Sydney Ports Corporation’s major navigation and shipping responsibilities in Australia’s Sydney Harbour are outlined in its Port Safety Operating Licence (PSOL) issued by the state government. The project’s aim under PSOL is to ensure shipping operations within the ports are undertaken with the highest level of safety by regularly mapping the harbor showing accurate depth soundings, bathometric contouring, symbolized navigation aids and the location of objects and submarine cables, while showing specific land features that can be easily identified by pilots.

As a result, hydrographic surveys are undertaken using global positioning technology. Recorded depths and associated coordinates are downloaded from the onboard echo sounder into MicroStation V8. The soundings data is then imported into InRoads to create surface models and bathometric contours for mapping purposes. Specific cross section and longitudinal profiles of berthing areas are created, along with volume calculation of required dredging.