Sri Lanka National Hydrographic Office established
decades, Sri Lanka has lacked sufficient intervention in addressing this matter. In response to the Cabinet of Ministers’ decisions on 13th December 2022, the Secretary of Defence has been directed to implement necessary measures and it has been emphasized that immediate action should be taken to establish a National Hydrographic Office, comprising qualified hydrographic surveyors.
It is in this backdrop, the newly established office will be tasked with effectively overseeing hydrographic surveyors and hydrographic surveying operations. It also aims to generate revenue from the maritime sector through direct activities, including the production and sale of nautical charts and to swiftly provide highly reliable navigational charts to the market. This initiative promises both direct economic advantages and indirect gains for the nation. Historically, despite an annual passage of around 35,000 ships through Sri Lanka’s sea routes, the country has remained untapped in terms of potential revenue. However, by supplying essential navigational charts to these vessels, Sri Lanka now has the opportunity to generate substantial income. Thus, the National Hydrographic Office has taken on the crucial task of replacing outdated maps, which are currently provided by foreign countries. Accordingly, the main objective of the new office is to refresh the existing data with up-to-date information and produce charts that reflect current data. In addition, the National Hydrographic Office is set to introduce a novel approach that will shape the future of various sectors, including the regulation and secure protection of highly sensitive data which can directly have an impact on the security of the country.
Meanwhile, the event was also attended by the Chief of Staff of the Navy, Rear Admiral Jayantha Kularatne, senior officers from the Navy Headquarters and Western Naval Command, former Chief Hydrographers of the Sri Lanka Navy Hydrographic Service, distinguished invitees, government officials and a group of officers of Sri Lanka Navy Hydrographic Service.
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