The UKHO’s celebrations for World Hydrography Day on June 18 saw renowned hydrographer Horst Hecht awarded the Alexander Dalrymple Award for his services to hydrography.

Horst, the Director of Nautical Hydrography at Bundesamt Fûr Seeschiffahrt, has worked tirelessly on a wide spectrum of hydrographic matters over the last 20 years.

National Hydrographer Rear Admiral Ian Moncrieff said: “He has served the hydrographic community extraordinarily well. The award is a fitting acknowledgement of UK’s appreciation of all he has done to facilitate the development and subsequent production of ENCs to the benefit of safety navigation and the marine environment.”

The award was in keeping with the theme of the night which focused on international capacity building to improve SOLAS.

The evening reception at Trinity House was attended by dozens of ambassadors and attachés from a wide range of Foreign Government Embassies along with key stakeholders such as the Second Permanent Under Secretary of State for Defence, Sir Ian Andrews CBE TDA, the President of the International Hydrographic Organization Vice Admiral Alexandros Maratos and Deputy Director of Maritime Safety at the International Maritime Organization Harmut Hesse.

UKHO Chief Executive Mike Robinson said he was delighted guests in attendance represented a spectrum of backgrounds, nations and specialisms ranging from defence, shipping, surveying, cartography and other maritime-related disciplines.

RAd Ian Moncrieff said: “International capacity building enables developing countries to improve their hydrographic surveying and nautical cartography. Ultimately capacity building promotes improvements to SOLAS for all mariners wherever they sail in an increasing globalised economy.”

To view the World Hydrography Day programme please click here.