL FOR COMMENTS ON DRAFT NEW EDITION 1.0.0 OF IHO
PUBLICATION S-8A – STANDARDS OF COMPETENCE FOR CATEGORY "A" NAUTICAL
CARTOGRAPHERS
Yours sincerely,
IHO
M.MOLLET