Office of Coast Survey

What Office of Coast Survey does

The Office of Coast Survey (OCS) is a U.S. federal government agency operating under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) within the Department of Commerce, headquartered in Silver Spring, Maryland. Established by Congress in 1807 and permanently organized in 1832, OCS is the official U.S. authority for nautical charting and hydrographic surveying, responsible for approximately 95,000 miles of U.S. coastline and producing roughly 4,000 square nautical miles of new survey data annually through NOAA vessels and commercial contractors.

OCS's core product is the NOAA ENC® (Electronic Navigational Chart), a vector digital chart consumed by electronic chart systems and GPS navigation. Supporting products include NOAA Custom Charts, the United States Coast Pilot® (regional sailing directions), U.S. Chart No. 1 (chart symbology reference), the Historical Charts archive, and the Chart Locator. Modernization efforts are anchored in the Precision Marine Navigation initiative, the ENC Rescheming program, and BlueTopo™ high-resolution bathymetric specifications. Data products include the National Bathymetric Source, hydrographic survey datasets, and the nowCOAST™ real-time coastal observations portal. The underlying survey technology stack spans multibeam echo sounders (2-4× water depth swath coverage), side scan sonar (picture-like seafloor imagery), bathymetric lidar (infrared/green dual-frequency lasers reaching 50 m depth), vessel-mounted 16-channel laser scanners (300,000 points/second), CTD/MVP sound speed profilers, GPS positioning, and tide gauges for MLLW datum.

OCS operates as a non-commercial, federally funded entity. All ENCs are distributed free of charge via the Chart Locator, with international distribution through IC-ENC Value Added Resellers and print-on-demand handled by third-party commercial vendors. The customer base is government-centric — U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, port authorities, and state pilot associations — supplemented by commercial mariners and recreational boaters. Mobile Navigation Response Teams conduct emergency surveys and post-storm port reopenings, while Regional Navigation Managers stationed at major ports serve as the primary customer-facing interface. Distribution, partnerships (e.g., Joint Hydrographic Center at UNH, IC-ENC, CO-OPS, NGS, IOCM), and inter-agency coordination are structured around the agency's statutory mandate rather than commercial sales.

Name

Office of Coast Survey

Legal name

Office of Coast Survey

Website

https://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov

Company type

Public

Founded year

1832

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Office of Coast Survey is the U.S. federal agency within NOAA that produces official electronic navigational charts, conducts hydrographic surveys, and provides navigation response services for safe maritime commerce across U.S. waters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hydrographic Surveying and Nautical Charting

NAICS

Navigational Services to Shipping (48833), Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (54136), Support Activities for Water Transportation (4883)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Nautical Safety, Navigation Aids & Hydrographic Services (TLAHAFAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Marine Navigation Systems (ECDIS, Radar, GNSS, AIS) (IMAJAJAE), Coastal & Marine Resources Administration (Oceans, Fisheries, Shorelines) (BPAIAMAI)

Keywords

• Hydrographic surveying
• Nautical charting
• Electronic navigational charts
• Marine navigation data
• Coastal seafloor mapping

Headquarters

HQ city

Silver Spring

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Office of Coast Survey produces nautical charts (NOAA ENC® and NOAA Custom Charts), conducts hydrographic and shoreline surveys, and supplies navigation tools, publications, and data products (Coast Pilot®, U.S. Chart No. 1, National Bathymetric Source, BlueTopo™, nowCOAST™) that enable safe maritime travel in U.S. waters. It also operates mobile Navigation Response Teams for emergency surveys and Regional Navigation Managers for direct customer support at major U.S. ports.

Product overview

The Office of Coast Survey is a government agency that provides foundational navigation products and services for safe maritime commerce in U.S. waters. The portfolio centers on NOAA ENC® (Electronic Navigational Charts) - vector digital charts for electronic chart systems - and NOAA Custom Charts that users can tailor to their needs. Supporting products include the United States Coast Pilot® (nautical publications with port information), U.S. Chart No. 1 (chart symbol reference), Historical Charts archive, and the Chart Locator for finding and downloading charts. The agency operates Navigation Response Teams (NRT) - mobile hydrographic survey teams that respond to emergencies and update nautical charts - and maintains Regional Navigation Managers stationed at major U.S. ports for customer service. Core survey capabilities include multibeam and side scan sonar systems mounted on survey vessels, as well as vessel-mounted laser scanning for shoreline features. Data products include Hydrographic Survey Data, the nowCOAST™ web portal for real-time coastal observations, and the National Bathymetric Source providing high-resolution bathymetric models. The Hydrographic Services Review Panel (HSRP) provides federal advisory oversight. The Precision Marine Navigation initiative represents the next generation of navigation products and services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• NOAA ENC® (Electronic Navigational Charts) Vector electronic navigational charts that provide detailed marine navigation information in digital format for use with electronic chart systems and GPS navigation. Available for free download from the Coast Survey website.
• NOAA Custom Charts Tailored nautical charts that users can create and download based on their preferences, generated from official NOAA ENC data.
• NOAA Custom Chart App Web application for creating custom nautical charts using NOAA ENC data, allowing users to generate personalized paper charts.
• ENC Direct to GIS Web application providing access to nautical chart data for GIS integration; users may export data to various spatial data types and formats.
• United States Coast Pilot® Regional nautical publications containing information important to navigators including coastal navigation, anchorages, commerce, and port facilities.
• U.S. Chart No. 1 (Chart Symbols) Guide to understanding symbols, abbreviations, and terms used on nautical charts.
• Chart Locator Interactive online catalog for finding, viewing, and downloading individual NOAA electronic navigational charts directly from the Coast Survey website.
• Historical Charts Archive of historical nautical charts dating back to early U.S. charting efforts.
• Navigation Response Teams (NRT) Mobile teams strategically located around the country that conduct hydrographic surveys to update nautical charts and respond to emergencies including storms, vessel groundings, and port closures.
• Regional Navigation Managers Customer service representatives stationed strategically in port areas along U.S. coasts and Great Lakes who work directly with pilots, mariners, port authorities, and recreational boaters.
• Hydrographic Survey Data New and archived hydrographic survey datasets collected by NOAA survey vessels and contractors.
• nowCOAST™ Web portal providing real-time coastal observations, forecasts, and warnings for coastal users.
• National Bathymetric Source Seamless and high-resolution bathymetric model compiled from the best available source data for coastal and ocean mapping.
• BlueTopo™ High-resolution topographic and bathymetric data specifications for integrated land-sea mapping.
• Precision Marine Navigation Next-generation navigation products and services focused on precision marine navigation for U.S. ports and waterways.
• Coastal Marine Modeling Tidal models, storm surge models, and operational forecast systems for coastal and ocean prediction.
• NOAA Center of Excellence for Operational Ocean and Great Lakes Mapping Center of Excellence for Operational Ocean and Great Lakes Mapping, advancing hydrographic science and techniques through research, training, and education programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• U.S. ports and waterways handle more than 2 billion tons of domestic and import/export cargo annually, with delays costing millions per day
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability3 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Joint Hydrographic Center at University of New HampshirecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2003Established under the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act, the Joint Hydrographic Center (JHC) at UNH's Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping (CCOM) provides research and development support for hydrographic surveying, ocean mapping, and related technologies. The partnership advances NOAA's navigation mission through joint research initiatives and workforce development.
• International Centre for Electronic Navigational Charts (IC-ENC)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIC-ENC serves as a Value Added Reseller (VAR) for NOAA ENCs, distributing electronic navigational charts internationally through authorized reseller channels. This partnership extends NOAA's global navigation coverage and provides mariners worldwide access to U.S. nautical data.
• Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (CO-OPS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCO-OPS, another NOS program office, provides physical oceanographic products including tides, water levels, and currents that complement OCS's hydrographic and charting services. Both offices coordinate on navigation services delivery.
• National Geodetic Survey (NGS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNGS, part of NOS, provides geodetic survey data, GPS positioning reference frames, and shoreline mapping that support OCS hydrographic operations and nautical charting. The partnership ensures consistent horizontal and vertical datums for navigation products.
• Integrated Ocean and Coastal Mapping (IOCM) ProgrammajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIOCM is an inter-agency coordination effort to map the ocean and Great Lakes using integrated approaches. OCS participates to ensure hydrographic data serves multiple purposes through coordinated mapping efforts across federal agencies.
• Hydrographic Services Review Panel (HSRP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHSRP is a federal advisory committee established under the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act that provides NOAA independent advice on improving navigation-related products, data, and services. The panel advises on nautical charts, ENCs, tides, water levels, and coastal mapping.
• U.S. Coast GuardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Coast Guard works with OCS Navigation Response Teams during emergency responses, requesting surveys for port reopening after storms and providing navigation hazard information for chart updates.
• U.S. Army Corps of EngineersmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSACE coordinates with OCS on navigation surveys, dredging operations, and channel maintenance. Requests for navigation response team surveys originate from USACE offices in conjunction with other maritime stakeholders.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO): National hydrographic authority producing Admiralty nautical charts and ENCs for the UK and worldwide; the most direct international functional peer to OCS, sharing a sovereign mandate for official charting, ENC distribution via IC-ENC, and a free/pricing hybrid model.
• SHOM (Service Hydrographique et Océanographique de la Marine): French national hydrographic office producing official charts and ENCs for France and overseas territories; functionally identical role to OCS with military affiliation and global ENC distribution through IC-ENC.
• Canadian Hydrographic Service (CHS): Fisheries and Oceans Canada agency producing official Canadian nautical charts and hydrographic surveys; comparable mandate, federal ownership, multilingual ENC products, and bilateral U.S./Great Lakes data exchange with OCS.
• Australian Hydrographic Office: Royal Australian Navy unit responsible for official Australian hydrographic surveys and nautical charts; operates similar NRT-equivalent mobile survey teams and IC-ENC distribution, making it a close operational peer.

Broad incumbents

• Esri: Dominant GIS platform provider whose ArcGIS software ingests NOAA hydrographic survey data and ENCs for enterprise and government use; a broad incumbent enabling OCS data distribution rather than directly competing, but central to the geospatial ecosystem OCS sits within.
• Fugro: Global commercial hydrographic, geotechnical, and seabed survey contractor that performs contract survey work for OCS and similar national agencies; uses the same multibeam and lidar technology stack and competes for commercial bathymetric work OCS chooses not to perform itself.
• National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA): U.S. federal geospatial intelligence agency producing maritime safety information, charts, and bathymetric products for DoD and international partners; overlaps with OCS in hydrographic data production and shares NOAA inter-agency mapping efforts like IOCM.
• Garmin (Navionics): Marine electronics OEM integrating NOAA ENCs and hydrographic data into chartplotters and consumer navigation products; comparable because it consumes and repackages OCS data into the dominant recreational and small-commercial marine electronics ecosystem.

Regional players

• International Hydrographic Organization (IHO): Intergovernmental coordinating body that sets S-44, S-57, and S-100 standards that OCS implements; comparable in mandate to set hydrographic norms globally rather than produce charts directly, but closely coupled with OCS's product architecture.

Emerging players

• IIC Technologies: Hydrographic survey and chart production services firm providing outsourced ENC production, data cleaning, and survey services to national hydrographic offices including NOAA-adjacent work; a partial-overlap private-sector analogue.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeoceanservice.noaa.gov/video

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Office of Coast Survey