SEAMAP 2030 (Mapping of the Portuguese Sea)

In 2004, Portugal began conducting high-resolution hydrographic surveys of the ocean floor, with multibeam echo sounders, which are a fundamental requirement in supporting the proposal for the extension of the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles submitted by Portugal to the United Nations. These hydrographic surveys were carried out as part of the Mission Structure for the Extension of the Continental Shelf (https://www.emepc.pt/), on board the Portuguese Navy oceanographic vessels NRP D. Carlos I and NRP Almirante Gago Coutinho, with the Hydrographic Institute ensuring the acquisition and processing of hydrographic data, as well as the respective quality control.

Since its beginning and until 2022, about 1500 days at sea of the oceanographic ships at the service of the Project for the Extension of Portugal's Continental Shelf were accounted for.

With the initial aim of increasing bathymetric coverage in the coastal areas of the Azores and Madeira archipelagos, the "Mapping the Portuguese Sea" program was created by the IH in 2017. Quickly, this program reached a more comprehensive vision, associating with the SEABED 2030 program (https://seabed2030.org/), becoming known as SEAMAP 2030 (MAPEAMENTO DO MAR PORTUGUÊS).

More recently, the IH has been requesting bathymetric data from other institutions, national and foreign, namely data acquired by scientific cruises in national waters. These data, once validated, will also integrate the SEAMAP 2030 database, thus contributing to the increase of the national bathymetric coverage.

Data download: https://gridmar.hidrografico.pt/

SEAMAP 2030
Vision: contribute to the global knowledge of the morphology of the seabed, completing the high resolution mapping of the national maritime spaces by 2030.
Mission: contribute to the conservation and sustainable use of the sea, supporting research and promoting development.

Partners: Mission Structure for the Extension of the Continental Shelf (EMEPC).

Program POC: Head of the Hydrography Division (dt.hi.chf@hidrografico.pt). 

Instituto Hidrográfico

Hydrographic Institute

See HERE the current status of the SEAMAP Project.