Strategic Directive - SLN Hydrographic Service

Vision

"The vision of the SLNHS is to provide quality hydrographic data in support of decision-making towards sustainable development, protection and safe use of Sri Lanka’s maritime domain."

Mission

"Its mission is to meet defence, national and other stakeholder requirements providing navigational, hydrographic and geo-spatial information, products and services in the most efficient manner."

Objectives

The objectives are carefully set hereunder in order to achieve the vision stipulated herein, and to ensure specifically that international obligations under SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) convention are met. Further, it is also envisaged that current and potential future military tasks and related national requirements are supported by high-quality hydrographic and geo-spatial information, products and services. They also help SLNHS to deliver value to all its stakeholders in the products and services it provides, with its resources and capabilities.

To Provide Operational Support to Sri Lanka Navy and other Defence Organizations.

The SLNHS will provide value to defence establishments of Sri Lanka by delivering the hydrographic services, which enables Sri Lanka Navy, Department of Sri Lanka Coastguard and other defence organizations to undertake current and potential future operational tasks in times of peace, crisis including emergencies or war. To achieve this, the SLNHS will:

Effectively function Hydrographic Advisory Committee which was established vide the Commander of the Navy’s Memorandum NAHA. 05 dated 30th January 2016 to provide professional advices to the Commander of the Navy on matters related to Hydrography, Nautical Cartography, Marine GIS and other geo-spatial affairs.
Establish Marine Spatial Data Infrastructure (MSDI) in order to systematically manage all navigational, oceanographic, geo-spatial and hydrographic information and to provide the timely needed such information, products, services and advice that the Sri Lankan armed forces and the Department of Sri Lanka Coastguard require for the success of operations and tasks.
Work with the Ministry of Defence to define and develop continually improved nautical products and services for military use, especially by integrating the modern technological advances in the process of making digital products instead of its traditional paper charts and publications within Sri Lanka’s jurisdiction.
Regulate and issue instructions w.r.t classified data acquired in hydrographic, oceanographic surveys by non-military governmental or private sector stakeholder organizations.

To Provide Assistance achieving SOLAS Obligations.

Having jointly administered the NHO of Sri Lanka, the SLNHS will take appropriate actions to satisfy international obligations under SOLAS convention assuring safe passage for the vessels and other marine activities in Sri Lanka’s waters. To achieve this, the SLNHS will:

Introduce a new national charting scheme with new survey data for Sri Lanka which is generally identical to the existing vintage British Admiralty nautical chart series but with more extended large scale charts which will entirely cater for the coastal navigation around the waters of Sri Lanka.
Act as the nodal agency to disseminate Maritime Safety Information to promulgate NAVAREA Warnings through regional NAVAREA VIII coordinator (India).
Take appropriate actions to issue Notices to Mariners through United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO), which presently acts as chart producing authority to the government of Sri Lanka in order to ensure that nautical charts and publications are up-to-date with safety information.
Continue to conduct Hydrographic surveys in the waters of Sri Lanka’s jurisdiction and in accordance with the standards stipulated by International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) to deliver up-to-date nautical information in the Sri Lanka’s national charting scheme including its Electronic Navigational Charts (ENCs), International Navigational Charts (INTs) for the safe use of Sri Lanka’s waters.

To Provide Assistance for National Requirements.

Having equipped with state of the art equipment, technologies and professional human resources, the SLNHS will continue to provide assistance to stakeholder governmental institutions/organizations to meet national demands. To achieve this, the SLNHS will:

Strengthen the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) with all possible data available at MSDI for the use of national requirements and scientific researches through appropriate means.
Provide consultancy services and technical assistance on Hydrographic, marine GIS and other geo-spatial matters required for national development projects.

To Formulate Professional Workforce in the Discipline of Hydrography.

To be succeeded in achieving the vision, it is mandatory that the SLNHS to be strengthened with professional workforce that could deliver required results in accordance with international standards stipulated by the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO). In achieving so, the SLNHS will:

Employ hydrographic surveyors and nautical cartographers who are qualified in IHO/FIG/ICA Category ‘A’ or IHO/ FIG/ ICA Category ‘B’ certification for the purpose.
Conduct continuous capacity building training for the hydrographic surveyors and survey recorders at Naval Hydrographic School and other international and local institutions in related disciplines.
Establish Hydrographic Surveyor’s National Hydrographic Council and Institute of Hydrographic Surveyors under the provisions given in NARA act.

To Achieve Organizational Excellence.

In delivering the above objectives, the SLNHS will demonstrate organizational excellence by:

Conducting its operations jointly with NARA to the recognized international standards required by IHO, defence, other customers and regulators;
Ensuring all obligations, contractual or otherwise, to its stakeholders are met in accordance with national/ international requirements;
Creating a working environment that fosters enthusiasm, leadership, personal development, innovation and team working; and
Delivering its services efficiently and effectively towards customer satisfaction, thus ensuring that all expenditure and investment that put into represents good value-for-money for defence, thereby making it a centre of excellence.