The Deutsches Hydrographisches Institut (DHI) in 1987 
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4 General Report 
The Deutsches Hydrographisches Institut (DHI) in 1987 
The DHI is a Central Marine Navigation and Marine Environment Authority within 
the jurisdiction of the Federal Minister of Transport. It has the task of surveying 
the seas, publishing the charts and nautical books, and testing the nautical equip 
ment used on board ship. Moreover, it has to promote navigation and High Seas 
fisheries by natural scientific and nautical-technical research, and to ensure the 
protection of the marine environment. 
The total budget comprised DM 7.1 million revenues and DM 79.7 million expendi 
tures. 
The Hydrographic Services (Tide, Sea Level Forecast and Storm Surge Warning 
Service, Ice Service, Geomagnetic Service) again fulfilled their tasks lor the safety 
of navigation. Particular demands were placed upon the Ice Service owing to the 
great winter abundance of ice - the third time in succession. 
In the port of Hamburg, the lowest Low Water Level since 1841, of 3.48 m below 
Chart Datum, was measured on 2nd March, 1987. 
On 3rd August, 1987, the new Survey, Wreck Search, and Research Vessel ’’Atair“ 
was placed in Service. 
The Research Vessel "Gauß“ - during 14 voyages - monitored, as routine, the 
seawater for injurious impurities, and carried out oceanographic, geological, and 
geophysical investigations in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea, as well as type 
testing. 
The Survey and Research Ship ’’Komet“ and the Survey Ship ’’Süderoog“ ran 
16,225 nautical miles of soundings in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea for the 
hydrographic survey. 
For wreck search and control, the Survey and Wreck Search Ship ’’Atair“ and 
’’Wega“ have checked 84 already known wrecks and positions at which submarine 
hindrances were suspected in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea, and - together 
with the Research Vessel ’’Gauß“, the Survey and Research Vessel ’’Komet“, and 
the Survey Ship ’’Süderoog“ - found 22 new wrecks. 
In addition, in order to be able to fulfill its statutory responsibilities, the DHI 
chartered several researchs vessels. 
Six Pilots were published in new editions, 11 nautical books were brought up-to- 
date by means of Supplements. In addition, the publications ’’Nautisches Jahrbuch 
oder Ephemeriden und Tafeln für das Jahr 1988“, ’’Winterbetonnung der Küsten 
gewässer der Bundesrepublik Deutschland“, “Bekanntmachung der WSD Nord 
west zur SeeSchStrO“, and the “Handbuch für Suche und Rettung“ were issued. 
Of the ’’Verzeichnis der Leuchtfeuer und Signalstellen“ (List of Lights and Signal 
Stations), which consists of a total of 14 Parts, 7 Parts were published as new 
edition. 
The volumes ’’Nautischer Funkdienst“ and “Sprechfunk für Küstenschiffahrt“ 
were kept up-to-date by 12 new Supplements each. 
The “Nachrichten für Seefahrer“ (NfS) (Notices to Mariners) was published with 
an issue of 3,100 copies. Besides the periodic and loose inclusions to the NfS, 
overlay blocks for the nautical charts were also published as inclusions. 
The work of the Seewarnzentrale was professionally supervised.