CARIS, the world’s leading marine GIS organization, are pleased to announce that they have become the first sustaining partner of the Surveying and Spatial Science Institute’s Hydrography Commission (SSSI) in Australia.

The SSSI is the governing professional body for the spatial industry in Australia. The body was formed in July 2009 from the merger of the Institution of Surveyors Australia (ISA) and the Spatial Sciences Institute (SSI). The Hydrography Commission is an integral part of the SSSI and is responsible for the country's certification of hydrographic surveyors, to develop hydrography within academic institutions, to maintain links with other national and international hydrographic societies, and, more broadly, to promote the discipline of hydrography. Formed in 1993 under the ISA, the Hydrography Commission currently boasts more than 120 certified hydrographic professionals among its members.

Simon Ironside, Chair of the Hydrography Commission, Surveying and Spatial Sciences Institute reinforced the benefits of partnering with CARIS: "We recognise CARIS' role as a leader in the provision of spatial information management software for customers across land, marine and software development applications, particularly hydrographic applications and acknowledge the company's strong academic roots. We see a natural synergy between our two organisations particularly in the fields of CPD, tertiary education in hydrography and the maintenance of relationships with bodies such as the IHO."

Members of the Hydrographic Commission are set to benefit from tailored and more frequent training courses and webinars on CARIS software. This will help hydrographic professional meet the commission's requirements for continued professional development to keep abreast of the latest practical innovations in the industry. Training courses and webinars are very attractive to busy hydrographers who spend much of their time working offshore.

Christian Fellinger, CARIS' account manager for the Asia Pacific region, emphasized the significance of what partnering with the SSSI will mean to the hydrographic community in Australia: "CARIS becoming a Sustaining Partner will mean that the hydrographic community will become increasingly aware of CARIS' strength as not only a supplier of marine GIS software but an organization that wishes to be at the forefront of support for the development of hydrography in Australia."

For more information about CARIS and its marine GIS solutions please visit: http://www.caris.com/