Hydrographic survey standards
Maritime Safety Queensland gathers information and provides professional advice about navigable waters to ensure the safe navigation of vessels in Queensland waters including ports, estuaries, coasts, lakes and rivers.
Hydrographic surveys measure one or more of the following:
- depth of water
- form and nature of the seabed
- direction and magnitude of currents
- heights and times of tides
- location of topographic features, marine infrastructure, and aids to navigation.
Maritime Safety Queensland has developed standards for hydrographic surveys within Queensland waters in consultation with all Queensland port authorities. These standards are based on the national Principles for Gathering and Processing Hydrographic Information in Australian Ports prepared by the Association of Australian Port and Marine Authorities (AAPMA). They supplement the International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO) Special Publication S44 which provides the minimum international standards for hydrographic surveys.
The standards are to be used as a reference when undertaking hydrographic survey work for Maritime Safety Queensland.
Hydrographic surveys conducted in Queensland waters will be monitored for compliance with Section 2.3 Monitoring/Compliance of the standard. They will address:
- compliance with the standard
- effectiveness of the implementation and ongoing management of the standards.
The Maritime Services Branch performs the role of monitoring compliance with the Standards for Hydrographic surveys within Queensland waters. The Audit Plan for Hydrographic Surveys within Queensland Waters sets out the procedure for selecting, conducting and reporting of survey audits.
For more information about the standards, contact the Manager (Spatial Services and Information) on telephone 3120 7462z or email msqmail@msq.qld.gov.au.
zLocal call – higher rates may apply outside local area or from mobile phones.
