Dubai Marine Data base and Marine Information System
The main objective of this project is to provide hydrographic and oceanographic data services for future MIS applications in Dubai Emirate, and that through establishing and managing national spatial hydrographic data infrastructures in Dubai Municipality. Bringing together the services and data sets for all spatial data users and producers to serve all national interests and avoid duplication and mis-cordination in data handling, which is time, efforts and money consuming. Providing , Hydrographic data to consumers , all Hydrographic Communities and all departments in Dubai with access to spatial Marine data where, when, and how they need
The current Situation and future Requirements
It is time now in Dubai to recognize the growing need for the hydrographic data in applications other than nautical charting, to help in decision making on national, regional and global bases. Now in Dubai, many hydrographic surveying is under taken by foreign private companies, followed with coastal and offshore marine construction, like dredging, reclamation and construction. The marine project in Dubai now is the ever biggest in the world. In that every company work in its own territory on its own style, datum, and references. There is no coordinating body or even regulation to govern these activities. This leads to miscoordination and mismanagement of marine activities and resources overlap responsibilities and duplication of work, money and time consuming and absent of future foreseeing. All data collected from the private companies is classified as Engineering data and not navigational. Even the national institution and ministries involved in hydrograhy are not linked to united co-coordinated body and there is always responsibility overlap and conflicts. Most Governments agencies use engineering data. Only Ministry of transport use navigation data to provide navigation services for the on-going ships on Dubai water.
Navigational Users (Navigational Data)
Ministry of Transport: responsible of navigation in all Dubai water, navigation chart production and updating, navigation marks and navigation routes, safety of life at sea (SOLAS). The marine data base can provide in future an essential service within the national transport infrastructure (ministry of Transport). to support safe and efficient navigation, foster national maritime development, help to safeguard life and property at sea. Noting that the lack of adequate navigation charts is a real threat to safety of life and to the marine environment. Hence updated accurate chart will facilitate the protection of the marine environment. National Marine Data base will serve real time continuous data for implementation of the electronic chart display and information system (ENCDIS) within Dubai Water and Worldwide Electronic Navigational Chart Data Base (WENC) . IHO recognizing the need to supply ( M E P) and support the administration and sustainable development of the national maritime zones( coast administration).
Non-navigational users (Engineering Data)
In the recent past years, the hydrographic data for the non-navigational users became very important in Dubai to meet the great marine construction, however , this type of data have been shown to be vital for many marine activities and has been broadened to support of the coastal resource management, hazard assessment and science of coastal water .
- Ministry of foreign (international boundaries, and jurisdiction) implementation of UN convention (UNCLOS) for administration and sustainable development for coastal zone and EEZ.
- Tourism cooperation ( coastal navigation and recreational chart, surfing, boat racing)
- Ministry of interior (coast guard, special navigation route, smuggling control, surveillance and rescue)
- Marine Environment Administration (historical oceanographic data for pollution control, pollution trace modelling, environmental studies and research modelling of tide and current, predicting harmful algal blooms)
- coastal management , coastal zone manger is now requesting this data to evaluate the impact of growing coastal communities, determine influence of pollutant , beach replenishment , responding to disasters
- Universities and Marine Academies, Marine research, pollution models, modelling of tide and current, fisheries research and monitoring, Human interference and its impact on marine environmental regime
Dubai Municipality Strategic Planning
Integration of Bathymetric and coastal elevation, linking depth and elevation in one common datum, ellipsoid, to determine shore line( land / sea interface (GIS/MIS) and regions of Dubai that above or below that surface. Mapping of this seamless surface is very important to determine areas submerged in storm surge and Tsunami (Inundation mapping), monitoring shore erosion, ports planning, Many useful spatial data can be added, seismic and oceanographic data (type of sediment, bottom features and habitat data)
The Inundation map is very vital for Strategic planning.(Relief and Evacuation) and can be supplied to Police Administration.
Naval data (For naval use only)
Within the data base, there is a facility specially dedicated for the use and it is only accessible to navy. Navy (special navy publications, current and tide, amphibious chart, combat chart)
Now the proposed National Spatial marine data base will provide data to all hydrographic communities to serve all national interests (private sections and governmental) for engineering and navigation Within Dubai Emirate Water For Exploring and exploiting marine resource, it is increasingly necessary to justify the establishment of the database by dominating all hydrographic activities.
Expected future marine activities in Dubai Emirate
- Traditional basic charting for commercial shipping. Bathymetric data for the navigational channel, in order to insure safety of navigation and to comply with the “ SOLAS” Convention (Safety Of Life At Sea – IMO). Modern nautical charts are required for safe navigation through Dubai waters and along coasts and the approach channels. A lack of adequate nautical charts prevents the development of maritime trade in the waters and ports of the concerned nations, and the port may become abandoned by the shipping insurance companies. In addition to that, it is important to build up a database accommodating other hydrographic and oceanographic data such as tide and currents and in particular, the effect of the wind upon the water levels and currents. Such a database will enable prediction of these factors, which are considered as extremely significant to all aspects of marine activities. It is worth mentioning that, Dubai ports are the busiest ports in the region. Maritime commerce is a basic element for Dubai economy. IHO now is thinking of implementation of the Worldwide Electronic Navigational Chart Data Base (WENC) for electronic chart display and information system (ENCDIS). IHO recognizing the need to supply up- to-date navigational information to mariners at sea proposes the establishment of a worldwide network of navigational information. This proposal is aimed at addressing the information needs of international shipping. The proposal examines the infrastructure requirement within ministry of transport facilities, the legal implications and the strategy of implementing a Regional ENC co-coordinating center in Arabic water.
Exploration and exploitation of marine resources in the Dubai water (life and minerals): Sustained development and management of the coastal and Exclusive Economic Zone. Hydrographic data in Dubai Emirate has become an essential tool for planning and decision-making the on-going developments will result in much higher demands for high-resolution spatial data for the coastal zone and EEZ in digital form.
- Development of ports to meet the increasing requirements, re-habitation of the ports( Rashid port) reclamation for new coastal towns and settlements( Palms Project), fisheries, recreation (boating, surfing), sewage outfall installation.
- Academic research and education of oceanography, marine biology in development of fish stock, dedicated fish breeding areas, especially after the fish immigration due the big construction process in Dubai Water.. To provide the necessary training on the legal framework that governs maritime activities and reinforces the legal aspects of the administration of the water under national jurisdiction. Research for protection of marine environment, pollution spread model, human interference and its impact on the environmental regime. Dubai Emirate is responsible for the protection of the marine environment from any danger that may alter its ecologic equilibrium, specially from pollution, the sequences of which may be decisive for the survival of marine fauna and flora, and the economic consequences of which are more devastating than is commonly imagined, but of which, in some cases, have been estimated at US $3 billion for a single incident. To emphasis the importance of preserving marine environment by means of scientific programmers, concerning the ecosystem in marine and in land waters..
- Good charts are particularly important to the development of the economically important industry of tourism, especially involving cruise ships. Yet this important source of revenue cannot be properly developed if safe navigation to remote tourist location is prevented or limited by a lack of adequate charts. Tourism will be one of the major growth industries the 21st century in Dubai
- Delimitation of maritime boundaries, territorial sea, EEZ, continental shelf in accordance with UNCLOS’82 and practicing sovereignty within Dubai water, innocent passage, marine research, coast guard activities on smuggling or illegal works. To supervise, control and implement national jurisdiction regarding environmental protection. All these need a good manageable hydrographic data.
- Naval strategic and defensive plans and operations to defend the national territory water, large scale charting in military sensitive zone, studies of sea phenomenon (sofar channel, shadow zone,) and monitoring warship performance, spots for mines and submarines to be hidden, determination of magnetic anomalies. In general navies are major users of nautical chart products. Variety of nautical products is used in naval operation. Surface navigation, submarine, mine hunting, air –sea naval operations. Hydrographic and oceanographic data necessary for preparation of such products must be available if national investment in defense is to be optimized. The unique risks associated with the carriage of munitions and nuclear make it important for such a vessel to have up-to-date information.
In Dubai data base special dedicated inaccessible facilities for naval data, could accommodate all future naval data.
