Hydrographic Data Infrastruture

LINZ's hydrographic survey information exists largely in hard copy. Primary customers require this data in an electronic format with improved metadata, accuracy and currency. As the sole source of this information, LINZ data should meet their needs, but currently does not.

LINZ's current Hydrographic Data Infrastructure is based on hard copy data and manual processes; it can't easily manage the large amounts of digital information being both received from contractors or third parties and requested by primary customers.

Neither LINZ's primary customers nor staff can easily locate, access or obtain LINZ hydrographic information; considerable corporate knowledge, resources, effort and lead-in times are required for planning and decision making on the simplest of tasks.

Phase II of this project is called Hydrographic Systems Implementation (HSI). This recognises that a Data Infrastructure will be continuously updated as "business as usual" many years into the future.

Hydrographic Systems Implementation

The Hydrographic System Implementation (HSI) project involves the consolidation of core LINZ datasets. LINZ is undertaking this project in order to make more efficient use of our data, and become more responsive to the needs of our customers. It provides a proactive approach to data storage and data maintenance. This ensures LINZ data is secure while remaining easily discoverable.

Project tools

The project is being implemented with Caris HPD software. This software suite provides efficiency in maintaining source data, while enabling the production of multiple marine products from a single database.

Caris HPD is used for the preparation and production of IHO standard S-57 ENCs, paper charts and user-defined generic products. The HPD product editors are designed to derive the products from the source data in the same database with any updates of source material being carried through automatically to multiple end products.