Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom have taken a major step forward in hydrographic collaboration with a new Bilateral Arrangement between the Sri Lanka National Hydrographic Office (SLNHO) and the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO). Signed at the Ministry of Defence, the agreement focuses on knowledge exchange, capacity building, technical cooperation, and generating revenue by selling Sri Lanka’s hydrographic products in the global market.
Rear Admiral Angus Essenhigh of the UKHO and Rear Admiral Kosala Warnakulasooriya of the SLNHO signed the agreement on behalf of their respective governments. The event was attended by Sri Lanka’s Defence Secretary Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd), Rear Admiral (Retd) Sisira Jayakody, Chairman of the National Hydrographic Council, and senior officials from the UK government, Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and SLNHO.
As part of his visit, Rear Admiral Essenhigh met with Defence Secretary Thuyacontha and Navy Commander Vice Admiral Kanchana Banagoda to explore ways to strengthen strategic hydrographic cooperation between the two countries.
This agreement reflects the UK’s continued support for Sri Lanka in hydrography, a field where the UKHO has a long-established reputation. Today, about 75% of the world’s international charts and electronic navigational charts (ENCs) are marketed through the UKHO. Since SLNHO currently lacks the infrastructure and global reach to market its own hydrographic products, this partnership with the UKHO provides an opportunity for Sri Lanka to expand its presence in the industry.
Through this arrangement, Sri Lanka expects to increase revenue by selling ENCs and other hydrographic products via the UKHO’s global network. This is a major improvement from the past, when Sri Lanka primarily submitted raw data to the UKHO without benefiting from direct sales. The agreement also opens the door for Sri Lanka to eventually take on the role of Primary Charting Authority, a position currently held by the UKHO.
This partnership marks an important step in Sri Lanka’s efforts to become more involved in international chart production. The Ministry of Defence and SLNHO have reaffirmed their commitment to using this collaboration to enhance maritime safety, manage marine resources efficiently, and contribute to global hydrographic initiatives.
