FIG Commission 4 - Hydrography

 

"FIG Commission 4 is focusing on development and recognition of standards of competency, development of technical standards and guidelines, developing and promoting the need to manage hydrography, the hydrospatial and marine geospatial domain including all the blue of our blue planet, its contiguous zone in a sustainable matter, such as comprehensive investigation of plastic pollution at source that is concerning global environmental problem (“Mapping the Plastic”). "


What we do

For the term 2023-2026 FIG Commission 4 will be working on:

PDF: Work plan
VIDEO: Chair of the Commission Eranda Gunathilaka takes you through the work plan

Commission 4 on LinkedIn


Chair of FIG Commission 4:
Eranda Gunathilaka, Sri Lanka

 

Learn more about how Commission 4 is working with the SDGs

NEWS

EVENTS

FIG Congress 2026

24-29 May 2026 in Cape Town, South Africa

www.fig.net/fig2026

Expect excellent hydrographic sessions at FIG Congress 2026 - and much more 

FIG Congress 2026 in South Africa is a unique opportunity for surveyors within hydrography to participate in specialized sessions dedicated to this field. FIG Commission 4, chaired by Eranda Gunathilaka, is planning several excellent sessions: Read more. 

All sessions are part of the larger FIG Congress 2026 where you can network and get inspired. Read here about what you can expect.

FIG encourages you to submit abstracts before 1 November 2025 and register for the international conference.

Mapping the plastic using UAV

The working group 4.3 on Mapping the Plastic has published the article "Mapping the Plastic Using UAV - Helping communities address the global plastic waste crisis" in GIM Magazine, January 2025. The article is written by Simon Ironside, Gordana Jakovljevic and Naa Dedei Tagoe. Read the article

Commission 4 at FIG Working Week 2025

The FIG Working Week 2025 was held from 6-10 April in Brisbane, Australia. During the conference, Commission 4 had organised severaly sessions in the tehcnical programme and conducted its annual meeting. Additionally, the progress of all commissions was presented at the General Assembly.

> Commission 4 annual report to General Assembly
> Minutes - General Assembly
> Report - General Assembly 
> Proceedings/Technical programme
> Conference Website

 

More News from FIG Commission 4

  
 

Publications

  

Work Plans
   

Proceedings

  

Working Groups
 

Key Documents

Events

Meet the officers

Commission Chair

Dr. Malavige Don Eranda Kanchana Gunathilaka, Sri Lanka
Contact: FIGCommission4@fig.net

Working Group Chairs:

Chair of Working Group 4.1 - Hydrographic Standards and Guidelines
Mr. Geoff Lawes (Australia), geoff.lawes@revelare.com.au
Co-chair: Ms. Tanja Dufek (Germany), tanja.dufek@hcu-hamburg.de
 
Chair of Working Group 4.2 - Sustainable Oceans and Hydrography
Mr. Gordon Johnston (UK), gordontjohnston1@gmail.com
Co-chair: TBC
 
Chair of Working Group 4.3 - Mapping the Plastic
Mr. Simon Ironside (New Zeeland), SIronside@linz.govt.nz
Co-chair: Dr. Gordana Jakovljevic (Bosnia and Herzegovina), gordana.jakovljevic@aggf.unibl.org
 
Chair of Working Group 4.4 - Hydrospatial Domain and Marine Administration
Dr. Kelvin Tang Kang Wee (Malaysia), tkwkelvin2@live.utm.my
Co-chair: Mr. Denis Hains (Canada), dhains@h2i.ca
 
Chair of Working Group 4.5 – Climate Change induced Sea Level Rise and Adaptation
Dr. Mick Filmer (Australia), M.Filmer@curtin.edu.au  
Co-chair: Dr. Ashraf Dewan (Australia), A.Dewan@curtin.edu.au

Commission Chair
Dr. MDEK Gunathilaka (Sri Lanka), erandakan@geo.sab.ac.lk
 
Vice Chair of Administration
Mr. Gordon Johnston (UK), gordontjohnston1@gmail.com

Delegates and Correspondents:

Each member association has the right to nominate a delegate to each of the ten technical commissions. In addition Affiliates, Academic Members and Corporate Members are welcome to nominate a correspondent to each commission.

Commission Delegates and correspondents

Interested? If you are interested to become a national delegate from your country, please contact your member association. The contact information of national delegates is updates by the FIG office. Any changes in contact information should be sent to the FIG Office.

Achievements
The hydrographic surveying community is using high-accuracy GNSS positioning techniques for vertical positioning of survey platforms, the sea surface and the sea floor. In order to meet required vertical positioning standards, it is of paramount importance that the entire ERS process be thoroughly understood and that the appropriate procedures are in place during data acquisition, validation, cleaning and processing phases. Read the publication In 2019 a Working Group on Mapping the Plastic was established. The Working Group is focusing on the dumping of plastics (and other waste) into major rivers, river systems and deltas at strategic locations around the world. Follow the work of the Working Group
Article in GIM Magazine January 2025
 
Much like towns and cities which have grown because of their close proximity to railroads, superhighways and airports, access to navigable waters has provided the earliest cornerstone for discovery and economic development the world over. But what makes waters navigable? Read the publication Since 1994, when FIG Publication No. 8, a report entitled Hydrography, Ports and Harbours, was first published, the widespread adoption of the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and Electronic Nautical Charts (ENC) have brought on notable changes to hydrographic survey technology and how nautical data is published. Read the publication
 

Working Groups

Term 2023-2026: Work plan

WG4.1 Hydrographic Standards and Guidelines
WG4.2 Sustainable Oceans and Hydrography
WG4.3 Mapping the Plastic
WG4.4 Hydrospatial Domain and Marine Administration
WG4.5 Climate Change induced Sea Level Rise and Adaptation

Previous terms

Term 2019-2022
Term 2015-2018
Term 2011-2014
Term 2007-2010
Term 2003-2006

FIG Publications

FIG Pub. 62: Ellipsoidally Referenced Surveying for Hydrography

FIG Pub. no. 57: Report on the Economic Benefits of Hydrography

FIG Pub. no. 56: Guidelines for the Planning, Execution and Management of Hydrographic Surveys in Ports and Harbours

FIG Pub. no. 37: FIG Guide on the Development of a Vertical Reference Surface for Hydrography.

FIG Pub. no. 8: Hydrography in Ports and Harbours

FIG Proceedings

List of FIG Conference Proceedings
FIG Surveyors Reference Library

Events

All Commission 4 events

Reports to General Assembly

All Commission 4 reports