IHO File N° S3/4204

CIRCULAR LETTER 55/2026

21 October 2026

CALL FOR APPROVAL OF S-11 PART C FIRST EDITION

References:

A. 10th Council Meeting (13-15 October 2026, Monaco) – Decisions C10/034 and 37

B. IHO Resolution 2/2007 - Procedures for making changes to IHO Technical Standards and Specifications.

Dear Hydrographer,

1. With Reference A, thanks to the significant work of the WEND Working Group, the endorsed first edition (1.0.0) of Part C of Publication S-11 was reported by IRCC to Council at its 10th meeting (Decision C10/034), therefore enabling a call for its approval (Decision C10/037) in accordance with Reference B.

2. Noting the decisions made by the IRCC on the proposed Edition, the consolidated draft Publication has been made available for adoption on the IHO website > Publications > Draft Publications > Draft Publications awaiting approval by Member States.

3. Member States are now invited, in accordance with Reference B, to approve the proposed Edition no later than 04 December 2026 by using the IHO Online Form System using the following link: https://IHO.formstack.com/forms/cl_55_2026 or mail to: [email protected].

On behalf of the Secretary-General

Yours sincerely,

John NYBERG

Director

IHO File No. S1/1900/A

CIRCULAR LETTER 56/2026

21 October 2026

WORLD HYDROGRAPHY DAY

REPORT ON MEMBER STATES ACTIVITIES IN 2026

PROPOSED THEME AND ACTIVITIES FOR 2027

References:

A. IHO CL 01/2026 dated 6th January - Theme for WHD 2026 and Media Outreach

B. Decision C10/58 of the 10th meeting of the IHO Council, Monaco, 13-15 October 2026

Dear Hydrographer,

1. As announced in Reference A, the theme of World Hydrography Day (WHD) 2026 was

“Transforming how ocean data is shared”

2. This theme aimed to address the planned uptake of S-100 based data services which assist the IMO

approved acceptance of S-100 ECDIS as regular means for navigation in international shipping. The

motto also aimed to highlight the ongoing collaboration with other international bodies such as

IALA and WMO to incorporate their services into the S-100 ecosystem.

3. National events in connection with World Hydrography Day 2026, as reported by Member States,

are available at: https://iho.int/en/whd-2026-celebrations-around-the-world.

4. At the 10th IHO Council meeting in Monaco, from 13 to 15 October 2026, the Secretary-General

proposed the following theme for WHD 2027:

“Hydrography – a skilled workforce, powering efficient data-driven navigation”

5. Digital hydrographic services are becoming central to safe, efficient maritime navigation. The

proposed theme aims to convey the message that the digital transformation needed to deliver

these services is not driven by technology alone; it depends on the capacity to turn standards and

data into operational services. This theme places particular emphasis on skilled people, operational

capability and global hydrographic capacity.

6. The IHO Council endorsed this proposal and instructed the IHO Secretariat to circulate the theme

to IHO Member States by IHO Circular Letter (Reference B).

7. Member States are requested to note the endorsement of the IHO Council, consider the proposed

theme for WHD 2027 and provide their comments, if any, to the IHO Secretariat no later than 10

December 2026.

8. For 2027, the IHO Secretariat is proposing a new format for the World Hydrography Day

celebration, featuring two events to be held live online. These will take place at two different times

on the same day to accommodate a wider range of time zones. The events are planned for 21 June

2027: one at 09:00 CEST (Monaco time), potentially with a contribution from the IHO

Infrastructure Centre; and another at 17:00 CEST (Monaco time), potentially with a contribution

from the GEBCO Secretariat.

9. Member States are invited to plan national WHD activities and, where possible, connect to the

global online WHD celebration events. Further details of these events will be provided when the

Circular Letter containing the approved theme for WHD 2027 is circulated.

Yours sincerely,

Rear Admiral Luigi SINAPI

Secretary-General

IHO File No.S1/0410

CIRCULAR LETTER 57/2026

21 October 2026

INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROJECT TEAM ON BODY OF GOVERNANCE AS ESTABLISHED

BY THE 10th MEETING OF THE IHO COUNCIL Reference:

A. 10th Meeting of the IHO Council – Decision C10/74 B. IHO General Regulations - Edition 2.1.3, 2024.

Dear Hydrographer, 1. The IHO Council established, at its 10th Meeting in reference, a Body of Governance Project

Team (BoGPT), to develop a Body of Governance documentation setting out staff code of

conduct principles, protected reporting channels, complaint-handling principles

(whistleblowing) and transparent procurement procedures. This Project Team, open to all

Member States, will be officially activated from 1st December 2026.

2. In accordance with Art. 6. (b) and Art. 6. (g) (i) of the IHO General Regulations (Reference B) and

following the instructions from the IHO Council, Member States are invited to indicate or

confirm their intention to join the BoGPT as members and to indicate their readiness to act as

one of the Office Bearers (Chair, Vice-Chair or Secretary).

3. Member States are also invited to provide, if any, their comments on the draft Terms of

Reference and Rules of Procedures (ToRs & RoPs) provided as Annex and made available on the

BoGPT section of the IHO Portal, no later than 30 November 2026, by email ([email protected]).

4. A formal kickoff meeting is expected to take place as a virtual event in the week commencing

in December, to be confirmed upon BoGPTactivation.

Yours sincerely,

Rear-Admiral Luigi Sinapi

IHO Secretary-General

Annex: Draft Terms of References and Rules of Procedure of the Project Team.

Annex to IHO CL57/2026

Body of Governance Project Team (BoGPT) Terms of Reference & Rules of Procedure

1. Preamble

1.1. Recognizing the need to evolve IHO Workforce resolution (IHO Res. 05/2026) and Staff Regulations (M-7 Edition 10.0.0, June 2026), the IHO Council agreed (Decision C10/074) to establish a Project Team (BoGPT) on that matter.

1.2. This document provides the Terms of Reference and Rules of Procedures of that Project Team, as approved at the first (kick-off) meeting of the Project Team.

2. Terms of Reference

2.1. To develop a Body of Governance (BoG) documentation setting out:

• staff code of conduct principles, • protected reporting channels, • complaint-handling principles (whistleblower protections), and • transparent procurement procedures.

2.2. Provide a draft final report at 11th IHO Council meeting for endorsement and

recommendations.

2.3. These Terms of Reference can be amended in accordance with Article 6 of the General

Regulations.

3. Rules of Procedures

3.1. The Project Team is open to all Member States. It shall be composed of representatives of Member States. The IHO Secretariat is invited to contribute to the activities of the Project Team via its Secretary-General and the Representatives of the IHO Staff, as Observers. Subject matter experts in relevant areas should also be involved to the activity of the Project Team, on case-by-case basis and if deemed necessary by the Chair.

3.2. The Chair and Vice-Chair shall be a representative of a Member State having a seat at the Council. The Chair, Vice-Chair and Secretary shall be confirmed at the first (kick-off) meeting of the Project Team. If the Chair is unable to carry out the duties of the office, the Vice-Chair shall act as the Chair with the same powers and duties.

3.3. The Project Team should normally work by correspondence, with the possibility to hold meetings if decided by the Project Team. The Chair or any member of the Project Team, with the agreement of the simple majority of all members of the Project Team, can call extraordinary meetings. Meetings of this Project Team should essentially be held as an online (VTC) event. Should an in person meeting be necessary, the schedule of such event should be done in conjunction with any other IHO meetings. Besides, all participants to a meeting of the Project Team shall ideally inform the Chair and Secretary in advance of their intention to attend.

Annex to IHO CL57/2026

3.4. Recommendations of the Project Team shall generally be made by consensus.

3.5. The draft record of meetings shall be distributed by the BoGPT Secretary within ten working days of the end of meetings. Participants’ comments should be returned within ten working days of the date of despatch. Final minutes of meetings should be distributed to all IHO Member States and posted on the IHO Portal within thirty days after a meeting. The IHO Secretariat will provide its support to the BoGPT Secretary.

3.6. The working language of the Project Team shall be English.

3.7. Recommendations of the Project Team shall be submitted to the 11th IHO Council meeting for endorsement. The BoGPT Secretary shall prepare the documents required for submission to C-11.

3.8. The Project Team will be disbanded after C-11, if appropriate.

3.9. These Rules of Procedure can be amended in accordance with Article 6 of the General Regulations.

IHO File N° S3/4204

CIRCULAR LETTER 55/2026

21 October 2026

CALL FOR APPROVAL OF S-11 PART C FIRST EDITION

References:

A. 10th Council Meeting (13-15 October 2026, Monaco) – Decisions C10/034 and 37

B. IHO Resolution 2/2007 - Procedures for making changes to IHO Technical Standards and Specifications.

Dear Hydrographer,

1. With Reference A, thanks to the significant work of the WEND Working Group, the endorsed first edition (1.0.0) of Part C of Publication S-11 was reported by IRCC to Council at its 10th meeting (Decision C10/034), therefore enabling a call for its approval (Decision C10/037) in accordance with Reference B.

2. Noting the decisions made by the IRCC on the proposed Edition, the consolidated draft Publication has been made available for adoption on the IHO website > Publications > Draft Publications > Draft Publications awaiting approval by Member States.

3. Member States are now invited, in accordance with Reference B, to approve the proposed Edition no later than 04 December 2026 by using the IHO Online Form System using the following link: https://IHO.formstack.com/forms/cl_55_2026 or mail to: [email protected].

On behalf of the Secretary-General

Yours sincerely,

John NYBERG

Director

IHO File No. S1/1900/A

CIRCULAR LETTER 56/2026

21 October 2026

WORLD HYDROGRAPHY DAY

REPORT ON MEMBER STATES ACTIVITIES IN 2026

PROPOSED THEME AND ACTIVITIES FOR 2027

References:

A. IHO CL 01/2026 dated 6th January - Theme for WHD 2026 and Media Outreach

B. Decision C10/58 of the 10th meeting of the IHO Council, Monaco, 13-15 October 2026

Dear Hydrographer,

1. As announced in Reference A, the theme of World Hydrography Day (WHD) 2026 was

“Transforming how ocean data is shared”

2. This theme aimed to address the planned uptake of S-100 based data services which assist the IMO

approved acceptance of S-100 ECDIS as regular means for navigation in international shipping. The

motto also aimed to highlight the ongoing collaboration with other international bodies such as

IALA and WMO to incorporate their services into the S-100 ecosystem.

3. National events in connection with World Hydrography Day 2026, as reported by Member States,

are available at: https://iho.int/en/whd-2026-celebrations-around-the-world.

4. At the 10th IHO Council meeting in Monaco, from 13 to 15 October 2026, the Secretary-General

proposed the following theme for WHD 2027:

“Hydrography – a skilled workforce, powering efficient data-driven navigation”

5. Digital hydrographic services are becoming central to safe, efficient maritime navigation. The

proposed theme aims to convey the message that the digital transformation needed to deliver

these services is not driven by technology alone; it depends on the capacity to turn standards and

data into operational services. This theme places particular emphasis on skilled people, operational

capability and global hydrographic capacity.

6. The IHO Council endorsed this proposal and instructed the IHO Secretariat to circulate the theme

to IHO Member States by IHO Circular Letter (Reference B).

7. Member States are requested to note the endorsement of the IHO Council, consider the proposed

theme for WHD 2027 and provide their comments, if any, to the IHO Secretariat no later than 10

December 2026.

8. For 2027, the IHO Secretariat is proposing a new format for the World Hydrography Day

celebration, featuring two events to be held live online. These will take place at two different times

on the same day to accommodate a wider range of time zones. The events are planned for 21 June

2027: one at 09:00 CEST (Monaco time), potentially with a contribution from the IHO

Infrastructure Centre; and another at 17:00 CEST (Monaco time), potentially with a contribution

from the GEBCO Secretariat.

9. Member States are invited to plan national WHD activities and, where possible, connect to the

global online WHD celebration events. Further details of these events will be provided when the

Circular Letter containing the approved theme for WHD 2027 is circulated.

Yours sincerely,

Rear Admiral Luigi SINAPI

Secretary-General

IHO File No.S1/0410

CIRCULAR LETTER 57/2026

21 October 2026

INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROJECT TEAM ON BODY OF GOVERNANCE AS ESTABLISHED

BY THE 10th MEETING OF THE IHO COUNCIL Reference:

A. 10th Meeting of the IHO Council – Decision C10/74 B. IHO General Regulations - Edition 2.1.3, 2024.

Dear Hydrographer, 1. The IHO Council established, at its 10th Meeting in reference, a Body of Governance Project

Team (BoGPT), to develop a Body of Governance documentation setting out staff code of

conduct principles, protected reporting channels, complaint-handling principles

(whistleblowing) and transparent procurement procedures. This Project Team, open to all

Member States, will be officially activated from 1st December 2026.

2. In accordance with Art. 6. (b) and Art. 6. (g) (i) of the IHO General Regulations (Reference B) and

following the instructions from the IHO Council, Member States are invited to indicate or

confirm their intention to join the BoGPT as members and to indicate their readiness to act as

one of the Office Bearers (Chair, Vice-Chair or Secretary).

3. Member States are also invited to provide, if any, their comments on the draft Terms of

Reference and Rules of Procedures (ToRs & RoPs) provided as Annex and made available on the

BoGPT section of the IHO Portal, no later than 30 November 2026, by email ([email protected]).

4. A formal kickoff meeting is expected to take place as a virtual event in the week commencing

in December, to be confirmed upon BoGPTactivation.

Yours sincerely,

Rear-Admiral Luigi Sinapi

IHO Secretary-General

Annex: Draft Terms of References and Rules of Procedure of the Project Team.

Annex to IHO CL57/2026

Body of Governance Project Team (BoGPT) Terms of Reference & Rules of Procedure

1. Preamble

1.1. Recognizing the need to evolve IHO Workforce resolution (IHO Res. 05/2026) and Staff Regulations (M-7 Edition 10.0.0, June 2026), the IHO Council agreed (Decision C10/074) to establish a Project Team (BoGPT) on that matter.

1.2. This document provides the Terms of Reference and Rules of Procedures of that Project Team, as approved at the first (kick-off) meeting of the Project Team.

2. Terms of Reference

2.1. To develop a Body of Governance (BoG) documentation setting out:

• staff code of conduct principles, • protected reporting channels, • complaint-handling principles (whistleblower protections), and • transparent procurement procedures.

2.2. Provide a draft final report at 11th IHO Council meeting for endorsement and

recommendations.

2.3. These Terms of Reference can be amended in accordance with Article 6 of the General

Regulations.

3. Rules of Procedures

3.1. The Project Team is open to all Member States. It shall be composed of representatives of Member States. The IHO Secretariat is invited to contribute to the activities of the Project Team via its Secretary-General and the Representatives of the IHO Staff, as Observers. Subject matter experts in relevant areas should also be involved to the activity of the Project Team, on case-by-case basis and if deemed necessary by the Chair.

3.2. The Chair and Vice-Chair shall be a representative of a Member State having a seat at the Council. The Chair, Vice-Chair and Secretary shall be confirmed at the first (kick-off) meeting of the Project Team. If the Chair is unable to carry out the duties of the office, the Vice-Chair shall act as the Chair with the same powers and duties.

3.3. The Project Team should normally work by correspondence, with the possibility to hold meetings if decided by the Project Team. The Chair or any member of the Project Team, with the agreement of the simple majority of all members of the Project Team, can call extraordinary meetings. Meetings of this Project Team should essentially be held as an online (VTC) event. Should an in person meeting be necessary, the schedule of such event should be done in conjunction with any other IHO meetings. Besides, all participants to a meeting of the Project Team shall ideally inform the Chair and Secretary in advance of their intention to attend.

Annex to IHO CL57/2026

3.4. Recommendations of the Project Team shall generally be made by consensus.

3.5. The draft record of meetings shall be distributed by the BoGPT Secretary within ten working days of the end of meetings. Participants’ comments should be returned within ten working days of the date of despatch. Final minutes of meetings should be distributed to all IHO Member States and posted on the IHO Portal within thirty days after a meeting. The IHO Secretariat will provide its support to the BoGPT Secretary.

3.6. The working language of the Project Team shall be English.

3.7. Recommendations of the Project Team shall be submitted to the 11th IHO Council meeting for endorsement. The BoGPT Secretary shall prepare the documents required for submission to C-11.

3.8. The Project Team will be disbanded after C-11, if appropriate.

3.9. These Rules of Procedure can be amended in accordance with Article 6 of the General Regulations.