You will see in these pages a selection of articles from our global membership and from our Secretariat covering a diverse range of material including reporting on recent events in which we have been involved around the world. Here at IALA we continue to enjoy yet another excellent year.

Committees

As I write IALA HQ is ready to welcome our Committees back for the second session of the year. From 21 September to 23 October headquarters will once again be at the heart of IALA’s technical work and collaboration. Members are warmly invited to register in advance, and we look forward to welcoming you soon.

21^st IALA Conference

We have published the call for abstracts for the 21^st IALA conference to be held from 8 to 12 November 2027 in Mumbai, India, and the response has been good with 186 submissions received.

At the beginning of September, at HQ, we held a meeting of the Conference Steering Group at which we were able to cast the die for the event’s diary covering our obligations towards the membership at this prestigious gathering which includes the customary General Assembly.

We look forward to making the conference in India a splendid example of international cooperation.

Communications

Once again, I urge all our readers to keep in touch with IALA by using the website https://www.iala.int/  Through this medium you can be informed of forthcoming meetings, new publications, our news and, of course, the IALA e-Bulletin which continues to be of much value in spreading the word.  At this point I have to thank our many contributors who send in material that makes all this possible.

Looking ahead

AtoN management

Currently the IALA World-Wide Academy, in partnership with China MSA, has been hosting an important training programme in Wenzhou, aimed at strengthening competencies in marine aids to navigation (AtoN) management and navigational risk assessment.

Concurrently there was a course on GNSS and e-Navigation in Constanța, Romania.

Regional Technical Seminar, Portugal

On 3 November afour-day technical seminar aimed at Portuguese-speaking African countries, directed at entities responsible for navigation safety will commence. This event seeks to strengthen national capacities and promote Lusophone cooperation in the maritime domain.

Master of Marine AtoN Management Course, Kolkata, India

Six days later, on 9 November, there will be held a high-level programme designed for senior management professionals, focusing on the strategic dimensions of aids to navigation (AtoN) governance. This course will equip participants involved in the provision or oversight of AtoN services with the knowledge and tools required for effective decision-making, policy development, and leadership.

Workshop on VDES Satellites

10 November 2026

IALA, in association with the Japan Coast Guard (JCG) and the Ocean Policy Research Institute (OPRI) of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation is hosting a Workshop on Satellites VDES, to be held in Tokyo, Japan, from 10 to 13 November 2026. Registration is now open.

For WWA course details and registration information readers are invited to see the IALA World-Wide Academy training schedule on the website: https://academy.iala.int/product-category/calendar/

To conclude

To conclude, let us not forget our mantra Successful Voyages, Sustainable Planet which reflects our commitment to promoting maritime safety and environmental protection.

With all good wishes for your missions ahead, I expect we will meet again soon.

Francis Zachariae.

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Operations

• Create and routinely maintain validation procedures for all Product Specifications, including manual-entry controls and data-confidence indicators such as CATZOC, using IHO C-615 and IALA guidance.
• Use the AtoN Maritime Resource Name consistently; align S-201 and S-125 with S-101 without reopening the mature S-101 specification, with future AtoN recommendations coordinated after 2030.
• Agree national S-201 data-exchange workflows between AtoN Authorities and Hydrographic Offices; retain both AIS AtoN portrayals and continue reviewing the List of Lights.
• Advance the IHO-NIPWG description of the relationships among S-101, S-201, S-124 and S-125.

Technical

• Clarify how streaming, real-time and message-based services, including S-210, S-212 and S-421, fit within S-100 and its interoperability provisions.
• Resolve governance between IHO and IALA Maritime Connectivity Platform instances, covering certificates, recognition, revocation, liability and responsibilities; interoperable trust domains may improve resilience.
• Strengthen schema quality assurance and business-rule validation, supported by the IHO Infrastructure Centre, and provide shared production, validation and distribution tools for AtoN authorities, potentially through RENCs or similar bodies.
• Align S-100 Part 14 with IALA Guideline G1128, establish an IHO process for technical service specifications, link IALA Technical Services in the GI Registry, and apply S-258 checks alongside any required national rules.

Training

• Give training greater prominence at future joint workshops, with participation from IHO, IALA, industry and other relevant bodies.
• Improve awareness and accessibility of S-100/S-200 learning, organised at Base, General and Super levels rather than by role.
• Review existing UKHO, PRIMAR and other materials; explore cooperation agreements and educational simulators; promote user benefits and equip senior leaders to support transition.

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The theme for IHO’s World Hydrography Day 2026, Transforming How Ocean Data Is Shared recognized the growing importance of digital technologies and data interoperability in the maritime and ocean sectors.

To mark this year’s celebration, the IHO released a new video showcasing how the S-100 framework is transforming the way ocean data is gathered, shared, and used across the global ocean community.

As ocean activities continue to expand, access to reliable and up-to-date information is becoming increasingly important. Safe navigation, scientific research, offshore energy, environmental protection, coastal management, and maritime transport all depend on data. Yet despite significant advances in technology, much of this information remains fragmented across different systems, formats, and sectors, making it difficult to combine and use effectively.

The IHO’s S-100 framework addresses this challenge by enabling different types of ocean and maritime data to work together seamlessly. By bringing information from multiple sources into a single digital ecosystem, S-100 supports the delivery of more integrated and timely data to users.

The framework enables the sharing of a wide range of information, including water depths, seafloor features, currents, water levels, navigational warnings, and other critical data. It also supports the delivery of near real-time information, improving safety, efficiency, and decision-making.

The benefits extend beyond navigation. Access to up-to-date information on ocean conditions can help vessels optimize routes, reducing fuel consumption and emissions while improving operational efficiency. At the same time, S-100 is creating new opportunities for data sharing across a broad range of ocean activities.

This growing ecosystem is being supported by collaboration across the international community. Organizations such as IALA, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), and the International Cable Protection Committee (ICPC) are developing additional standards within the S-100 framework.

These standards will support the sharing of information on marine weather, waves, sea ice, marine protected areas, and other important ocean data.

By enabling information from many different sources to be combined into a single, dynamic picture of the marine environment, S-100 is helping to create a more connected ocean information ecosystem.

In the words of IHO Director Dr John Nyberg: ‘The sky is the limit when it comes to the types of data that S-100 could eventually support.

‘We envision a future where S-100 could help strengthen environmental monitoring by integrating data on marine protected areas with oceanographic information such as salinity, acidity, temperature, and other key indicators. The result would be a more complete understanding of our oceans.’

As the maritime and ocean sectors continue their digital transformation, S-100 is laying the foundation for safer navigation, more efficient operations, improved environmental stewardship, and better-informed decision-making across the entire ocean community.

An introductory You Tube video by IHO to S-100 (duration 2:55) is available using this link:

S-100: The UK perspective

On 14^th July 2026, the UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) hosted a webinar to celebrate World Hydrography Day 2026.

This webinar explored the International Hydrographic Organization’s (IHO) theme of Transforming how ocean data is shared through a UK lens.

The session brought together regulatory, operational and technical voices from across the UK maritime sector to discuss the transition to S‑100.

Coverage

Experts on the panel covered topics including regulatory compliance, seafarer training and S-100 sea trials, as well as the opportunities to improve data exchange.

One topic considered was the UK Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) view on the S‑100 data standard – What the transition to S‑100 means from a UK regulatory and compliance perspective

Another was why S-100 trials are identifying the importance of seafarer training – and how familiarisation is key to unlocking the benefits S-100 has to offer in a real-world environments

Opportunities beyond ECDIS timelines were presented particularly as how some of the benefits of S‑100 can be realised now, independent of ECDIS rollout timelines

One of the presenters was Phil Day, Director of Operations of the Northern Lighthouse Board. He is also Chair of the IALA Policy Advisory Panel and a former Chair of the IALA Aids to Navigation Requirements and Management (ARM) Committee and brought extensive international experience in navigational safety and maritime standards.

To listen

Hosted by Tom Richardson, Head of International Bodies & Technical Engagement at the UKHO, a recording of the webinar is available here:

https://www.admiralty.co.uk/world-hydrography-day-2026

Text based on material kindly made available by the media services of WHO and UKHO.

IALA e-Bulletin Rapporteur: Paul Ridgway.

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Representatives from the Naval Hydrographic Service, the General Ports Administration, the National Ports and Navigation Agency (ANPYN), the La Plata Port Management Consortium, the Civil Association of Pilots, and Pilotage, among others, participated in the event. They emphasized that behind every lighthouse, buoy, beacon, leading line, or maritime traffic management system are professionals committed to the design, operation, and maintenance of essential infrastructure that makes navigation safer, more efficient, and more reliable every day.

The Hidrovia Academy for Aids to Navigation Training joined in this commemoration, reaffirming its commitment to training, professional development, and knowledge dissemination, convinced that training is a fundamental pillar for continuing to strengthen the safety of our waterways.

Eng. Mariano Luis Marpegan, General Coordinator, Academia Hidrovía de Capacitación en Ayudas a la Navegación indicated in a World Aids to Navigation Day message of goodwill that Hidrovia recognizes that all personnel and organizations through their daily work contribute to guiding the way toward safer navigation.

Author: Mariano Luis Marpegan, General Coordinator, Academia Hidrovía de Capacitación en Ayudas a la Navegación.

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On 14 July 2026, Korea Maritime & Ocean University (KMOU) celebrated two landmark achievements in its long and productive partnership with the International Organization for Marine Aids to Navigation (IALA). In a ceremony that brought together senior representatives of government, academia, the maritime industry and the international aids-to-navigation community, the University conferred the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Business Administration (Honoris Causa) upon Mr. Francis Zachariae, Secretary-General of IALA. On the same occasion, IALA and KMOU signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) establishing a long-term strategic partnership in maritime education, research, professional training and international capacity building.

Together, these two milestones mark the opening of a new chapter in the relationship between the two institutions — one that moves beyond years of informal cooperation toward a structured, sustained and mutually reinforcing partnership. The timing of the events was itself symbolic: they coincided with the international celebration of World Marine Aids to Navigation Day 2026 in Busan, a city whose identity is closely tied to shipping, port operations and maritime safety, and whose university has, over more than seven decades, become one of the leading centres of maritime higher education in the Asia-Pacific region. The convergence of the honorary conferral, the MoU signing and World Marine Aids to Navigation Day underscored the Republic of Korea’s strong and growing support for IALA and for the wider international maritime community.

Recognition of Outstanding International Leadership

The honorary doctorate recognises Mr. Zachariae’s distinguished leadership in advancing international maritime safety, in harmonising marine aids to navigation systems and standards worldwide, and in building capacity among IALA’s Member States, particularly those in developing regions still establishing modern aids-to-navigation infrastructure. Particular recognition was given to his leadership during IALA’s successful transition from a technical non-governmental association to an Intergovernmental Organization (IGO) — a transformation that has substantially strengthened the Association’s legal standing and its ability to support Member States through binding standards, technical recommendations, structured training pathways and professional education programmes delivered through bodies such as the IALA World-Wide Academy.

For KMOU, the award also reflects a broader institutional philosophy: that maritime safety and navigational excellence are advanced not only through engineering and technology, but through sustained international cooperation, shared standards and the cultivation of leadership across borders. By honouring Mr. Zachariae, the University sought to recognise a career devoted precisely to that principle, and to reaffirm its own commitment to playing an active role in the global governance of maritime safety.

The Honorary Doctorate Ceremony

The ceremony was attended by distinguished representatives from government, universities, maritime organisations and industry, reflecting the breadth of interest that the occasion attracted both within Korea and internationally. Dignitaries from the Korean Coast Guard, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, partner universities and regional port authorities joined IALA representatives and KMOU faculty, staff and students in the audience, giving the event the character of a genuine community celebration rather than a purely academic formality.

In his acceptance speech, Mr. Zachariae expressed his sincere appreciation to Korea Maritime & Ocean University for the honour, and noted that it recognised not only his own contribution but the collective efforts of the global IALA community — the technical experts, national authorities and training institutions that, together, keep the world’s waterways safe. The moment was widely regarded by those present as a fitting tribute to a career built on collaboration rather than individual achievement, and as a signal of the depth of the relationship between IALA and its Korean partners.

A New Milestone: Memorandum of Understanding between IALA and KMOU

The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding established a comprehensive framework for cooperation between the two organisations across several fronts: maritime education and joint curriculum development, collaborative research and innovation, professional development and short-course training, international academic exchange for faculty and students, technical seminars and workshops, capacity-building support for Member States, and the cultivation of the next generation of maritime leaders. The agreement reflects the shared vision of IALA and KMOU to promote safer navigation, sustainable maritime development and stronger international cooperation across the aids-to-navigation and wider maritime community.

For KMOU’s Graduate School, the MoU is expected to open new avenues for structured engagement with the IALA World-Wide Academy network, including opportunities for graduate students and early-career professionals to participate in IALA seminars, technical exchanges and capacity-building activities. For IALA, the partnership offers a direct academic channel into one of Asia’s most established maritime universities, supporting its mission to strengthen professional education and training standards among Member States worldwide.

Strengthening Global Maritime Education

Beyond the ceremonial significance of the day, both milestones point toward a more concrete institutional ambition: positioning KMOU as a regional hub for internationally recognised maritime education and professional training. As Dean of the Graduate School, I see the MoU as a foundation on which KMOU can build graduate programmes, joint research initiatives and professional certificate courses that are explicitly aligned with IALA’s global standards — giving our graduates credentials and networks that extend well beyond the Korean peninsula.

This ambition is consistent with a wider trend across the international maritime education community, in which universities increasingly seek formal linkages with intergovernmental and technical organisations to keep curricula current with evolving international standards, technologies and best practices in navigation safety, port operations and marine environmental protection.

Looking Towards the Future

The honorary doctorate and the MoU together represent far more than ceremonial achievements. They establish a stronger strategic partnership between IALA and KMOU, creating new opportunities for collaborative education, research, innovation and capacity building for the benefit of the international maritime community. In the coming years, both institutions intend to translate the framework agreed in the MoU into concrete joint activities — from exchange visits and joint seminars to collaborative research projects addressing emerging challenges such as digitalisation of aids to navigation, e-Navigation and the training needs of Member States building out their maritime infrastructure.

For KMOU, the partnership also reinforces the University’s longer-term strategy of deepening its engagement with international maritime organisations, following a path that has already seen close cooperation with the Korea Coast Guard, regional port authorities and other academic institutions across the Asia-Pacific. For IALA, the agreement adds a further academic partner to its growing network of universities and training institutions supporting the Association’s global capacity-building mission.

Conclusion

The visit to Busan on 14 July 2026 marked two historic milestones for Korea Maritime & Ocean University and the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities: the conferral of an Honorary Doctorate upon Secretary-General Mr. Francis Zachariae, and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between IALA and KMOU. Together, these achievements reaffirm the enduring partnership between the two institutions and their shared commitment to maritime safety, professional education, capacity building and international cooperation — a commitment that, through this new framework, is now set to grow further in the years ahead.

Congratulations, Dr. Francis Zachariae!

About the Author

Prof. Dr. Seung-Gi GUG is Dean of the Graduate School and Professor of the Division of Coast Guard Studies at Korea Maritime & Ocean University. He has served as a Member of the IALA World-Wide Academy Board since 2014 and as Chairman of the WWA Board Meetings from 2015 to 2025. His work focuses on maritime safety, marine aids to navigation, maritime policy and international maritime cooperation.

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A presentation was made at ENG 21 by the Port of Barcelona. The port is collaborating with the Barcelona Nautical Faculty (FNB) on a research project called ‘Moonline’, concerning a particular mooring system known as the Virtual Floor Mooring System.

This takes account of a method known as virtual mooring based on a two-body system, a submerged buoy placed mid-water and connected to the seabed anchor keeps the chain permanently tensioned and lifted off the bottom, while a surface buoy provides the navigational function. This will significantly reduce the swinging circle radius compared to conventional designs. No part of the chain is in contacts with the seabed. Such an approach offers a major environmental advantage in areas where high ecological value ecosystems are found.

The Port of Barcelona is firmly committed to improving the resilience, safety, and sustainability of maritime operations, particularly as extreme weather events become more frequent in the Mediterranean region.

In this context, the development of advanced tools for the design and monitoring of mooring and navigational systems is of clear strategic importance for the port.

The FNB submitted this project to the annual call for proposals by the IAMU (International Association of Maritime Universities*).

The project will involve both the development of numerical models and real-world measurements, achieved by installing sensors on one of the port’s buoys to refine the accuracy of the final calculations, to finally create an accurate modelling tool.

It also includes the creation of a virtual model, which will provide real-time access to this information.

The project input document from FNB is attached .

At IALA the ENG Committee was invited to consider the documentation.

*See here: https://iamu-edu.org IAMU currently comprises: 81 universities/academies/faculties of the world’s maritime education and training institutions, and The Nippon Foundation as its members, total 82 altogether.

IALA e-Bulletin Rapporteur: Paul Ridgway.

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This project is led by London’s Royal College of Art (RCA), in partnership with Hawkshill Consulting, IALA, and the International Foundation for Aids to Navigation (IFAN), with funding provided by Lloyd’s Register Foundation and IFAN.

The Royal College of Art is leading the project to co-design sustainable, low-cost marine aids to navigation for Small Island Developing States and Least Developed Countries.

As we well know vessels at sea rely on aids to navigation that must conform to global standards set by IALA. While these industrially manufactured tools are essential for mitigating maritime risks, the cost, logistical challenges, resources and lack of local technical knowledge often creates a significant barrier for developing regions, leaving critical waterways underserved.

To co-design and develop low cost AtoNs

It is understood that the aim of the project is to co-design and develop low cost aids to navigation suitable for sustainable local construction and maintenance.

Engaging local communities

This will involve engaging with local communities to collaboratively design and build aids to navigation that leverage local expertise in materials and making through a co-design process to exchange knowledge between the project partners.

Extensive testing due

These prototypes will undergo extensive testing and validation to ensure they provide the same high-level reliability as current alternatives, even in the most challenging maritime climates. The project’s findings, it is reported by Lloyd’s Register Foundation, will be documented in a joint publication, providing a roadmap for future implementation.

The ultimate goal is a significant reduction in maritime risk in SIDS and LDCs ensuring that the oceans remain a safe and productive space for all nations, regardless of their economic standing.

RCA driving innovation

In its capacity as a UNESCO Ocean Decade Implementing Partner, the RCA leverages its world leading expertise in co-design and participatory research to drive innovation and secure a resilient and sustainable future for our oceans. https://oceandecade.org/actions/co-design-of-aids-to-navigation-codaton/

Comment

In the words of Jan Przydatek, Director of Technologies at Lloyd’s Register Foundation: ‘Addressing safety gaps makes people safer, and this project will help address those gaps by developing and testing low-cost, co-designed marine aids to navigation.’

Catherine Mulvihill, Chief Executive Officer of the International Foundation for Aids to Navigation (IFAN), commented: ‘We are proud to support this initiative, which reflects IFAN’s commitment to advancing sustainable development through safer navigation.

‘In many Small Island Developing States and Least Developed Countries, reliable aids to navigation are essential not only for maritime safety, but also for trade, food security, connectivity, and economic opportunity. When navigation is safer, communities are freer to thrive.

‘By combining design innovation, technical expertise, and local knowledge, this project has the potential to deliver practical and sustainable solutions for vulnerable coastal communities.’

Text based on media material kindly made available by the Lloyd’s Register Foundation.

IALA e-Bulletin Rapporteur: Paul Ridgway.

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