Germany host Chile: Transferring Nautical Publications into S-100 products

Philipp Schwedas, Head of Section Nautical Editorial Office writes:

The Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) welcomed Lorena Zapata Pinto, representing the Chilean Hydrographic Service (SHOA).

Under the topic “Transferring Nautical Publications into S-100 compliant products”, the secondment lasting two professional working weeks took place in Rostock, Germany in October 2024.

The Nautical Editorial Office of BSH was able to demonstrate workflows and experiences gained through the creation of several test datasets in compliance with future S-100 Universal Hydrographic Data Model product specifications.

While the new IHO S-100 world offers a variety of NPUB related standards, the BSH secondment focussed on the Catalogue of Nautical Products (S-128) and Marine Traffic Services (S-127). Furthermore, Marine Protected Areas (S-122) and Marine Aids to Navigation Services (S-125) were touched.

Lorena was fully integrated in the work of the Nautical Editorial Office from Day 1. Kimberly and Daniel, two technical experts, ensured the success of knowledge transfer.

Through mutual respect and shared interest, the challenges currently faced by each HO were effectively identified and addressed. The collaboration proved both productive and rewarding. With the goal of providing Lorena with a comprehensive toolkit of ideas, knowledge, and workflows for transforming Chilean NPUB data into S-100 compliant data, the days passed at lightning speed.

It was a pleasant cooperation and an excellent opportunity to widen the maritime horizon. By developing ideas jointly, also the BSH was able to profit from the secondment by touching new topics and by improving the latest inhouse developments.

Lorena Zapata Pinto, Servicio Hidrográfico y Oceanográfico de la Armada de Chile (SHOA) writes:

The BSH is actively moving forward in the development of S-100 services, aligning with the IHO roadmap and responding to established priorities. Within this context, the challenges in the transition to S-100 of the national charter are recognized.

Although the current priority in the development of S-100 products is focused on S-101, S-102, S-104 and S-111, it is considered of utmost importance to start with the preparation of data sets to initiate the creation of products in the area of electronic aids to navigation through the development of the new universal hydrographic data model S-100, such as those seen during the present secondment: S-122, S-125, S-127, S-128.

Due to the above, the secondment generated a very valuable communication channel between BSH and SHOA to establish cooperation in the framework of the development of S-122, S-125, S-127, S-128, since the German experience is more advanced in the generation of these products and can serve as a guide to SHOA in the development of these.

The participation in this secondment was a tremendous contribution to the development, updating, exchange of knowledge and experiences with other HO. The contribution of all this information and the impact for our service is a process that needs time to integrate the knowledge but that traces a concrete direction to reach the national objectives, since it clears many doubts and narrows the alternatives in the development of the path towards the fulfillment of the goals.  

Considering that all the HOs have a common objective, which is the migration to this new standard, the exchange of ideas and experiences for the development of S-100 products is of vital importance so that these can be replicated through the development of these capabilities and a workflow adapted to the reality and capabilities of each Hydrographic Office can be developed.