Home in focus: Guardians of the sea, MPA's Hydrographic Division

MPA's Hydrographic Division maintains navigational safety in Singapore's waters for over 130,000 ships that call here annually

Mr Peter Huang, senior technical executive (Hydrographic Survey), uses a multi-beam sonar to conduct a hydrographic survey. One of the biggest challenges in surveying is the unpredictability of the environment, says Mr Huang. Left: Mr Aw walks up the
Mr Aw Eng Soon, assistant hydrographer (Aids to Navigation), checks on a buoy. Buoys, beacons and lighthouses serve as ''traffic lights'' in the sea.
Mr Aw checks a solar-powered radar beacon at Raffles Lighthouse. The beacon sends a morse code transmission which is picked up by ships' radars, letting mariners know the lighthouse's location.
Mr Aw eating a meal of bread and water for lunch while out at sea. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
Mr Aw walks up the steps to Raffles Lighthouse located on Pulau Satumu. It is one of five lighthouses managed by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore.
Mr Aw making his way back onto a ship after examining a buoy.
 ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
Mr Aw supervises the lifting of a buoy. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
Mr Aw conversing with lighthouse keeper Mr V. Uthrapathi, 56, at Raffles Lighthouse.
ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
Mr Aw supervises the lifting of a buoy. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
Left: Ms Siti Nursyahirah Sumsuri, technical executive (Cartography), checks a completed nautical chart with the aid of a parallel ruler.
Ms Siti Nursyahirah Sumsuri, technical executive (Cartography), checks a completed nautical chart with the aid of a parallel ruler.
Ms Siti Nursyahirah Binte Sumsuri checking a completed nautical chart.
 ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
Ms Siti Nursyahirah Binte Sumsuri (left) and Ms Pearlyn Pang, Manager (GeoSpace-Sea), pore over an Electronic Navigational Chart. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
Mr Peter Huang, senior technical executive (Hydrographic Survey), uses a multi-beam sonar to conduct a hydrographic survey. One of the biggest challenges in surveying is the unpredictability of the environment, says Mr Huang.
Mr Huang holds a sound velocity profiler, which is used in hydrographic surveys to measure the speed of sound.
Mr Huang holds a sound velocity profiler, which is used in hydrographic surveys to measure the speed of sound.
Mr Huang checks the return echo of the sonar (rightmost monitor) after deploying the sound velocity profiler.
Mr Huang lowers a sound velocity profiler, which is used in hydrographic surveys, into the sea. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
Jason Quah
Updated
Sep 28, 2020, 04:21 PM
Published
Sep 30, 2019, 05:00 AM
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Leaping deftly from a vessel onto a floating buoy is part and parcel of Mr Aw Eng Soon's job. The 42-year-old is an assistant hydrographer in the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore's (MPA) Hydrographic Division.

The Singapore Hydrographic Office was established in 1964 to take over the functions of surveying and nautical charting of Singapore's waters from the British Royal Navy. It came under the purview of MPA following MPA's formation in 1996.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on September 30, 2019, with the headline Home in focus: Guardians of the sea, MPA's Hydrographic Division. Subscribe

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