NEW CHIEF HYDROGRAPHER OF
Dr. Kunio
YASHIMA was appointed Chief Hydrographer of
During more than thirty years of service
in the Department, he was mainly involved in nautical charting and bathymetric
charting. He also participated in
important projects when holding the following posts:
l
1989 –
1990: Director of Hydrographic Department, 5th Regional Headquarters;
l
1992 –
1994: Head of
l
1998 –
1999: Director of Coastal Survey and Cartography Division, Hydrographic
Department;
l
2000 –
2001: Director of Planning Division, Hydrographic Department.
In particular while he was Head of the
Territorial Sea Baselines Research Office, he contributed to the establishment
of the baseline of the territorial sea, which is the base used for the
delimitation of territorial sea, EEZ, and the continental shelf of Japan.
In addition to his work on a national
level, he was involved in international relations as follows:
l
1977 –
1982: Joint Production of Common Datum Chart of the Straits of Malacca and
l
1998 –
2001: He was deeply involved in the ENC publication issue in the Straits after
the above-mentioned Joint Production;
l
1993 to
date: Joint IOC/IHO Guiding Committee for GEBCO (GEBCO G.C.);
l
1993 –
2002: GEBCO Sub-Committee on Undersea Feature Names (GEBCO SCUFN);
l
1998 –
2000: WEND.
He contributed to the revision of the deepest
depth of 11,034m in the world, recorded by R/V "VITYAZ" U.S.S.R. in
1957, to 10,920±10m, which the Japanese S/V "TAKUYO" surveyed in 1987
in the Mariana Trench (Challenger Deep) as GEBCO G.C. member. He also effectively contributed to the
international standardization of undersea feature names of the northwestern
JHOD has carried out its continental
shelf surveys in cooperation with related governmental organizations and it has
been decided that the scientific data for the continental shelf extension will
be submitted to the United Nations by May 2009. This continental shelf project is
expected to reach a successful conclusion under the new Chief Hydrographer's leadership.
Commissioning
of the New Research Vessel “Donghaero”
Contributed by
The National Oceanographic Research
Institute (NORI) of the
A previous vessel (65 tons) was built in
1981, and it is so old, not suitable for the precision survey and oceanographic
observation. So, the new vessel is
constructed and designated as the same name "Donghaero"
as the previous one. The
construction of “Donghaero” started in August 2003,
and has been completed after about 10 months work.
With regard to the particulars of the
vessel, the gross tonnage is 136 tons, the service speed is 14 knots, overall
length is 38m and cruising range is 1,600 miles. Maximum accommodation capacity has 15
persons including researchers.
The vessel is equipped with advanced
navigational devices such as Auto Pilot, ECDIS and DGPS, as well as Bow
thruster which can support comprehensive hydrographic data collection and ocean
research activities covering EEZ and coastal areas. In addition, in order to carry out the
bathymetric survey, investigation of sea-bottom profile and various
oceanographic researches, Multi-beam echosounder,
Sub-bottom profiler, CTD, ADCP, etc. are installed into the vessel.
With a commission of the vessel "Donghaero", it will be able to upgrade our ocean
research capacity in the EEZ, as well as the ports under the jurisdiction of the
Donghae Oceanographic Research Office which is one of
the branch offices of NORI.
NORI will greatly make a contribution to
the safety of navigation and the development of the ocean using high-quality
data obtained from the vessel.
UJNR Sea-Bottom Surveys Panel
met in Tokyo, Japan
The 32th
Meeting of the Sea-Bottom Surveys Panel (SBSP) was established under the
US-Japan Conference for Development & Utilization of Natural Resources
(UJNR) was held at the Japan Hydrographic and Oceanographic Department (JHOD)
in
The meeting was opened by the Japanese
Panel Chairman Mr. Shin TANI, Director of Continental Shelf Surveys Office
(present Director of Hydrographic Surveys Division), JHOD, which was followed
by the welcome address made by the Chief Hydrographer
of Japan and an opening remarks by the US Panel Chairman Capt. Roger L.
Parsons, Director of Coast Survey Office, National Oceanic & Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), who led the other seven members including observer of
the US Embassy in Tokyo.
Presentations and discussions made during
the two-day meeting, among many, included activity reports of the Japanese and
US Panels, technical reports on application of GNSS/GPS precision positioning,
Airborne Lidar System, database construction of
Bathymetric Data, and ENC products of next-generation chart.
A technical tour was also arranged for the
The Sea-Bottom Surveys Panel meeting has
been held in
5th Meeting of the IHO SPWG held in
The 5th Meeting of the IHO Strategic
Planning Working Group (SPWG) was held at the Hydrographic and Oceanographic
Department (JHOD) of Japan Coast Guard (JCG) in
Mr. Fukaya,
Commandant of the JCG, welcomed the participants.
He referred to the effort made by the JCG since its establishment in 1948, to ensure
the safety of navigation and the protection of the marine environment. He also mentioned the importance of the IHO as a leading body in the
development of hydrographic and oceanographic technology and as a backbone for
the JCG work. He encouraged the
good progress of the work of the SPWG and stressed the importance of this last
meeting.
The Chairman noted the high attendance of
approximately sixty representatives to the meeting and expressed his confidence in reaching consensus on
the items to be finalized. The SPWG
Vice-chairman and host of the meeting, Dr. Nishida welcomed all participants
and explained the
administrative arrangements.
The Agenda was approved with some minor
amendments after the Chairman reviewed the minutes of the previous SPWG
Meeting. After “approval of the
Agenda (Agenda item 3)”, they had active discussions about the following Agenda
items, and the long meeting for four days adjourned.
Agenda item 4 – Summary of Previous
Work.
Agenda item 5 – RHC reports.
Agenda item 6 – Pending matters.
Agenda item 7 – Review of the Basic
Documents.
Agenda item 8 – Proposals to the
Extraordinary IH Conference.
Agenda item 9 – Communications strategy.
Agenda item 10 – Activities from the 5th
Meeting until the 3rd Ext. IH Conference.
Agenda item 11 – Any further activity as
considered necessary.
The SPWG plans about
deciding a structure of new frame and amending a convention including the
regulations etc. of IHO were coordinated in principle by this SPWG
meeting. These SPWG plans will be
proposed at the 3rd Extraordinary International Hydrographic Conference that
will be held on April 2005.
Seminar on Publishing of ENC in
the
for International
Navigation held in
The Seminar was held at the Hydrographic and
Oceanographic Department (JHOD) in
The seminar was financially supported by
the Ship and Ocean Foundation (SOF) and took place in collaboration with Hydrographic
Offices in East Asia Region and International Hydrographic Organization (IHO).
The welcoming address was given on behalf of the organizer’s SOF by Dr. Nishida, the Chief Hydrographer
of
He suggested that the seminar would be a
great value to all participants in helping each other to publish ENCs in the
8th IHO-WEND Committee Meeting held in
The 8th Worldwide Electronic Navigational Chart
Database (WEND) Committee Meeting was held at the Japan Hydrographic and
Oceanographic Department (JHOD) in
With the recent additions to the WEND
Principles to include user-friendliness and other customer oriented
perspectives, the attendance of industry organizations – especially the
shipping industries – seemed appropriate.
The SPWG has formulated criteria whereby Non-governmental International
Organizations (NGIO) can apply for accreditation as Observers to the IHO. As an interim process, the Committee decided to
circulate for approval a change to the WEND ROPs that
would mirror the CHRIS ROPs regarding observers.
The meeting dealt with several substantial
issues: offering clarification on two items in the WEND Principles, proposing
changes to the WEND Rules of Procedure, discussing whether
ECDIS operating in RCDS mode should meet IMO chart carriage requirements and
reviewing the actions and recommendations of the WEND Task Group. The Reports from Member States and
Regional Hydrographic Commissions reflect that progress continues in the
production of ENCs but resources, be it manpower,
funding or equipment, remain a limiting factor in achieving ENC coverage.
The WEND Task Group reported on its
activity over the last nine months.
The Task Group reported that the main problems preventing increase of ENC and ECDIS use are as follows:
l Insufficient coverage;
l Diversity in quality between Hydrographic
Offices and
l Diversity in services between ENC
providers.
What need to be addressed immediately are
as follows:
l Completion of small scale ENC coverage;
l Prioritized ENC production programs for
large scale coverage;
l Expanded ENC validation and distribution
and
l Training and assistance in ENC production
and maintenance.
A submission to the IMO from the Australian
Maritime Safety Administration proposing that ECDIS operating in the RCDS mode,
when ENCs are not available, meet the chart carriage
requirements without accompanying paper charts was actively debated. It was noted that
The Committee tasked the IHB to attempt to
develop an IHO position in advance of discussion before IMO by circulating both
the Australian and Norwegian proposals and requesting Member States comments.
The meeting adjourned with a tentative
schedule for the 9th WEND meeting to be held before or after Extraordinary
International Hydrographic Conference,
Hydrographic Survey Observation
Mission of China visited JHOD
The hydrographic survey observation
mission who consisted of six people including Mr. Zheng
Heping, Deputy Director of China Maritime Safety
Administration (CMSA) visited Japan Hydrographic and Oceanographic Department
(JHOD) on June 29, 2004. The
observation mission paid a courtesy call on Dr. Kunio
Yashima, Director General of JHOD (Chief Hydrographer), and Mr. Zheng Heping presented a copper plate of "Great Wall"
as commemoration.
This observation was performed in order
to know the Japanese hydrographic survey system about the role apportionment
etc. of government and civilian enterprises. The mission observed each system of
marine shortwave radar and ENC compilation as well as JICA group training
"Hydrographic Survey Course" which was practicing in the seminar room
of JHOD.
Then, the mission got the detailed
explanation of the Japanese hydrographic survey system which took into the
chart the results of hydrographic survey which civilian enterprises etc. had
created under the Japanese Law.
After that, exchange of opinion and active
question and answer were performed in both
Two
JICA Country Focused Training Courses on ENC for the Republic of the
(1) Training Course on Planning and Management of ENC
The JICA Country Focused Training Course
on Planning and Management of Electronic Navigational Charts (ENC) for the
Republic of the
(2) Training Course on Management of ENC Updating
The JICA Country Focused Training Course
on Management of ENC Updating for the Republic of the
This course aimed to learn each technique
on the verification of the ENC data, the latest maintenance of the ENC and the
management of the ENC database. Mr.
Real J. Alcantara, Commissioned Officer of the
NAMRIA, participated in the course.
Arrangements for conducting the above
two courses were administrated by the Japan International Cooperation Agency
(JICA) and supported by the Japan Hydrographic Association (JHA).
JICA Group Training Course on
Hydrographic Survey for 2004 Started
The JICA Group Training Course on
Hydrographic Survey II (Internationally Accredited Category B Course) for
production of nautical charts for 2004 started at the Japan Hydrographic and Oceanographic
Department (JHOD) in
The participants from the left of
the above photo are as follows:
1.
Mr. Agus Arifianto
From Port Administrator Office of
2.
Mr. Khaled Nasr Ali MOHAMED
From Red Sea Ports
3.
Mr. Joseph Kipkosgei ROTICH
From Ministry of Lands
and Settlement,
4.
Mr. SALOMON
Anak Kuas
From
5.
Mr. Gowraj LANGUT
From Ministry of
6.
From
7.
Mr. XU, Wei-Guo
From The Hydrographic
Department of Shanghai
8.
Mr. LABINDALAWA John Marasigan
From National Mapping
and Resource Information
9.
Mr. Muhammad ALI
From Hydrographic
Department of Pakistan,
10.
Mr. Priyantha JAYASCOORIYA
From National Aquatic
Resources Research and Development Agency, SRILANKA
