Release note for the BSCD2000 height transformation grid

Abstract

A unified Chart Datum for the whole Baltic Sea is required for the use of global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) in accurate 3-D bathymetric surveying and navigation, enabling for automated shipping with increased efficiency and improved maritime safety. So far, the zero levels of nautical maps were derived from the mean sea level (MSL) of different local tide gauges. The inherent height datum differences between neighboring map sheets are a fundamental infrastructural obstacle for implementing and using new cross-border navigation services based on electronic nautical maps. The Baltic Sea Hydrographic Commission, with its Chart Datum, Water Level and Currents Working Group (CDWCWG), has therefore decided to implement a harmonized vertical reference in the Baltic Sea (BSHC18 conference, 2013; Schwabe et al., 2020) called the Baltic Sea Chart Datum 2000 (BSCD2000). The first milestone was the agreement between the Baltic Sea countries on the fundamental standards of the BSCD2000, the general features of its practical realization, and the roadmap for the transition and implementation of the new chart datum (CDWG8, 2016).