Meeting of the IHO Tides, Water Level and Currents Working Group

65 experts from 21 IHO Member States and observers discussed progress on a number of tasks and projects, including the comparison of tidal predictions generated from the analysis of common datasets using different national analysis software and the resultant tidal constituents generated. These discussions were timely as individual national organizations are upgrading their analysis software to ensure the results are consistent and more accurate compared to those generated by their current software.

The TWCWG also reviewed the currents draft versions of the S-100 based Product Specifications for which the group is responsible – Water Level Information for Surface Navigation (S-104) and Surface Currents (S-111) – the use case projects being undertaken by various coastal states.  The Group also took the opportunity to review the material created for a Tides, Water Level and Current training workshop, which has been translated from English into French, Spanish and Portuguese; China proposed to provide a Chinese version later this year.

The current Chair, Dr Gwenaële Jan of France, and Vice-Chair, Mr Peter Stone of the USA, stood down and Mr Chris Jones of the UK and Ms Ruth Farre of South Africa were elected as Chair and Vice-Chair respectively for the next triennium.  It is hoped that the 6th meeting to be held in the April-May period next year will be a physical meeting hosted by the South African Hydrographic Office.