As the world prepares to celebrate the World Hydrography Day, the Nigeria Navy ((NN) says that it will induct a state-of-the art offshore survey vessel with autonomous capabilities.
Rear Adm. Chukwuemeka Okafor, the Hydrographer of NN and the President, Nigerian Hydrographic Society said this in a statement on Sunday.
He also said that the Nigerian Navy Hydrographic Office (NNHO) was ready to provide up-to-date marine geo-spatial information on Nigerian waters to diverse maritime operators.
He said that the offshore survey vessel that would be unveiled next month would provide up-to-date marine geo-spatial information about the Nigerian waters to diverse maritime operators, for enhanced economic growth of the country.
Okafor said that the NNHO also was strengthening collaborations with developed hydrographic offices such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO) and the French Hydrographic Office (SHOM).
” This is in order to tap from their experiences toward churning out new nautical products and solutions in the most internationally acceptable format,” he said.
Okafor recounting the NNHO’s achievements said that it had recently ramped up its hydrographic capabilities with several first-of-its-kind products to support Nigeria’s Blue Economy project.
“As you are aware, during the last WHD Celebration, the NNHO published the first indigenous navigational chart ever produced by Nigeria; NG 2501 (Lagos Harbour Chart) .
“This feat completed Nigeria’s hydrographic capacity development as required by the International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO).
“As at today, the Office has published the second edition of the chart, incorporating recent navigational significant changes that have taken place within the channel,” he said.
The Rear Admiral said that the office had also published the second indigenous navigation chart, NG 4401 (Ogunkobo to Tin Can Island)at the needed time due to the several marine accidents.
“The water within the area had hitherto never been charted and had recently witnessed several marine accidents.
He added that this achievement drew several commendations from top military echelons, the Federal Government and mariners who expressed delight to the usefulness of the chart to their voyages.
He also added that the country through the NNHO recently recorded another milestone in hydrographic capabilities, with the publication of Nigeria’s first Electronic Navigational Chart (ENC), NG525010.
He said that as the national charting authority in Nigeria, the NNHO also was collaborating with the Nigerian Hydrographic Society (NHS) on improving the standard of hydrographic practice, methods and technologies among private hydrographic practitioners.
He said that through it, Nigeria would be able to draw maximum benefits from the Crowd Sourced Bathymetric initiative of the IHO.
“This will go a long way to facilitate quicker survey and chart coverage of Nigerian water,” he said and ultimately place Nigeria on the right stead toward her actualising the Nippon Foundation/GEBCO seabed 2030 project.
He said that hydrography was a force multiplier to human survival and sustainability.
“If you look around you, almost everything you see; whether products or raw materials, is likely to have arrived the shores of Nigeria by ship.
“Ships, as we know, will be unable to safely sail from one place to another without accurate and up-to-date hydrographic information.
“Therefore, it is safe to say that hydrography is a force multiplier to human survival and sustainability,” he said.
