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Mauritius Hydrography Service

​​​​Abo​ut the Unit Need for Hydrography​ Objectives Hydrographic  Surveys Resources​​ Notices to Mariners Sale of Navigational Charts Contact Us​        ​​

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 About the Unit

The Ministry of Housing and Land Use Planning takes responsibility for hydrographic surveying and nautical charting in Mauritius. In order to develop hydrographic infrastructure and expertise, the Unit was set up at this Ministry in 2013. Being nodal agency for hydrography, the Unit has capacity to survey coastal areas critical for shipping and surface navigation, carry out underwater search operations for wreck/ obstruction detection and survey extremely shallow lagoons surrounding Mauritius. In addition, the Unit also provides hydrographic support to stakeholders dealing with ocean related matters. Under assistance provided by the Government of India, Commander Ankush Sachdeva is heading the Unit. ​

Need for Hy​drography

Hydrography is the branch of applied sciences which deals with the measurement and description of physical features of oceans, seas, coastal areas, lakes and rivers, as well as with the prediction of their change over time, for the primary purpose of safety of navigation and in support of all other marine activities, including economic development, security and defence, scientific research, and environmental protection. 

Covering nearly three-quarters of the Earth's surface, marine and coastal waters are the Earth's largest and most vital resources, influencing global energy cycles and biological processes upon which all life depends. Concurrently, ocean and coastal waters serve as the most efficient and hence economical means to move goods. Ultimately the economic and social well-being, including domestic production and competition in the global market, affordability of goods and services, and national security, are dependent on a country's ability to maintain efficient and safe navigation routes into territorial waters where well managed ports and support infrastructure keep waterborne commerce and tourism flowing.  

This safe navigation requires an accurate and up to date navigational chart, the basic and indispensable instrument of marine navigation. The navigational chart is an end product of a Hydrographic survey and here in lies the importance of hydrographic surveying.​

Objectives​

The objectives of the Mauritius Hydrographic Service are as follows:- 

(a)  Provide credible hydrographic services in Mauritius for efficient & safe maritime transport, coastal zone management, exploration & exploitation of marine resources, tourism, environmental protection and scientific research. 

(b)   Create organized database of bathymetric data through surveys for production of nautical charts. 

(c)        Provide hydrographic support to outer islands. 

(d)      Strengthen Maritime Safety Information Services Framework and meet deep sea survey requirements through international collaboration.

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Furthermore, Hydrographic surveying is not restricted to the production of navigational charts only. Any developmen​tal activity in a marine environment, either inland or offshore, must be preceded by a detailed hydrographic survey. Some important app​lications of Hydrography are as follows:- 

Further information regarding the need for hydrographic services is outlined in the document published by the International Hydrographic Organisation which may be accessed at:-​

https://iho.int/uploads/user/pubs/misc/M-2_3.0.7_E_06142018.pdf​  

​Hydrographic Surveys 

(a)  Hydrographic Surveys undertaken by Indian Naval Survey Ships

Cooperation of the Government of India has been obtained under the provisions of an MoU to carry out hydrographic surveys in Mauritius waters.  For this purpose, Indian Naval Survey Shi​ps have visited Mauritius on fifteen occasions since 2006, and have successfully completed 40 hydrographic surveys. This has resulted in the production of 12 Nautical Charts and 14 Electronic Navigation Charts of Mauritius EEZ. 

(b) Surveys Undertaken by the Mauritius Hydrographic Service

Since its inception, the Unit has continued its incessant march towards charting the waters in Mauritius and building the indigenous capacity for hydrographic surveying. A broad spectrum of surveys that have been undertaken by this Unit that include delineation of the entire coastline of Mauritius, surveys for demarcation of mooring zones, surveys for deploying FADs, wreck investigation surveys, underwater archaeological site surveys, surveys for embarkation points for pleasure crafts, identification and survey of navigable passes around Mauritius etc. The metadata of each survey of navigable pass has been compiled as a compendium and can be accessed by clicking on the link below:-

 ​'Compendium of Survey of Navigable Passes of Mauritius' ​​​

Resources

In order to undertake hydrographic surveys around the Island of Mauritius, the following resources are available at the Unit:- 

             ​(a)         Multibeam Echo-sounder 

             (b)         Single Beam Echo-sounder 

             (c)          Differential GPS system

             (d)          Automated Data Logging System

             (e)          Side Scan Sonar with software

             (f)           Motion Sensor

             (g)          Sound Velocity Profiler

             (h)          Automated Tide Gauge

             (j)          Digital Sea Thermometer

             (k)          Bottom sampler

             (l)          Current meter

            (m)         Data Processing Software Suites

            (n)          Geodetic GPS​​

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