| Abstract |
The Civil Hydrography Programme (CHP) is a multi-million pound (£) Government initiative to prioritize and survey the waters surrounding the UK to modern standards (IHO Order 1a) for the primary purpose of updating nautical charts and publications. Currently, around 50% of UK waters have been charted to the IHO standard. Responsible for an area broadly in line with the UK Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) - a region of seabed in excess of 720,000km² - the CHP makes extensive use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to prioritize survey areas using a dynamic risk analysis methodology capable of reflecting the changing pressures of the maritime environment.With the exception of the MCA's Emergency Towing Vessel (ETV) Anglian Sovereign, much of the hydrographic survey work commissioned for the CHP is undertaken by contractors offering turn-key solutions. These contractors are required to gather and report seabed data using their own personnel, equipment and vessels. Work packages are typically split between:- Routine resurvey - navigationally critical shallow water areas with mobile seabed- Shallow water - 0 to 40m water depth- Medium water - greater than 40m water depth- Anglian Sovereign - survey operations conducted onboard the MCA's Emergency Towing Vessel (ETV) during periods of standby.
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