Australian Hydrographic Service - Seafarer Development Award

A world leading partnership between the Defence department and Australian industry in the field of electronic charting was recognised in May with the award of two major prizes at the prestigious Mapping Sciences Institute, Australia (MSIA) Conference in Perth.

The top technical prize -- the MSIA/BHP Engineering Technical Research and Development Award -- was awarded jointly to the Australian Hydrographic Office (AHO) of the Royal Australian Navy, and Hydrographic Sciences Australia Pty Ltd (HSA), for the Raster Data Centre, which captures and maintains the entire Australian nautical chart series. The centre has been developed in Wollongong over the last three years.

The coveted Gold Award for Cartographic Excellence in Mapping Science attracted more than 60 entrants. It was won by the AHO's raster digital charting product, Seafarer RNC, which grew out of the development work in the Raster Data Centre. Having made its debut less than 12 months ago, Seafarer now contains all of Australia's 375 navigational charts on one CD.

Australia's Hydrographer and Head of the AHO, Commodore Robert Willis, commenting on the awards said: "The concept, and execution by the AHO, and its commercial partner HSA, of revitalising traditional charting products and delivering them to the mariner for electronic chart navigation systems, has been most impressive."

"For an all Australian initiative to be recognised as world class is encouraging and a worthy tribute to all those who have worked on these projects."

Brian O'Neil, Managing Director of HSA said: "Many international colleagues have commented that the Raster Data Centre (RDC) is unique in electronic charting and this prestigious award re-inforces our belief that the RDC may rightfully be considered world's best. As a result, HSA is already receiving export sales and bureau inquiries for the RDC system"

Commenting on the Raster Data Centre, Commodore Willis said: "It has been responsible for substantial improvement in the efficiency of navigational chart production, reduced costs and unprecedented speed in delivering official digital charts to the Defence and civil communities."

Designed and developed by HSA under contract to the AHO, the Raster Data Centre is operated and maintained by HSA as a bureau service for the AHO. As a result of its creation, the AHO can boast of considerable improvements in paper chart production and its ability to develop raster chart products in a number of formats for different users.

On Seafarer RNC, Commodore Willis said: "The availability of low-cost, comprehensive and easily maintainable electronic charts will significantly improve safety and efficiency for mariners in Australian waters. Seafarer RNC and other RDC derived military products are of great importance to Australia's Defence forces while providing benefits to the maritime industry and the community."

There is an ever increasing demand for raster charts by maritime communities. They are used, in a variety of formats, for instance, by Australian Defence Headquarters, and the Ship Reporting System for the Great Barrier Reef operated by the Queensland Transport and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority.

All naval vessels have access to the Seafarer RNC chart series. There is also keen interest and a very positive response from the commercial, fishing and recreational market, port authorities and other organisations with marine interests, all of whom are now using Seafarer RNC.