IFHS

What IFHS does

IFHS (International Federation of Hydrographic Societies) is a UK-registered non-profit charity founded in 2005, serving as the umbrella federation of six national and regional hydrographic societies: DHyG (Germany), HSSA (South Africa), AFHy (France), HSB (Benelux), IHS (Italy), and THS:UKI (UK & Ireland). The federation represents the international hydrographic community to bodies such as the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) and supports the UN Ocean Decade and Seabed 2030 initiatives. Its core constituency spans hydrographic surveyors, oceanographers, government and military personnel, academics, students, and corporate members from petroleum, renewable energy, equipment manufacturing, and dredging sectors. IFHS operates with a lean staff of seven employees based in Exeter, UK.

The federation's principal product is the Hydrographic Professional Accreditation Scheme (HPAS), a tiered certification (Level Ø, Level 1, Level 2, Affiliate) for hydrographic surveyors with annual renewal and CPD obligations. HPAS is supported by an Application Kit, an Interactive Application Guide built on Microsoft Forms, support webinars, and an Insights video series on YouTube and LinkedIn. IFHS also hosts the annual HYDRO Conference (rotating between member societies, with HYDRO 2026 scheduled for Antwerp), publishes The Hydrographic Journal, and runs the IFHS Student Award and Best Student Presentation Prize. The predecessor Hydrographic Society dates to 1972; IFHS was formed when national branches consolidated under a common charity structure in 2005.

IFHS generates revenue through four streams: membership subscriptions from national societies (calculated per capita, with Associate members at half rate), conference and event fees for the Hydro conference, HPAS accreditation fees (€20–€200 depending on level and membership status, with non-members paying double), and publication revenue from journals and conference proceedings. Distribution relies primarily on the six member societies as channel partners, supplemented by the IFHS website, social media presence on LinkedIn and Twitter/X, and partnerships with Hydro International Magazine and the International Hydrographic Review. The go-to-market is community-led, focused on professional development, accreditation, and industry engagement rather than commercial product sales.

Name

IFHS

Legal name

International Federation of Hydrographic Societies

Website

https://hydrography.earth

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

IFHS is a UK-registered non-profit charity that serves as the umbrella federation for six national hydrographic societies across Europe and Africa, providing professional accreditation (HPAS), the annual Hydro conference, and publications to hydrographic surveyors, students, and corporate members worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association Services

NAICS

Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (54136)

SIC

Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Resources, WASH & Integrated Water Management (BPADALAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Water, Wastewater & Hydraulics Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAD)

Keywords

• Hydrographic accreditation
• Professional certification
• Hydrography conferences
• Member societies federation
• Ocean mapping education

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: National and regional hydrographic societies pay annual subscriptions to the Federation. Fees are calculated on a per capita basis, plus additional components based on Journal requirements. Associate members pay half the full subscription rate.
2. Conference and Event Fees: Revenue generated from Hydro conference registrations, including discounted rates for member society members. The flagship Hydro conference is hosted by different member societies.
3. HPAS Accreditation Fees: Professional accreditation fees for individuals seeking Hydrographic Professional Accreditation Scheme certification. Fees vary by level (Level Ø, Level 1, Level 2, Affiliate) with discounted rates for IFHS member society members.
4. Publications Revenue: Sale of technical papers, conference proceedings, reference guides, and The Hydrographic Journal subscriptions to member societies and individuals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

IFHS (International Federation of Hydrographic Societies) is a UK-registered nonprofit charity and umbrella federation for six national/regional hydrographic societies. It administers the Hydrographic Professional Accreditation Scheme (HPAS) for individual surveyors, hosts the annual HYDRO conference, publishes The Hydrographic Journal, runs student award programs, and coordinates networking and continuing professional development across the global hydrographic community.

Product overview

IFHS (International Federation of Hydrographic Societies) is a professional membership organization, not a software product company. Its core offerings include the Hydrographic Professional Accreditation Scheme (HPAS) as the primary professional certification service, complemented by supporting tools such as the HPAS Application Kit (downloadable document package), HPAS Interactive Application Guide (Microsoft Forms-based assessment tool), HPAS Support Webinars, and the HPAS Insights Series video content. The federation also operates the IFHS Student Award and Best Student Presentation Prize programs, hosts the annual HYDRO Conference, publishes The Hydrographic Journal, and manages membership for affiliated national hydrographic societies. The organization operates as an umbrella federation structure with Full and Associate membership categories.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hydrographic Professional Accreditation Scheme (HPAS): Professional accreditation scheme for hydrographic surveyors offering certification at various levels (Level 0, Level 1, Level 2, Affiliate)

Products and services

• Hydrographic Professional Accreditation Scheme (HPAS) A tiered professional accreditation system for hydrographic surveyors offering certification at Level Ø, Level 1, Level 2, and Affiliate, with annual renewal and continuing professional development obligations for practicing hydrographic professionals worldwide.
• IFHS Membership (Full and Associate) Federation membership programme for national and regional hydrographic societies with Full and Associate categories, offering discounted event fees, discounted HPAS accreditation, networking, journal access, and regular industry updates.
• HYDRO Conference IFHS's annual flagship hydrographic conference and exhibition bringing together global experts, innovators, and leaders in hydrography and oceanography, hosted on rotation by member societies.
• The Hydrographic Journal Official IFHS publication delivered to members of affiliated societies, containing member society contact details, news, reports, and technical papers on hydrographic practice.
• IFHS Student Award Annual award programme for full-time students on relevant hydrography undergraduate or postgraduate courses, providing a £1,500 prize, free Hydro conference registration, up to £1,000 in travel support, and publication in the International Hydrographic Review.
• Best Student Presentation Prize Prize awarded during Hydro Conference Student Presentation sessions, judged by conference delegates, providing a £500 personal prize and certificate to the winning student presenter.

Quantifiable outcome

• HPAS accreditation provides international recognition for Cat A & Cat B hydrographic surveyors

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• International Hydrographic Organization (IHO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIFHS works closely with IHO on international hydrographic standards and initiatives. The International Hydrographic Review (IHR) is published by IHO and features IFHS Student Award winners' work as Invited Scientific Articles.
• United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIFHS supports the UN Ocean Decade initiative which aims to map the world's ocean seafloor by 2030. Less than 25% of oceans have been adequately mapped with real depth measurements.
• The Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIFHS participates in this global initiative to produce a complete map of the world's ocean floor by 2030, contributing to the broader goal of comprehensive ocean mapping.
• DHyG (German Hydrographic Society)coreOthersFull member society of IFHS federation. Nominated multiple IFHS Student Award winners including Oliver Kümpel (2014), Hannes Nübel (2020), Manuela Ammann (2023), and Isabella Metz (2025). Hosted HYDRO 2024 conference in Rostock-Warnemünde.
• HSB (Hydrographic Society Benelux)coreOthersFull member society and hosting HYDRO 2026 conference in Antwerp, Belgium. Nominated IFHS Student Award winners including Neeltje van Der Laan (2015) and Arne Deruyck (2020).
• THS:UKI (The Hydrographic Society UK & Ireland)coreOthersFull member society hosting HYDRO 2025 conference in Liverpool. Nominated multiple IFHS Student Award winners including William Dann (2017), Christopher Haddon (2019), Adam Howell (2020), Thomas Gould (2021), Julia Swedenklef (2024).
• AFHy (Association Francophone d'Hydrographie)coreOthersFull member society representing French-speaking hydrographic professionals. Nominated IFHS Student Award winners including Géraud Naankeu Wati (2016), Hamza Mazih (2018), and Tymea Perret (2022).
• IHS (Italian Hydrographic Society)coreOthersFull member society organizing World Hydrography Day celebrations including the 2024 conference on 'Hydrographic Information – Enhancing Safety, Efficiency and Sustainability in Marine Activities'.
• HSSA (Hydrographic Society of South Africa)coreOthersFull member society representing the South African and African region within the IFHS federation structure.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights10 records

Direct peers

• IMarEST (Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology): International membership body for marine engineering, science, and technology professionals offering chartered status, technical events, and publications. Structurally parallel to IFHS — international learned society, tiered membership, accreditation schemes, peer-reviewed publications — but serving a broader marine-engineering audience rather than hydrography specifically.
• FIG (International Federation of Surveyors): Federation of national surveyor associations covering geodesy, hydrography, and land surveying worldwide. Closest governance parallel to IFHS — federation of national member associations — and explicitly lists hydrography as one of its commissions, making FIG the closest structural peer.
• Society for Underwater Technology (SUT): International learned society serving subsea and underwater-technology professionals through conferences, training, and technical committees. Direct structural analogue to IFHS at the intersection of marine/ocean professional bodies with events, accreditation, and publications.
• ASPRS (American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing): U.S.-based professional society for geospatial mapping and remote-sensing professionals with certification programs and peer-reviewed publications. Directly comparable in operating model — learned society, certification, journal — applied to adjacent mapping/surveying disciplines.
• Marine Technology Society (MTS): International professional society for ocean and marine-technology engineers and scientists, providing conferences, journals, and member-grade certification. Comparable in mission (advancing marine science careers) and structure (international membership body with events and publications) to IFHS.

Broad incumbents

• RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors): International chartered body for surveyors with tiered professional credentials (similar to HPAS Levels), CPD requirements, and global events. Operates at much larger scale and broader scope than IFHS but is the dominant analogue of HPAS-style surveyor accreditation globally.
• International Hydrographic Organization (IHO): Intergovernmental body coordinating hydrographic practice across member states and publishing the International Hydrographic Review. Operates at a higher governance tier than IFHS but pursues the same global hydrographic professional community — directly comparable audience with overlapping publications and standards work.

Regional players

• Australasian Hydrographic Society: Regional hydrographic society serving Australia, New Zealand, and Pacific-region hydrographic professionals with conferences and member services. Functions at the same tier as IFHS's constituent national societies but is not currently a member of IFHS — representing the most plausible candidate for IFHS expansion into Asia-Pacific.
• Canadian Hydrographic Association: Canada's national hydrographic society providing member services, awards, and events for hydrographic professionals. Operates the regional equivalent of an IFHS member society and represents another plausible IFHS expansion target into the Americas.

Others

• Hydro International Magazine: Trade publication covering the global hydrographic industry with news, technical articles, and event coverage. Functions as a commercial media peer covering the same professional audience IFHS engages, and a channel that IFHS already uses for earned-media marketing (e.g., the May 2024 international-recognition article).

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/IFHS_ocean
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ifhs

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about IFHS