IHB File N° S1/5012
CIRCULAR LETTER 18/2016
18 April 2016
ESTABLISHMENT OF A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN
THE INTERNATIONAL HYDROGRAPHIC ORGANIZATION AND
THE INTERNATIONAL CABLE PROTECTION COMMITTEE
Reference: IHO CL 85/2015 dated 9 December - Proposed Memorandum of Understanding between
the International Hydrographic Organization and the International Cable Protection
Committee
Dear Hydrographer,
1. The Directing Committee is pleased to report that the proposed text contained in the referenced
Circular Letter to establish closer ties between the IHO and the International Cable Protection
Committee (ICPC) through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has raised no objection from the
Member States.
2. The Directing Committee thanks the following Member States: Canada, Chile, Ecuador, Ireland
and the United Kingdom, who have expressed explicitly their support of the proposal. The additional
comments provided by Chile, Ecuador and the United Kingdom are reproduced in Annex A together
with the outcome of their review as appropriate.
3. A revised text incorporating some of the editorial amendments proposed by the United
Kingdom was agreed with the ICPC Executive Committee and subsequently signed by the Chairman
of the ICPC Executive Committee and the President of the Directing Committee.
4. A copy of the MoU (in English only) is attached in Annex B for ease of reference. It is posted
on the IHO website at: Home > Letters & Documents > MOU & Agreements.
On behalf of the Directing Committee
Yours sincerely,
Robert WARD
President
Annex A: Member States’ responses to IHO CL 85/2015 and IHB comments
Annex B: Memorandum of Understanding between the International Hydrographic Organization
and the International Cable Protection Committee
Annex A to IHO CL 18/2016
MEMBER STATES’ RESPONSES TO IHI CL 85/2015 AND IHB COMMENTS
Proposed Memorandum of Understanding between the International Hydrographic Organization and
the International Cable Protection Committee
CHILE
We would like to express our strong support to the signature of the MOU with the International Cable
Protection Committee, according to the text proposed in the above-mentioned Circular Letter.
We agree that there are several areas of common interest, from the capture of bathymetric data to the
presentation of the submarine cables on nautical charts.
ECUADOR
This Member State welcomes the proposed MoU between the IHO and the ICPC. Nevertheless, it is
worth noting that together with this initiative it is also necessary to ensure that those who are
responsible for laying cables follow the IHO standards, or any more rigorous standards, related to the
execution of hydrographic surveys and the final positioning of cables. For this reason, it is imperative
that these activities be coordinated with the national Hydrographic Offices, prior to their execution.
IHB Comment:
Prior consultation between Hydrographic Offices and cable operators would be an item to be
considered under article 1 of the MoU.
UNITED KINGDOM
UK welcomes the proposed MoU between IHO and the International Cable Protection Committee. In
the interest of brevity and consistency and to avoid the use of contract or treaty language, UK
proposes the amendments shown in the attached copy of the MoU.
IHB Comment:
The editorial amendments were reviewed by the Directing Committee and it was agreed with the
ICPC Executive Committee, to introduce the acronym “MoU” in the preamble and to replace
“Memorandum of Understanding” with “MoU” in all subsequent clauses.
The Directing Committee did not include a proposal from UK to include an additional article 9 as
follows:
9. That neither this MoU nor anything done by either Participant in consequence of it will operate
to create any contractual agreement or other legally-binding relationship between the Participants.
There is no such clause in similar agreements between the IHO and other international organizations.
Furthermore, it would restrict the possibility to have contractual agreements in the future (if
appropriate and subject to the relevant approval processes in both organizations).
Annex B to IHO CL 18/2016
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN
THE INTERNATIONAL HYDROGRAPHIC ORGANIZATION AND
THE INTERNATIONAL CABLE PROTECTION COMMI TTEE
Signe Paevere
From: REG <
[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, April 25, 2016 12:12 PM
To: 'Arg'; 'Aus'; 'Bahrain'; 'Bang'; 'Belg'; 'Brazil'; 'Brunei'; 'Canada'; 'Chile'; 'China';
'Croatia'; 'Cuba'; 'Cyp'; 'Den'; 'DomRep'; 'DPRK'; 'Egypt-ENHD'; VA_hnt; 'Fiji';
'Finland'; 'France'; 'Georgia'; 'Ger'; 'Greece'; 'Guat'; 'Iceland'; 'India'; 'Indonesia'; 'Iran';
'Ireland'; 'Italy'; 'Jamaica'; 'Japan'; 'Korea'; 'Kuw'; 'Latvia'; 'Malays'; 'Mauritius';
'Montenegro'; 'Moz'; 'Mozambique'; 'Myan'; 'Nether'; 'Nigeria'; 'Norway'; 'NZ';
'Oman'; 'Pak'; 'Philip'; 'PNG'; 'Poland'; 'Port'; 'Qatar'; 'Rom'; 'Russia'; 'S Africa'; 'SA';
'Sing'; 'SL'; 'Slo'; 'Suriname'; 'Sweden'; 'Syria'; 'Thailand'; 'Tonga'; 'TT'; 'Turk'; 'UAE';
'UK'; 'Ukraine'; 'Urug'; 'USNOAA'; 'Ven'; 'Vietnam'
Cc: 'Argentina'; 'Australia'; 'Bahrain'; 'Banglasedh2'; 'Belgium'; 'Belgium'; 'Belgium';
'Belgium'; 'Belgium'; 'Brazil'; 'Brunei'; 'Canada'; 'Chile'; 'China'; 'Croatia'; 'Croatia';
'Cuba'; 'Denmark'; 'Denmark'; 'DPRK'; Tõnis Siilanarusk; 'Fiji'; 'France'; 'Germany';
'Germany'; 'Greece'; 'Iceland'; 'India'; 'India'; 'Iran'; 'Iran'; 'Iran'; 'Iran'; 'Ireland'; 'Italy';
'Malaysia'; 'Mauritius'; 'Mauritius'; 'Mozambique'; 'Myanmar'; 'Myanmar'; 'Portugal';
'Portugal'; 'SaudiArabia'; 'Slovenia'; 'SriLanka'; 'Suriname'; 'Suriname'; 'Sweden';
'Thailand'; 'Thailand'; 'Tonga'; 'Trinidad'; 'Tunisia'; 'Tunisia'; 'UAE'; 'Ukraine';
'USNAVY'; 'USNOAA'; 'USNOAA'; 'USNOAA'; 'USNOAA'; 'Vietnam'; 'Vietnam2';
'Vietnam3'; 'Vietnam3'; 'Astrid.Kalvik'; 'C Andreasen'; 'Celine Buisson Rosvold'; 'ECC';
'eva.hegland'; 'hs-varna'; 'ilda.becirovic'; 'info'; 'inst.cartograf'; 'J Lowell NGA'; 'J
Rogers NGA'; 'jacek.jagodzinski'; 'K Alexander NGA'; 'Minika Bjorge'; 'P Doherty
NGA'; 'solvi.tunge'; 'stig.osaland'; 'svein.skjaeveland'; 'tonje.mevatne'; 'tore.halset'
Subject: CL 18/2016
Attachments: Cl18.docx
Dear Hydrographer,
Please find attached herewith :
CL 18/2016 : ESTABLISHMENT OF A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE
INTERNATIONAL HYDROGRAPHIC ORGANIZATION AND THE INTERNATIONAL CABLE
PROTECTION COMMITTEE
Yours sincerely,
IHB
M.MOLLET
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