100 years of the International Hydrographic Organization

The International Hydrographic Organization is an intergovernmental, advisory and technical organization that seeks to ensure that all seas, oceans and navigable waters are surveyed and mapped in order to promote safe navigation and support the protection and sustainable use of the marine environment.

In June 1919 the first International Hydrographic Conference was held in London. The conference was attended by representatives of 24 States, including Portugal, with the creation of a permanent body, the International Hydrographic Bureau (IHB), with the aim of contributing to an easier and safer world navigation , and for the improvement of charts and nautical documents. Later, in 1921, the IHB was renamed the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO).

Currently the Portuguese State is represented in the IHO by the Hydrographic Institute, as a national hydrographic service.

To celebrate 100 years of this conference, OHI recently released a video that we share here.