The Deutsches Hydrographisches Institut (DHI) in 1989 
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4 General Report 
The Deutsches Hydrographisches Institut in 1989 
The Deutsches Hydrographisches Institut (DHI) is a Superior Federal Authority 
within the Jurisdiction of the Federal Minister of Transport; its headquarters are in 
Hamburg. It is responsible for the protection of the marine environment and 
navigation. The latter includes hydrographic surveying and the issue of nautical 
charts and publications; hydrographic services such as the Tide and Sea Level 
Forecast and the Storm Surge Warning Service; type-testing and approval of 
nautical equipment and research activités for marine navigation and fisheries. 
In 1989 the DHI checked the positions of 158 known wrecks and underwater 
obstructions in the North Sea and Baltic and located 48 new ones. An area of 
800 km 2 in the North Sea was systematically searched for underwater obstruc 
tions. À total length of 30 600km was surveyed. The DHI’s ships “Gauß”, “Komet”, 
“Atair”, “Siideroog” and “Wega” together covered a distance of 104500km while 
surveying, researching, monitoring and type-testing. To ensure that the.DHI’s 
1000 nautical charts and 60 nautical books were kept up-to-date, corrections Were 
published weekly in Notices to Mariners; other manuals, nautical publications and 
charts were revised or issued as new editions. 
Again in 1989, mariners volunteered information about observations at sea. This 
important information was incorporated into nautical publications to assure the 
safety of shipping. Two captains and a radio officer were presented on World 
Shipping Day with the bronze “Seewart” (Maritime Observation) medal in recog 
nition of their contribution to maritime safety and 15 captains, mates and radio 
officers were presented with book prizes. 
The DHI continued to cooperate in the establishment of the world-wide Inter 
national Chart System of International Hydrographic Organization. As part of this, 
the Hydrographic Services of the North Sea states agreed upon a standardized 
chart scheme for the North Sea at a conference that took place at DHI. Prepara 
tions for the introduction of an “Electronic Chart” continued at international level 
with the development of standards. 
The work involved in type-testing and approval increased as nautical instruments 
and equipment increasingly develop into complex integrated navigational systems. 
To test instruments singly or in conjunction with other equipment, it was necessary 
to undertake more trips to specific areas where the different systems could be 
tested accordingly. 
19 types of nautical system and instrument were tested and approved. 829 compas 
ses and 293 direction-finding systems were adjusted. In all, 800 nautical systems 
and instruments were type-tested and approved before going into service aboard 
ship. The efficacy and operational safety of 5048 nautical systems and instruments 
on 673 vessels were checked and it was found that 140 vessels were in contraven 
tion of the “Schiffssicherheitsverordnung” (“Ship Safety Ordinance”). 
With a view to the European Single Market, broad agreement on future type-test 
ing and approval was reached with the producers of nautical systems and instru 
ments and their representatives. In the light of the EC draft on certification and 
quality assurance, work was begun on revising or formulating new requirements 
for type-testing and approving. 
The DHI is coordinating the development of a numerical model designed to repro 
duce the interaction between wind field, sea state, current and sea level in areas 
near the German North Sea coast. This will provide the means to answer questions 
relating to the safety of shipping and environmental and coastal protection more 
reliably.