Meso AmericanCaribbean Hydrographic Commission Electronic Chart Working Group

Meso. American-Caribbean Hydrographic Commission Electronic Chart Working Group Meeting Results Cartagena 30 -31 August 2004 Katie Ries, Chair LCDR Rafael A. Ponce, Vice-Chair

Environmental Protection and Maritime Transport Pollution Control in the Gulf of Honduras Project geinfrae@cocatram. org. ni

Environmental Protection and Maritime Transport Pollution Control in the Gulf of Honduras Project geinfrae@cocatram. org. ni Project Objective: To reverse the degradation of the coastal and marine ecosystems within the Gulf of Honduras by enhancing the prevention and control from maritime transport-related pollution in the major ports and navigation lanes, improving navigational safety to avoid groundings and spills, and reducing land-based sources of pollution draining into the Gulf.

Environmental Protection and Maritime Transport Pollution Control in the Gulf of Honduras Project • ECWG TG 1 involvement – Making the case for Hydrography’s importance for environmental management and protection – Regional hydrographic capacity analysis and gap assessment – Input in the project’s Trans-boundary Diagnostic Analysis – Active involvement in the Puerto Barrio, Belize City, and Tegucigalpa project preparation meetings – Input in the project’s final design – Commitment to develop and help execute the implementation plan for all project’s hydrography- related sub-components

Major Project Components Component 1: Building regional capacity for maritime and land-based pollution control. Component 2: Updating the TDA, developing a region-specific SAP, and creating, analyzing and distributing marine environmental information. Component 3: Enhancing navigational safety in shipping lanes. Component 4: Improving env. management in the regional network of five ports within the Gulf of Honduras Key Hydrographic Objectives National Institutional Capacity Building Regional (Tri-national) Institutional Capacity Building Technical Support Demonstration

Create institutional arrangement for conducting hydrographic work. Project Hydrographic Support Hydrographic data acquisition for priority ports including updating surveys where needed. Survey Create ENC for priority ports and pilot an inclusion of env. data layers. ENC Establishment of formal training. Integrate hydrographic data / ENC applications in the project’s env. information management system and facilitate access. GIS

Expectations for Task Group 1 at this meeting 1 2 Come to agreement on implementation plan process. 3 Come to agreement on outcome/product of plan. 4 Identify strategies for each need. Identify needs for each activity. 5 Develop timeline for completing the implementation plan For hydrographic component.

Major Project Components Component 1: Building regional capacity for maritime and land-based pollution control. Key Hydrographic Objectives National Institutional Capacity Building Component 2: Updating the TDA, developing a region-specific SAP, and creating, analyzing and distributing marine environmental information. ACTIVITIES EXAMPLE: -Determine priority ports for surveying and/or ENC production under the project Component 3: Enhancing navigational safety in shipping lanes. -Define national requirements for training, expertise, and equipment required for hydrographic data collection, processing, paper and ENC production, distribution, and safe navigation. Component 4: Improving env. management in the regional network of five ports within the Gulf of Honduras -Determine which of those requirements could be met through a regional (tri-national) arrangements.

Accomplishments AGREED TO DEVELOP IMPLEMENTATION PLAN AND STARTED IT: • Developed detailed list of actions related to building national institutional capacity, including: -Raising the level of awareness of the importance of hydrography including reinforcing senior level visits by the IHB -Establishment/strengthening of national coordination committees (example Panama, Guatemala) • Use of IHO S-55 questionnaire to: -assess current status of hydro survey charting capabilities -prioritize needs -identify related training needs -build on national responses to determine trinational collaborative arrangements to achieve project results • Established linkages with IHO Capacity Building efforts and COCATRAM

Task Group Two Specific Tasks for This Meeting 1. Small-scale INT Chart to ENC production - Small-scale ENC distribution 2. ENC Distribution Options 3. Priority Ports and Routes - Go. H Ports - HYCOOP letter - Alternatives for ENC production 4. Training

Small-Scale ENCs • Agreed: – INT Chart scheme will be basis for production --Will use proposed French ENC cell scheme to address overlaps in ENC cell coverage – Identified HOs willing to produce INT paper charts and ENCs – Produced ENCs should undergo a consistency check by 3 rd party (IC-ENC and Primar Stavanger have offered). – Most small-scale ENCs will be available free-of-charge.

MACHC Small-Scale INT Charts and ENCs [go to separate slide]

Priority Ports/Routes for ENCs • Accomplished: – Minor revisions in area designations – Added additional ports (e. g. , Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, Suriname, USA, & Venezuela) – Incorporated/highlighted cruise ship ports – Added Environmentally Sensitive Sea Areas (ESSAs) – Began development of a detailed table for each area – Added Go. H Project Ports • Need: – A more detailed map of area boundaries – Determine Pacific Ocean ports

Small-scale INT Chart Scheme • Recommend (to the INT Chart Committee) – Adopt the revised INT Chart scheme for both paper and ENCs – An additional INT chart to include Suriname – INT Chart coverage for Pacific coast of MACHC (2 -3 charts)

ENC Distribution Options • Accomplished – Preference is for: a) To establish own RENC b) Or, join an existing RENC – Designated a small Task Group to look into pros and cons of each option • Colombia • Cuba • Mexico • Venezuela (Chair) UK & Netherlands (IC-ENC) and France (Primar Stavanger) will assist.

ENC Training First Step: • Determine what are the types/level of training needed for a designated country(s). – e. g. , Gulf of Honduras Project – Tie into capacity building.

Follow-on Action Items for ECWG 1. Establish link between IHO and MACHCECWG websites 2. For Priority Ports and Routes, prepare more detailed: table and area map 3. Contact cruise ship companies for update 4. Formal requests for HYCOOP data 5. All members provide S-55 response 6. Set date/place for next meeting