Australian Hydrographic Office Leads the Way with S-104 and S-111 Trials in Sydney Harbour

The Australian Hydrographic Office completed world-leading S-104 and S-111 trials in Sydney Harbour with Tidetech, Carnival Cruise Line and OSI Maritime — with IIC Technologies playing a key role in development.

Body: A recent article in Hydro magazine showcases the progressive approach being undertaken by the Australian Hydrographic Office (AHO) in its S-100 development journey, specifically with S-104 water levels and S-111 surface currents. The trial was supported by real-time high-definition data supplied by Tidetech and tested by Carnival Cruise Line and OSI Maritime Systems in Sydney Harbour.

IIC Technologies was pleased to have played a vital role in this activity. In April 2025 and January 2026, IIC was contracted by AHO to develop the Australian national portrayal resolve for S-104 and S-111. This was a groundbreaking project with several technical developments undertaken to create the resolve. Following successful completion, IIC collaborated closely with AHO to fine-tune the data encoding of both products to ensure optimal interoperability within a given geographical area.

This resulted in a consistent, optimised data visualisation alongside the operational capability to apply water-level adjustments and generate enhanced safety depth contours. Tidetech's high-resolution S-104 and S-111 datasets for Sydney Harbour were integrated into these developments.

The trials by Carnival Cruise Line and OSI Maritime allowed AHO to receive real feedback from bridge crews operating in a busy port, while also allowing Carnival's personnel to familiarize themselves with the future of navigation and help shape emerging practices.

Congratulations to AHO, Tidetech, OSI Maritime and Carnival Cruise Line for a world-leading set of trials and outcomes.