UKHO announces first live S-102 sea trial

The project will help gain understanding of user requirements of the new data set and collect feedback that will help to influence the S-100 data standard development process, in turn improving data coverage and user experience, the UKHO says.

This is the third phase of the S-102 Bathymetric Surface project between UKHO, PLA and SEAiq Pilot to create and supply the necessary data sets required by pilots.

Before the actual live sea trial takes place, a planning desk exercise will be run through different scenarios using the S-102 data.

“S-100 data standards will be transformative for anyone who uses marine navigational data, “ said project lead and head of OEM Technical Support and Digital Standards at the UKHO Tom Mellor.

“By conducting this trial we will continue to build the safety case for S-102 and help to support greater commercial, economic, environmental and safety of life at sea outcomes in the UK’s Exclusive Economic Zone.

“We are keen to bring a user perspective to the future of nautical navigation with a small, diverse and highly experienced team of pilots and hydrographers joining this collaborative effort.”

The outcomes of the trial will be monitored from pilot boarding point to berth, using SEAiq Pilot’s Portable Piloting Unit and the UKHO’s S-102 data to monitor the passage, the UKHO says.

The results will then be assessed to understand the need for potential extensions to S-102 and to feed back into the IHO testbed development process.

During January and February 2022, the PLA provided the latest hydrographic survey information of the trial area for the UKHO to create and supply the necessary S-102 data sets required by pilots.

Before the live sea trial commences, the project will first observe a passage planning desk exercise running through different scenarios using the S-102 Bathymetric Surface data.