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Significant Advancements in Hydrography in Saudi Arabia Boost Navigation Safety and Drive National Offshore Development

Navigation and exploration of marine territories are essential for nations aiming to sustain a maritime economy, encompassing the fundamental requirements for marine safety.

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Advancements in underwater mapping in Saudi Arabia aim to ensure safe navigation and foster...
Advancements in underwater mapping in Saudi Arabia aim to ensure safe navigation and foster national offshore growth.

Significant Advancements in Hydrography in Saudi Arabia Boost Navigation Safety and Drive National Offshore Development

Saudi Arabia is making significant strides in hydrographic surveys, leveraging modern technologies to enhance marine spatial data collection. The General Commission for Survey (GCS) is at the forefront of this transformation, using advanced instruments and skilled personnel to map the kingdom's marine areas with unprecedented accuracy.

Embracing Modern Survey Technologies

The GCS is utilising a variety of cutting-edge technologies to improve hydrographic surveys. These include multibeam sonar systems, such as the CHCNAV HQ-400, which offer precise bathymetric surveys by combining sensors for temperature, attitude, and positioning. Unmanned surface vehicles (USVs), like the APACHE 4 USV, are also being deployed for hydrological studies. These vessels, with their stable, shallow draft designs, allow for efficient and remote data collection, supported by software like EasySail and HydroProfiler.

Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCP) are another key technology being employed. ADCPs measure water velocity and discharge in both shallow and deep waters, greatly enhancing hydrological and current flow studies. Advanced software solutions are also being utilised for processing and filtering hydrographic data, ensuring accurate and noise-free maps for rapid and quality chart production.

Skilled Personnel and Ongoing Efforts

The GCS's hydrographic survey teams are composed of experienced and skilled professionals, including survey engineers and lead surveyors. These experts are implementing the latest survey techniques and equipment in Saudi Arabia, paving the way for comprehensive hydrographic data acquisition and modernised chart production.

While a precise timeline for completing full hydrographic coverage of all Saudi marine areas has not been explicitly stated, the active recruitment of qualified survey engineers and lead surveyors indicates a continuous and expanding effort. With the presence of cutting-edge survey technology and skilled personnel, Saudi Arabia is progressing methodically towards comprehensive hydrographic data acquisition and modernised charting.

Key Achievements and Future Plans

Over the past five years, 40% of the near-coast SMAs have been surveyed, and 35% of the planned charts have been produced. The GCS has also become the official representative of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) in 2012.

Future plans include the establishment of the Marine Safety Information and nautical publications sections and the distribution of verified chart products through an established RENC under IHO regulations. The GCS is also considering the development of a Hydrographic Data Management System for managing large amounts of spatial data.

The program aims to survey the entire Saudi Marine Areas (SMAs) and produce Marine Geospatial Products and Services, including nautical charts under IMO and IHO regulations. Plans are also underway to construct more HSVs and HSLs to augment survey capacity in different coastal areas.

Notable Projects and Equipment

The GCS operates an ocean-going hydrographic survey vessel (HSV) and coastal hydrographic survey launches (HSLs) for 3D surveying and training purposes. The program includes the "Delineation of Islands and Shoreline Project" for accurate determination of island numbers and areas.

The GCS HSL will be used for port surveys, investigations, etc. The program also includes Two Marine Sciences Data Buoys (MSDBs). Survey activities in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf Region, SMAs include the use of various advanced equipment like bathymetric and topographic LiDARs, hyper spectral imager, side scan sonar, multi-beam echo sounder, sub-bottom profiler, automatic tide gauges, and acoustic doppler current profiler.

The hydrographic program includes the National Tide Gauge Network (NTGN 1) with 12 stations. Another important product from the survey results is the development of electronic coastal management zone charts (CZMCs) at a scale of 1:25,000 for non-navigational purposes for stakeholders within the Kingdom.

Plans are underway to construct more HSVs and HSLs to augment survey capacity in different coastal areas. The scheme for CZMCs is planned to be augmented with additional layers for coastal management, tourism, fisheries, defense, offshore cables, pipelines, environmentally sensitive marine areas, marine sciences, etc.

In summary, Saudi Arabia's hydrographic survey efforts represent a robust embrace of modern, unmanned, and high-precision survey instruments combined with expert human resources. This combination is setting the foundation for full hydrographic coverage and modernised chart production, although the precise timeline for full completion has not been explicitly stated in the sources reviewed.

  1. Realizing the potential of data-and-cloud-computing, the GCS utilizes advanced software solutions for processing and filtering hydrographic data, ensuring accurate and noise-free maps for rapid and quality chart production.
  2. With the deployment of USVs like the APACHE 4 USV, hydrographic surveys in Saudi Arabia are more efficient, as these vessels allow for remote data collection with software like EasySail and HydroProfiler.
  3. The GCS's hydrographic survey teams are leveraging technology in their data-collection efforts, employing equipment such as Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCP) to measure water velocity and discharge with precision.
  4. Marine science in Saudi Arabia is experiencing a wave of progression due to technological advancements, as shown by the use of CHCNAV HQ-400 multibeam sonar systems in hydrographic surveys.
  5. Climate-change and environmental-science are stakeholders within the Kingdom that will benefit from the development of electronic coastal management zone charts (CZMCs) at a scale of 1:25,000, created through Saudi Arabia's hydrographic survey efforts.
  6. Participating in travel, sports, and leisure activities by sea in Saudi Arabia will soon be more accessible with updated and modernized charts, thanks to the ongoing modernization of nautical charting and hydrographic surveys using technology.

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