Message from Tim Lowe CBE, CEO, UK Hydrographic Office on COVID-19

Press Release – On behalf of the UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO), I would like to reassure users of our products and services that maintaining safety of life at sea during this time remains one of our highest priorities. We are working hard to ensure that there is minimal disruption to the production and delivery of our products and services during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. 

Through our dedicated UKHO COVID-19 working group, we are continuing to monitor the situation and are implementing the latest advice from the UK Government to help safeguard UKHO staff. We have enacted our comprehensive business continuity plans, including remote working across our organisation, enabling us to continue to meet key safety and defence obligations and to support our customers and distributors.  

We have already seen our staff go above and beyond to safeguard continuity across all our products and services. On Wednesday 25 March, we issued 39 Notices to Mariners – a significant increase compared to our average daily output of 25. This achievement is testament to the dedication and skill of our teams and our business continuity plans, making it possible for us to continue to serve the maritime sector during this challenging period. We will continue to keep users informed should this change. 

I advise all users to continue to monitor the ADMIRALTY website, distributor updates, weekly bulletins and e-Newsletter, the AVCS Readme file, and messages from your ADMIRALTY Chart Agent for further news and updates from the UKHO.

It is important, now more than ever, that we work together to meet the needs of our teams and to keep mariners safe at sea. I thank you for your ongoing support and commitment.

Tim Lowe
Chief Executive

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