New IHO Council sets priorities for 2026–2029

The Council welcomed its new leadership: Mr Magnus Wallhagen of Sweden as Chair, Vice Admiral Dr Budi Purwanto of Indonesia as Vice-Chair, and IHO Secretary-General Rear Admiral Luigi Sinapi as Council Secretary.

Opening the meeting, Mr Wallhagen emphasized the Council’s responsibility to turn the Organization’s ambitions into results: “The IHO Strategic Plan sets out ambitious goals. It is the role of Council members to make sure the goals in this strategy are achieved.”

The meeting was particularly significant as the new Council begins its term alongside a new IHO Strategic Plan for 2027–2032 and its accompanying work programme. The scope of work has been broadened and includes the opening of two new entities: the GEBCO Secretariat and the IHO Infrastructure Centre. Council members approved the budget, along with the recruitment of new staff in order to achieve the objectives set out in the strategic plan. Council participants also identified priority areas for the coming year, including implementation of the S-100 framework, the IHO Data Protection Scheme for ENC Production, stronger relationships with international partners and efforts to broaden IHO membership.

From strategic priorities to concrete action

The meeting set the tone for the coming period. It resulted in 87 actions and decisions and 11 Circular Letters to be sent to IHO Member States for their input.

Rear Admiral Sinapi described the outcome as evidence of the Organization’s capacity to convert priorities into measurable results: “This Council meeting was particularly productive and constructive. These are not merely numbers. They demonstrate our collective ability to translate strategic priorities into concrete, measurable and traceable actions.”

Advancing S-100 implementation

The continued implementation of the IHO S-100 framework was a key topic throughout the meeting. Following the entry into force of the Phase 1 product specifications in 2025, 2026 marks another important year of delivery, with Phase 2 product specifications becoming operational. This progress supports the transition towards the next generation of data products and services.

The IHO Infrastructure Centre in the Republic of Korea, which will be officially inaugurated in November 2026, is expected to provide further support to Member States as they transition to these new products and services.

To support the global rollout of the S-100 Universal Hydrographic Data Model, the U.S. proposed a virtual workshop on a Unified Global Grid Scheme which will be held on 25 November 2026. Fragmented legacy national grids risk data distortion, boundary misalignments and operational inefficiencies. A standardized spatial framework would help harmonize production pipelines, integrate navigational and environmental datasets, and avoid incompatible national systems.

Participants also heard about outcomes of the seven IHO sea trials around the world, and how S-100 products consistently demonstrated their added value in demanding, time critical or environmentally constrained navigation situations. In Auckland and Tory Channel, the most significant performance improvements were observed during emergency scenarios, where situational awareness and decision-making under pressure were critical.

Strengthening international cooperation and participation

The Council also considered ways to broaden participation in the IHO and strengthen its relationships with international partners.

Members agreed to continue discussions on expanding IHO membership, with particular attention to landlocked States that have inland navigable waters. Engaging these countries more closely would help extend the benefits of hydrography and the work of the IHO to a wider range of maritime and inland-waterway stakeholders.

These discussions reflect the Organization’s continued commitment to international cooperation and to ensuring that its work responds to the needs of countries with different geographic circumstances and hydrographic requirements.

Recognizing contributions to hydrography

Alongside its strategic and technical discussions, the Council meeting provided an opportunity to recognise individuals whose work has made significant contributions to hydrographic knowledge, ocean mapping and navigational safety. Rear Admiral Sinapi presented the ex Abyssis ad Alta Award to the representative of the United States of America on behalf of this year’s recipient, Jennifer Jencks of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Director of the IHO Data Centre for Digital Bathymetry.

The United Kingdom Hydrographic Office also presented Vice Admiral Dr Budi Purwanto, National Hydrographer of Indonesia and Commander of the Indonesian Navy Hydro-Oceanography Centre (Pushidrosal), with the 2026 Alexander Dalrymple Award in recognition of his services to hydrography, cartography and safety of navigation.

Council participants also took a moment to recognize Jeff Wootton, who will retire after 40 years working in hydrography, of which the last 10 years have been spent at the IHO Secretariat.

Closing the meeting, the IHO Secretary-General thanked the Secretariat staff whose work supported the Council: “No successful Council meeting is possible without the dedication, professionalism and hard work of the people who make it happen. I therefore wish to express my deepest appreciation to the entire IHO Secretariat, whose extraordinary efforts, often far from the spotlight, have made this meeting such a success.”