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Supporting the future of navigation
In an ever-changing world, our oceans are under increasing pressure with advances in technology, busier seas and pressing environmental challenges. Our experts support safer navigation across the globe by providing hydrographic understanding to inform maritime decisions on ship and shore.
A global centre of hydrographic understanding
We work together with a wide range of organisations to source, process and publish hydrographic and marine geospatial data, from seabed to surface. Supporting others to make the best use of our oceans in safer, secure and more sustainable ways.
Working as an executive agency of the Ministry of Defence, we play a leading role in providing expert advice on seabed mapping, safe navigation, and marine geospatial data. We provide support for government and public bodies to deliver better outcomes on a range of policy areas, as well as our public task, which includes fulfilling the UK government's Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) obligations.
Peter Sparkes, UKHO Chief Executive, discusses how we've achieved our goals in the last financial year.
Highlights of the year
We have undertaken a range of activities during our financial year 2021/22, from attending international events such as COP26, to the beta release of our innovative ADMIRALTY Digital Delivery Service - ADDS.
View a few of our highlights below.
S-100 data catalogue launched
We expanded our range of S-102 Bathymetric Surface data sets of ports in the southern UK.
ADMIRALTY Digital Delivery Service Beta release
Our innovative ADMIRALTY Digital Delivery Service (ADDS) service launched, an event-driven pipeline and new cloud-based file store to enable distributors to collect real-time data by API and pass it on to customers.
Coastal Zone Mapping
We worked together with 15 government agencies to create a blueprint for a Coastal Geospatial Data Coordination Entity, mapping the coastline of the UK.
Collaboration agreement with the Nippon Foundation - GEBCO Seabed 2030 project
We provided bathymetric gridded map products to be used by the project within the GEBCO gridded bathymetric data set, with the goal of mapping the worlds ocean's by 2030.
COP26
We exhibited at COP26 in support of the decarbonisation of shipping and global reductions to CO2 output.
The future of navigation
As a global centre of hydrographic understanding and as experts in our field, we consistently strive to set and raise global standards for hydrography and bathymetry.
We harness the latest advances in data science and digital technologies to advance our discovery of the oceans. We’re using this knowledge and expertise, in collaboration with partners, to develop innovative solutions which will shape the future of navigation.
Shipping is facing era-defining challenges. We’re exploring how we can embrace new technologies to meet the evolving needs of international shipping in minimising carbon emissions and realising operational efficiencies, whilst still ensuring safety at sea.
Our work is underpinned by our people, who are central to our organisation and achieving our future vision. We are becoming a truly digital organisation, developing our people and equipping ourselves with the skills required for a leading organisation in a digital world.
And as shipping is striving for decarbonisation, our organisation is doing the same. We will be carbon neutral by 2030, Net Zero by 2050, and will develop a costed roadmap to achieve this during 2022/23.
Our sustainability commitment
Reduction of our environmental impact, and our support in developing a more sustainable marine industry, is of central importance to the UKHO, in 2021, we set the commitment to be Carbon Neutral by 2026, we have now increased this commitment with the target of Net Zero by 2050.
The changing maritime landscape
The maritime industry is seeing rapid changes, driven by a more efficient, decarbonised approach to global shipping. We are contributing to the next generation of navigation solutions, meeting the industry’s evolving needs through innovation and working together.
Military ENC for the Carrier Strike Group (CSG)
The Royal Navy and our defence customers rely on our navigational products and services. We support the UK’s National Security providing hydrographic data and specialist expertise, identifying data needs and requirements to fulfil our national and international security remit. Our role and partnership with Defence helps support operations that promote peace on a global scale.
UK Hydrographic Office Annual Report and Accounts for 2021 to 2022
The UKHO is an executive agency and operates as a trading fund within the Ministry of Defence. Our annual report is published and laid to Parliament. This includes a full financial overview of the UKHO, and our achievements over the last year.