THIS CIRCULAR LETTER REQUIRES YOUR INPUT
IHB File Nos. S3/0104
CBSC
CIRCULAR LETTER 09/2016
25 February 2016
IHO PUBLICATION C-16: NATIONAL HYDROGRAPHIC REGULATIONS
REQUEST FOR UPDATED INFORMATION
References:
A. IHO CL 41/2007 dated 26 April - National Hydrographic Regulations
B. IHO CL 101/2007 dated 9 November - National Hydrographic Regulations
C. IHO CL 09/2008 dated 24 January - National Hydrographic Regulations
D. IHO CL 69/2015 dated 17 September – Outcome of the seventh meeting of the Inter-Regional
Coordination Committee (IRCC7)
E. IHO CL 23/2014 dated 24 February - Implementation of a country information database at the
IHB for the maintenance and publication of the IHO Yearbook
Dear Hydrographer,
1. Under the IHO Capacity Building Programme, the compilation of national regulations related
to the establishment and responsibilities of National Hydrographic Committees and National
Hydrographic Offices (as defined in the IHO Publication M-2 - The need for National Hydrographic
Services) was identified in 2007 as an important source of information to assist those countries which
are in the process of developing their own hydrographic capabilities (see Reference A). The relevant
documentation provided by the Member States is compiled in IHO Publication C-16 (formerly M-16) -
National Hydrographic Regulations (see References B and C).
2. At its 7th meeting in June 2015, the Inter-Regional Coordination Committee (IRCC)
considered, through the Chair reports of the Regional Hydrographic Commissions (RHC) and also in
separate discussions, ways to improve access to hydrographic data collected for purposes other than
charting. This resulted in the IRCC instructing its Marine Spatial Data Infrastructure Working Group
(MSDIWG) to make certain revisions to IHO Publication C-17 - Spatial Data Infrastructures: “The
Marine Dimension” - Guidance for Hydrographic Offices. The Committee also agreed on the need to
update IHO Publication C-16.
3. The IRCC agreed on the following actions in relation to C-16 (see Reference D):
Action 30: The IHB to issue a CL seeking Member States’ input to the update of C-16 -
National Hydrographic Regulations - including any regulations covering
government rights of access to bathymetric data collected for commercial or
scientific purposes.
Action 31: The IHB to update IHO Publication C-16 - National Hydrographic
Regulations - based on the input provided by Member States.
4. Additionally, during the review process of the current edition of C-16, a number of
shortcomings have been identified with the current content and format of the publication, including:
outdated regulations,
lack of definition of the type of regulations to be included,
inconsistent presentation with regulations translated by some, but not all, Member
States,
inconsistent format between different Member State entries, not facilitating use of the
document, and
provision of updated information is a significant burden on Member States.
5. The Directing Committee has also identified a need to move towards an integrated database
(Country Information System - CIS) at the IHO Secretariat (see Reference E) and has prepared a
revised layout structure for C-16, which is provided in Annex A. This layout will facilitate the
integration of the information provided by Member States into the CIS, from which comprehensive
reports can be generated. For ease of maintenance, Member States are invited to complete the relevant
information in English with links pointing to their national regulations in their own language.
6. Member States are requested to provide their inputs for the revision of IHO Publication C-16 -
National Hydrographic Regulations to the IHB (
[email protected]) not later than 30 April 2016 using the
template provided in Annex B, which is also available for download in Excel format on the IHO
website:
(Home → Standards & Publications→ Download section)
7. Inputs provided by Member States, including any regulations covering government rights of
access to bathymetric data collected for commercial or scientific purposes, will allow a subsequent
new edition of C-16 to be published by the IHB. Further updates, based on the publication of new or
updated regulations, should also be sent to the IHB on an annual basis.
8. To avoid unnecessary duplication or inconsistencies, the information on “Relevant National
Legislation” currently included in the IHO Yearbook will be removed or transferred to C-16 as
appropriate.
On behalf of the Directing Committee
Yours sincerely,
Mustafa IPTES
Director
Annexes: Annex A - Proposed revised layout for C-16.
Annex B - Template for updating C-16.
Annex A to IHO CL 09/2016
PROPOSED REVISED LAYOUT AND CONTENTS FOR C-16 –
NATIONAL HYDROGRAPHIC REGULATIONS
The following structure is proposed to improve C-16 so that it can be easily integrated into the
Country Information System (CIS) and the information from the publication can be generated as a
report from CIS.
Like the current edition, the publication will have entries by Country (it is anticipated that only
Member States will contribute to this publication) with the proposed structure as below:
Country:_________________________________
SOLAS Convention [Provide an explanation/description of how the
Convention SOLAS roles, tasks and responsibilities for
Convención SOLAS implementation of the SOLAS Convention are
achieved.]
National Hydrographic Service [Provide dates and details of how and when the
Service hydrographique national structure and functioning of the National
Servicio Hidrográfico Nacional Hydrographic Service was formally established.
By Statute? or other means?]
Nautical charting [Provide details of applicable regulations
Cartographie marine covering responsibilities related to nautical
Cartografía Náutica charting if not defined in the regulation of the
National Hydrographic Service or others.]
Hydrographic surveys in the jurisdictional waters [Provide details of any regulatory procedures for
Levés hydrographiques dans les eaux sous the execution of hydrographic surveys in the
juridiction national jurisdictional waters by national and
Levantamientos hidrográficos en aguas foreign vessels.
jurisdiccionales
Details of any obligations placed on data
gatherers to forward, or provide access to, some
or all of the collected data to the National
Hydrographic Service or to the National or
Marine Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI or
MSDI).]
Creation of the National Hydrographic [Provide details of the establishment and terms of
Committee reference of the National Hydrographic
Création d’un comité hydrographique national Committee as defined in the IHO Capacity
Creación del Comité Hidrográfico Nacional Building Strategy and in the IHO Publication M-2
The need for National Hydrographic Services.]
Establishment of a National or Marine Spatial [Provide details of the establishment of the
Data Infrastructure (NSDI or MSDI) NSDI/MSDI as described in the IHO Publication
Création d’une infrastructure de données spatiales C-17 Spatial Data Infrastructures: “The Marine
nationales ou maritimes (NSDI ou MSDI) Dimension” - Guidance for Hydrographic
Establecimiento de una Infraestructura Nacional o Offices.]
Marítima Espacial (NSDI o MSDI)
Other relevant national legislation and regulations [Provide details of any additional information that
Autres législations et règlements nationaux can be shared with other countries. This could
pertinents be:
Otras disposiciones y legislaciones nacionales - Guidance for the maritime community on the
pertinentes Maritime Safety Information (MSI) system
- Best practices guide]
Note: if there is no regulation the right column will display "No information provided or available" in
the database and the publication. Otherwise it will display the link to the relevant regulation(s) (either
at the IHO server or in the national portal).
Annex A to IHO CL 09/2016
Example for providing input / update for IHO publication C-16
Country: Brazil
SOLAS Convention Constitutional Law Nº 97 (9 June 1999) establishes the Maritime
Convention SOLAS Authority:
Convención SOLAS http://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/LCP/Lcp97.htm
and is complemented by the Maritime Authority Regulations:
https://www.dpc.mar.mil.br/normas/normam
https://www1.mar.mil.br/dhn/?q=normas-legislacoes
National Hydrographic Service Decree Nº 66.370 (23 March 1970) established the Statutes of the
Service hydrographique Directorate of Hydrography and Navigation (DHN):
national http://legis.senado.gov.br/legislacao/ListaTextoIntegral.action?id=1
Servicio Hidrográfico Nacional 80262&norma=196868
Nautical charting Decree N° 243 (28 February 1967) establishes the basis for the
Cartographie marine national cartography:
Cartografía Náutica http://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/decreto-lei/1965-
1988/Del0243.htm
Hydrographic surveys in the Decree Nº 96.000 (2 May 1988) regulates the research in the
jurisdictional waters continental shelf and in waters under national jurisdiction:
Levés hydrographiques dans les http://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/decreto/1980-
eaux sous juridiction 1989/D96000.htm
Levantamientos hidrográficos and the Decree Nº 2.278 (17 July 1997) regulates the aerial
en aguas jurisdiccionales surveys:
http://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/decreto/D2278.htm
Creation of the National No
Hydrographic Committee
Création d’un comité
hydrographique national
Creación del Comité
Hidrográfico Nacional
Establishment of a National or Decree Nº 6.666 (27 November 2008) created the National Spatial
Marine Spatial Data Data Infrastructure (INDE):
Infrastructure (NSDI or MSDI) http://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/_Ato2007-
Création d’une infrastructure de 2010/2008/Decreto/D6666.htm
données spatiales nationales ou
maritimes (NSDI ou MSDI)
Establecimiento de una
Infraestructura Nacional o
Marítima Espacial (NSDI o
MSDI)
Other relevant national No
legislations and regulations
Autres législations et
règlements nationaux pertinents
Otras disposiciones y
legislaciones nacionales
pertinentes
Annex B to IHO CL 09/2016
EXCEL TEMPLATE FOR UPDATING IHO PUBLICATION C-16
Member States are invited to provide the information requested to update C-16 in English in the format below.
Links to National Regulations in the national language should be provided where available.
INTERNATIONAL HYDROGRAPHIC ORGANIZATION
IHO Publication C-16
National Hydrographic Regulations
Country/Pays/País
SOLAS Convention Explanation/description of how the roles, tasks and responsibilities for
Convention SOLAS implementation of the SOLAS Convention are achieved. (*)
Convención SOLAS
National Hydrographic Service Establishment of the structure and functioning of the National
Service hydrographique national Hydrographic Service. (*)
Servicio Hidrográfico Nacional
Nautical charting Regulation on the responsibilities related to nautical charting if not
Cartographie marine defined in the regulation of the National Hydrographic Service or others.
Cartografía Náutica (*)
Hydrographic surveys in the Regulatory procedures for the execution of hydrographic surveys in the
jurisdictional waters national jurisdictional waters by national and foreign vessels. Obligations
Levés hydrographiques dans les to deliver the collected data to the National Hydrographic Service or to the
eaux sous juridiction National or Marine Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI or MSDI). (*)
Levantamientos hidrográficos en
aguas jurisdiccionales
Creation of the National Establishment and terms of reference of the National Hydrographic
Hydrographic Committee Committee as defined in the IHO Capacity Building Strategy and in the
Création d’un comité IHO Publication M-2: The need for National Hydrographic Services. (*)
hydrographique national
Creación del Comité
Hidrográfico Nacional
Establishment of a National or Establishment of the NSDI/MSDI as defined in the IHO Publication C-17
Marine Spatial Data Spatial Data Infrastructures: “The Marine Dimension” - Guidance for
Infrastructure (NSDI or MSDI) Hydrographic Offices. (*)
Création d’une infrastructure de
données spatiales nationales ou
maritimes (NSDI ou MSDI)
Establecimiento de una
Infraestructura Nacional o
Marítima Espacial (NSDI o
MSDI)
Other relevant national Additional information that can be shared with other countries. (*)
legislations and regulations This could be:
Autres législations et règlements - Guidance for the maritime community on the Maritime Safety
nationaux pertinents Information (MSI) system
Otras disposiciones y - Best practices guide
legislaciones nacionales
pertinentes
Annex B to IHO CL 09/2016
Note: if there is no regulation the right column will display "No". Otherwise it will display the link to the
regulation (either at the IHO server or in the national portal).
(*) Note: The relevant information should be provided in English with links pointing to the
national regulations in English (if available) or in the national language.
From: REG
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"
Subject: CL 09/2016 - Deadline 30 April 2016
Date: Monday, February 29, 2016 11:55:12 AM
Attachments: CL09.docx
Dear Hydrographer,
Please find attached herewith :
CL 9/2016 : IHO PUBLICATION C-16: NATIONAL HYDROGRAPHIC REGULATIONS - REQUEST FOR
UPDATED INFORMATION
Yours sincerely,
IHB
M.MOLLET