Industry & Partner News Q3 2010

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NZ Branch Annual Seminar is over

(photo of ESP Survey boat at Trimble venue and attendees)

The Seminar was held at Trimble's Christchurch offices. It was good chance to catch up with the main players in Hydrographic surveying in NZ and hear what others had to say. The majority of the Presentations can be viewed from the Events page. At lunchtime we visited Hamiltons Ltd who are a $60m / year company producing jet propulsion units for boats from 15' to 150'. We visited Trimble's outdoor test site and learnt how precision underwater excavation is carried out.

DML awarded LINZ Survey - Hen and Chicken Islands

(photo of Hen and Chicken Islands and the Star Key's vessel)

Discovery Marine Ltd (DML) has recently been awarded a LINZ hydrographic survey of the Hen & Chicken Islands, located off the Whangarei Coast. The area to be surveyed comprises a triangular shaped region with source data dating back to surveys conducted from 1962-63.  This new survey will be completed using SBES equipment and enable the current Zone of Confidence (ZOC) category to be upgraded from C to B. A new chart will be produced covering the approaches to Marsden Point at 1:50,000 scale.

Sounding will be completed using a combination of vessels. The 19m workboat ‘Star Keys’ will be tasked with sounding offshore areas whilst the more hazardous near shore zone around the islands will be sounded using one of DML’s inshore survey boats. All vessels will be fitted with identical survey systems comprising single beam echo sounder, WADGPS positioning equipment and DMS motion sensors with data being logged using Trimble HydroPro software.

The survey will commence mid April and fieldwork is expected to be completed by early June.

(submitted by DML)

Resource assessment for alluvial gold - Offshore Westland

The Editor found this article on the web - DeBeers have a lot of experience in offshore mining for diamonds in South Africa. Maybe we have gold offshore Westland? http://www.crownminerals.govt.nz/cms/pdf-library/minerals/conferences-1/225_papers_40.pdf

Members in the News

Boating NZ have an article on the RNZN Maritime Survey Teams work off Whitianga.

The NZDF Geospatial Intelligence Organisation Opens

On 17 September 2009 the NZDF Geospatial Intelligence Organisation (GIO) officially opened. The GIO has grown out of the former RNZN Hydrographic Office which was the National Authority for Hydrography, and produced New Zealand’s nautical charts. In 1996, this Authority was passed to the new department, Land Information New Zealand (LINZ). The Hydrographic Office continued to produce charts, but on a commercial basis for LINZ, as the Hydrographic Business Unit. In 2002, CDF directed the establishment of the Joint Geospatial Support Facility which was commonly referred to as JGSF (Jig sif). So the HBU became the JGSF and in addition to its commercial chart production responsibilities, it was tasked with meeting the NZDF’s non-deployable geospatial needs.

Last year, CDF signed the Defence Force Order that directed the JGSF be re-formed as the GIO, and in addition to its JGSF geospatial responsibilities it was to become responsible for NZDF imagery management, imagery intelligence (IMINT) and geospatial intelligence (GEOINT). This has involved much preparatory work so the GIO can now hold, process and produce information and products at all classification levels. There were many people who contributed to the re-formed GIO, and it is appropriate that they be acknowledged. Firstly, all the current GIO staff; who persevered despite disruption, building alterations and all the uncertainties associated with the evolution of JGSF into the GIO. There were some long hours and additional demands placed on the staff but they rose to those challenges, while continuing to conduct business as usual. What they achieved is a credit to all; their actions are a very practical example of the NZDF Core values of commitment and comradeship and, of the unit guiding principles of being customer-driven and innovative. Then there are those individuals and organisations who are not part of the GIO, but who nonetheless have assisted and supported the unit as it has undergone this change:

  • Captain Clive Holmes and Commander (Rtd) Nick Quinn, as the first two Directors of the JGSF, set the foundations that allowed the organisation to mature into a unit focused on contributing to operations. A special thanks to CAPT Holmes [now Director of Reserve Forces] for his support to the current Director and unit personnel.
  • The Director of Defence Intelligence and Security, Colonel Kevin Arlidge and his team in Wellington provided the active support that has allowed the GIO team to move forward, under DDIS oversight.
  • Next, Major Williams and his team at JLSO and, in particular, Lee Strickland.
  • Colonel Louisa Parkinson of Army HR. Her interest, support and enthusiasm is acknowledged.
  • The local team at Navy Finance, led by Graham Head, assisted the GIO team in making the transition to being a unit under the direct command of HQNZDF, instead of being a Navy controlled agency.
  • Stephan Erasmus and the CIS Branch staff made a critical contribution to enable the GIO to stand up the IT networks without which it could not operate.
  • The National Deputy Director for GEOINT, Geoff Holmes gave support as GIO learned to tread its new path.
  • Finally LTCOL Bruce Crisp and his leadership team in GIO, for their contribution and assistance in developing this capability through to where it is today.

NZ Vertical Datum 2009

LINZ have released information about the NZ Vertical Datum 2009. The link explains the details and how this unifying datum impacts on hydrographic data collection and presentation. http://www.linz.govt.nz/geodetic/datums-projections-heights/vertical-datums/new-zealand-vertical-datum-2009/index.aspx

FIG Commission 4 Website - Hydrography

For those interested please check this site out: www.fig.net/commission4/index.htm

Guidelines for Specialist Certification in Hydrography

The Australasian Hydrographic Surveyors Certification Panel (AHSCP) is the body that assesses applications for Specialist Certification in Hydrography, on behalf of the SSI Professional Certification Panel and NZIS Membership Services Committee, and makes recommendations to these bodies regarding approval of those applications. For your information they are pleased to report that they have published the Guidelines for Specialist Certification in Hydrography. This is posted on the NZIS web site www.surveyors.org.nz/hydrographic.asp

(submitted by Simon Ironside, AHSCP)

Industry & Partner News Archive