With an aim to accentuate the significance of Hydrography, to create awareness on the importance and its role towards rendering our waters safer to support maritime trade and accident free marine environment, Pakistan Navy observes the World Hydrography Day.
World Hydrography Day (WHD) is celebrated worldwide on 21 June every year to appreciate the work done in the field of hydrography in support of safe navigation at open seas and ports. Theme of World Hydrography Day for this year is “Hydrography – Contributing to the United Nations Ocean Decade’’. The Theme is designed to highlight the relevant contributions of hydrography as a discipline of applied sciences to the United Nations Decade of Ocean Sciences for sustainable development (2021-2030).
Annual celebration of this day emphasizes importance of hydrography as it underpins almost every activity associated with the sea including safety of navigation, economic development, security and defence, scientific research, environmental protection, ports and harbour construction, resource exploitation, integrated coastal zone management, disaster management maritime boundary delimitation between neighboring countries etc. Furthermore, this year World Hydrography Day celebrations highlighted the efforts to bring together ocean actors across the world to foster the partnership and generate the knowledge needed to support a well functioning, productive, resilient, sustainable and inspiring ocean. Pakistan is a responsible coastal state blessed with over 1000 kms of coastline and around 290,000 Sq Km of sea area. More than 90% of Pakistan’s trade by volume and 70% by value is carried out through Arabian sea. Pakistan is also responsible for hydrographic surveys and production of nautical carts/ maps of its waters to provide accurate nautical information to mariners.
Pakistan Navy Hydrographic Department (PNHD), on behalf of Pakistan, is fulfilling this responsibility. Pakistan Navy remains abreast with the modern trends in Hydrographic Surveys. In 2019, a new survey ship ‘PNS BEHR MASAH’ with latest research equipment was inducted in PN. The ship is equipped with state of the art hydrographic, physical oceanographic and geophysical survey equipment. PNHD is also utilizing some of the autonomous aerial platforms for coastal topographic surveys.
Pakistan Navy celebrates this day every year to underscore the importance of hydrography towards its share in all marine and maritime related activities. Pakistan Navy is ever ready to continuously contribute towards marine research activities and supporting various aspects of blue economy which are eventually contributing significantly towards our national economy.
