Mapping the "Face" of Indonesia's Seafloor: BIG Hosts Undersea Feature Workshop with International Experts

Just as land has mountains, hills, and valleys, the seafloor has its own geomorphological "face"  complete with its own rules and conventions for naming. To deepen understanding of this, Indonesia's Geospatial Information Agency (BIG) held an Undersea Feature Workshop, a collaboration with Geoscience Australia, the University of Sydney, and the University of Tasmania.

Cross-Institutional Collaboration

The workshop brought together participants from several directorates and agencies directly involved in mapping Indonesia's maritime territory, including:

• Directorate of Marine and Coastal Topographic Mapping (BIG)
• Directorate of Boundary Mapping and Geographical Names (BIG)
• National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN)
• Center for Marine and Coastal Geospatial Survey and Mapping (BBSPGL)
• Pushidrosal (Indonesian Navy Hydro-Oceanographic Center)

This combination of institutions reflects how important the issue of undersea feature naming is not just as a matter of geomorphology, but also one tied to sovereignty and international recognition of features within Indonesian waters.

From IHO Classification to Strategies for Contributing to SCUFN

Throughout the workshop, participants explored a range of topics, including:

• The diversity of geomorphology in Indonesian waters and Indonesia's perspective on naming undersea geographical features
• An introduction to types of undersea features based on their geomorphology, referencing the IHO B-6 Classification System
• How to identify undersea features, along with strategies for contributing to and maintaining ongoing engagement with SCUFN (the Sub-Committee on Undersea Feature Names)
• A hands-on data analysis session
• Opportunities for future collaboration in seafloor mapping under the Australia Southeast Asian Maritime Partnership program

Hands-On Learning with Data from North Sulawesi Waters

What made this workshop especially engaging was that participants didn't just learn theory, but also they practiced directly using survey data from North Sulawesi waters, which included various undersea features such as:

• Seamounts
• Hills
• Knolls
• Ridges
• Reefs

This data was jointly reviewed and evaluated to determine the appropriate feature category, while also discussing possible naming options that could be proposed.

 

Guided by World-Class Experts

The workshop featured highly experienced resource persons from Australia, including:

• Prof. Millard Coffin, SCUFN member, University of Tasmania
• Prof. Peter Harris, University of Sydney

Their presence offered participants direct insight from practitioners actively involved in the international process of naming undersea features.

Toward International Recognition via the GEBCO Gazetteer

The outcomes of this workshop's review process don't end within the training room. The undersea features identified and reviewed will be further selected for submission to international assessment, with the ultimate goal of inclusion in the GEBCO Gazetteer , a the global database of officially recognized undersea feature names.

This step marks an important part of Indonesia's effort to ensure that the richness of its seafloor geomorphology is formally recognized on the international stage.