OVERVIEW

What is the UK Centre for Seabed Mapping (UK CSM)?

Quality marine geospatial information is crucial for almost every activity undertaken in the marine environment, including:

  • Maritime trade.
  • Informing sustainable environmental and resource management.
  • Supporting national security and infrastructure.

The UK is a world-leader in seabed mapping and the UK Government alone invests in over 30 public sector organisations to collect and use it. There is an opportunity to establish and support a collaborative seabed mapping community which coordinates the collection, management and access of publicly funded data. 

This collaboration is developing a network of all public stakeholders and an infrastructure to enable proactive and meaningful cross government coordination and integration, both in terms of operational activity and promoting the sector. 

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Introducing the UK Centre for Seabed Mapping (CSM)

Four priorities the UK CSM seeks to address

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The UK CSM (with a focus on bathymetry) seeks to address four recommendations set out in The future of UK marine geospatial data study: Data Collaboration, Data Standards, Data Accessibility and Data Collection.

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Become a member

The members of the UKCSM invite all UK public sector organisations, who share a common interest in optimising the UK’s national maritime assets for the security and prosperity of our country, to become a member of the UK CSM.

To formalise the collaborative seabed mapping community, proper governance has been established, with the UK CSM Management Team being administered by the UKHO in a secretariat role.

The community will consist of three layers that will guide and make any recommendations in collaboration:

  • Working Groups: all members
  • Management Group: representative from each member
  • Steering Committee: governance at government department level

Register your details and a member of the UK CSM team will be in touch.

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Access the UK CSM Planning Information Portal

Members of the UK CSM have free access to the UK CSM Planning Information Portal.

In order to become a member please register your interest.  We welcome representatives across both the public and private sectors who have a shared interest in the ocean, collaborating together in collecting and sharing quality marine data.

Visit the UK CSM Planning Information Portal
UK CENTRE FOR SEABED MAPPING MEMBERS

Current members of the UK CSM, working together to optimise the sustainable use and protection of our national maritime assets, by increasing the coverage, quality and access of seabed mapping data.

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"Data provided through the UK Centre for Seabed mapping collaboration underpins the fundamental science done within the British Geological Survey's seabed geology programme. Such data enables us to help with seabed conservation and management of the marine environment".

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Dr Karen Hanghøj
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Director, British Geological Survey (UK CSM member)

UK CSM Members

UK CSM Members

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British Antarctic Survey logo British Geological Survey logo Cefas logo Commissioners of Irish Lights logo

UK CSM Members

Crown Estate Scotland logo
DAERA logo DEFRA logo Department for Transport logo Historic England logo

UK CSM Members

Historic Environment Scotland logo
JNCC logo Maritime and Coastguard Agency logo MEDIN logo Met Office logo

UK CSM Members

Ministry of Defence logo
Natural England logo NNRCMP logo National Oceanography Centre logo North Sea Transition Authority logo

UK CSM Members

Northern Lighthouse Board logo
Ordnance Survey logo Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales logo Royal Navy logo Scottish Government logo

UK CSM Members

The Crown Estate logo
Trinity House logo UKHO logo WCMC logo Welsh Government logo

The future of UK marine geospatial data report

A collaborative study from partners across government, industry and academia reveals that groups responsible for gathering marine geospatial information must find new, more efficient ways of working together.

The UK CSM aims to deliver on the four recommendations set out in the evidence based report.

UK CSM submitted as UK Government Voluntary Commitment to UN Ocean Decade

The creation of the UK Centre for Seabed Mapping (UK CSM) was submitted as a UK Government Voluntary Commitment to the United Nations at the UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon, Portugal, on 27 June 2022.

The aim of the conference is to propel much needed science-based innovative solutions that focus on starting a new chapter of global ocean action, anchored within the UN Ocean Decade's Sustainable Development Goals (SDG's).

The UK CSM aims to contribute to the UN Ocean Decade SDG 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation, and SDG 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development. 

UK CSM included as part of the new National Strategy for Maritime Security

The Department for Transport has published its new maritime security strategy.  One of the key principles of the UK government approach to managing maritime threats and risks at home, and around the world, is to improve the provision of marine geospatial data.
 
We support the government approach in leveraging the UK’s world-leading seabed mapping community to tackle these threats, and enhancing the UK’s maritime security knowledge through the recently established UK Centre for Seabed Mapping.
 
Rear Admiral Rhett Hatcher, UK National Hydrographer commented: “The new National Strategy for Maritime Security provides a keystone, collaborative strategy, which for the first time recognises how critical marine geospatial data is to optimising and safeguarding the UK’s maritime sector. Through the new UK Centre for Seabed Mapping, the UKHO, along with the UK-wide community of seabed mapping experts, will come together under one banner to improve the coordination, collaboration and impact of our combined work”

Explore

Find out more about the UK CSM

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Supporting safe, secure and thriving oceans

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Whether reducing our carbon emissions to net zero or enhancing seaborne trade as part of Maritime 2050, a better understanding of our marine environment is key.  

We work with others to build this understanding through the collection and analysis of data from seabed to surface. Our teams provide specialist expertise to help partners deliver projects that make the best use of the marine environment.

 

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Marine Geospatial Data from seabed to surface

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Discover a wealth of marine geospatial data from the seabed, to the coast, offshore and beyond.

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News, events and case studies

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We look forward to sharing the latest updates, new members and case studies from the UK CSM following its launch and first inaugural meeting of the steering group committee.