Hydrographic Institute Of The Republic Of Croatia

What Hydrographic Institute Of The Republic Of Croatia does

The Hydrographic Institute of the Republic of Croatia (HHI; Hrvatski hidrografski institut) is a Croatian government state entity headquartered in Split that serves as the country's designated national hydrographic authority. Its mandate covers hydrographic surveying, official nautical chart production, Electronic Navigational Chart (ENC) encoding, publication of navigational reference materials, broadcasting of navigational warnings (including NAVTEX), and maintenance of national marine geospatial infrastructure for the Adriatic Sea.

HHI's core technology base consists of two research vessels (IB Hidra and IB Palagruža) equipped with multibeam echo sounding systems for high-resolution seabed mapping, supplemented by a network of 10+ oceanographic monitoring stations (mareographs, wave rider buoys, barometers) feeding real-time tide, wave, and sea-level data. Chart and ENC production is conducted in compliance with International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) S-57 and S-100 standards. The institute distributes this data through paper charts, ENC cells, sailing directions (Peljar), lists of lights, radio service publications, and a digital service layer comprising the Notice to Mariners system, the GeoAdriatic marine spatial data portal, the Adriatic Sea operational oceanography portal, the Cro Nav Support progressive web application, and the Mobilina mobile application for tide and sea-level data.

The institute's business model rests on a hybrid state-funded and revenue-generating structure. The Croatian state provides baseline funding for the institute's regulatory and safety-of-navigation mandate, supplemented by sales of paper charts and ENCs through direct channels and authorized distribution points, licensing of hydrographic survey data to authorized users via the Hydrographic Survey Register (OPO), and international ENC distribution through PRIMAR RENC and the IHO data exchange system. Customer segments span commercial shipping (mandatory under SOLAS for chart carriage), naval vessels, recreational mariners and nautical tourists, maritime education institutions, and fishermen. HHI holds active ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 certifications issued by DNV (June 2026), is a member of the IHO, and participates in EU-funded cross-border projects including JASPPer, Core, and NauTour, as well as bilateral cooperation with the Italian Hydrographic Office (IIM).

Name

Hydrographic Institute Of The Republic Of Croatia

Legal name

Hrvatski hidrografski institut

Website

https://hhi.hr

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Hydrographic Institute of the Republic of Croatia (HHI) is the country's official national hydrographic authority, producing paper nautical charts, Electronic Navigational Charts, oceanographic data, and navigational publications for safety of navigation across the Croatian Adriatic.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hydrographic Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Water Transportation (4883), Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (54136), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (924)

akta.pro primary industry

Nautical Safety, Navigation Aids & Hydrographic Services (TLAHAFAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental Monitoring, Data & Reporting (Air/Water/Soil) (BPAIAMAC), Coastal & Marine Resources Administration (Oceans, Fisheries, Shorelines) (BPAIAMAI), Marine Navigation Systems (ECDIS, Radar, GNSS, AIS) (IMAJAJAE)

Keywords

• Nautical chart production
• Hydrographic surveying
• Electronic navigational charts
• Marine geospatial data
• Oceanographic monitoring

Headquarters

HQ city

Kamen

HQ country

Croatia

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Official Nautical Charts and ENC Sales: Sale of official paper nautical charts and Electronic Navigational Charts (ENC) to commercial shipping, naval vessels, and recreational mariners. Charts are maintained through periodic Notice to Mariners (OZP) updates.
2. Navigational Publications: Sale of sailing directions (Peljar), lists of lights, radio service for mariners, catalogs of charts and publications, and small craft folios
3. Licensed Use of Hydrographic Data: Licensing of hydrographic survey data and derived products to authorized users through the register of hydrographic surveys
4. Government Services: Core government function providing national hydrographic and cartographic services for safety of navigation, maintained through state funding

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

HHI is Croatia's official national hydrographic authority, producing and maintaining paper nautical charts, IHO-compliant Electronic Navigational Charts (ENC), and official navigational publications for the Adriatic Sea. It operates oceanographic monitoring stations, runs the national NAVTEX and Notice to Mariners services, maintains the register of authorized hydrographic surveyors, and disseminates marine geospatial and oceanographic data through its GeoAdriatic and Adriatic Sea portals.

Product overview

The Hydrographic Institute of the Republic of Croatia (HHI) operates as a government hydrographic authority offering a comprehensive portfolio of nautical navigation products and e-services. The core product portfolio includes official nautical charts (paper), Electronic Navigational Charts (ENC), and official navigational publications such as sailing directions, lists of lights, and radio service guides. These are supported by an e-service ecosystem comprising the Notice to Mariners system, Radio Navigational Warnings, Hydrographic Survey Register, and web portals including GeoAdriatic (maritime spatial data) and Adriatic Sea (operational oceanography). Additional digital offerings include Cro Nav Support PWA and mobile applications. All products and services are maintained according to IHO standards and updated through the Notice to Mariners system.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GeoAdriatic: Portal for spatial marine data, the maritime component of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure.
• Adriatic Sea
• Mobilina
• Cro Nav Support (PWA)

Products and services

• Official Paper Nautical Charts (Pomorske navigacijske karte) Official paper nautical charts of the Croatian Adriatic showing navigational areas and elements required for maritime safety and sea orientation. Classified by scale, content, and purpose into navigational, informational, and auxiliary charts. Sold through HHI and authorized sales points, with corrections delivered via Notice to Mariners.
• Electronic Navigational Charts - ENC Official digital ENC cells produced in compliance with IHO S-57/S-100 standards, providing updated and reliable hydrographic data for safety of navigation and maritime routing. Distributed domestically and internationally via PRIMAR RENC and IHO channels.
• Official Navigational Publications (Službene navigacijske publikacije) Navigational handbooks providing descriptive data important for navigational safety that cannot be displayed on nautical charts, used together with charts. Includes sailing directions (Peljar), lists of lights, radio service for mariners, catalogs of charts and publications, and small craft folios.
• Notice to Mariners (Oglas za pomorce) Official e-service for publishing nautical chart corrections and updates. Mariners can access the latest notices and download PDF publications and corrections. Approximately 6 issues published per year.
• Radio Navigational Warnings (Navigacijski radiooglasi) Service for broadcasting navigational warnings and safety information to mariners via NAVTEX and radio channels; HHI serves as the national coordinator for NAVTEX emissions.
• Hydrographic Survey Register (Registar hidrografskih izmjera - OPO) Official register of authorized legal entities for conducting hydrographic surveys, maintaining official records of survey data and providing licensed access to survey information.
• GeoAdriatic Spatial Data Portal Portal for spatial data about the sea, presented as the maritime component of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI). Provides access to hydrographic and geographic marine data for Croatian waters.
• Adriatic Sea Operational Oceanography Portal Portal for operational oceanography providing real-time data from mareographs (tide gauges), waverider buoys, and barometers deployed at 10+ stations across the Croatian Adriatic coast.
• Cro Nav Support (Progressive Web Application) Progressive web application providing navigational support to mariners operating in Croatian waters.
• Mobilina Mobile Application Mobile application providing access to HHI services including tide and sea level data for Croatian Adriatic stations.
• HHI Service Catalog (Katalog usluga HHI-a) Comprehensive catalog of all products and services offered by the Hydrographic Institute of the Republic of Croatia, including the 'Where to buy?' list of designated distribution points throughout Croatia.

Quantifiable outcome

• Maintains and publishes periodic Notice to Mariners (OZP) with chart corrections - average 6 issues per year
• +1 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and regional.

• State Geodetic Administration (Državna geodetska uprava)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 November 2019Cooperation agreement for spatial data infrastructure integration between Croatian national mapping and hydrographic authorities. Enables coordinated national spatial data initiatives and INSPIRE compliance.
• International Hydrographic Organization (IHO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 October 2019Active participation in IHO Council meetings and working groups. HHI operates as the designated national hydrographic authority representing Croatia in international hydrographic cooperation.
• PRIMAR RENC (Regional ENC Coordinating Centre)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 8 December 2015PRIMAR is the Regional ENC Coordinating Centre forENC distribution. HHI participates in PRIMAR workshops and distributes ENC data through the PRIMAR RENC system for international coverage.
• Italian Hydrographic Office (IIM - Istituto Idrografico della Marina)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBilateral cooperation with Italian Hydrographic Office for joint hydrographic activities and data sharing in the Adriatic Sea border areas.
• University of Dubrovnik - Institute for Marine and Coastal ResearchregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerCroatian partner in EU/IPA JASPPer project 'Prevention of Marine Pollution Through Joint Action' focusing on marine environmental protection and cross-border cooperation.
• Montenegro Hydro meteorological and Seismological ObservatoryregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead Montenegrin partner in EU/IPA JASPPer project for cross-border environmental protection and hydrographic cooperation between Croatia and Montenegro.
• Montenegro Institute for Marine Biology - KotorregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerMontenegrin partner in EU/IPA JASPPer project contributing marine biology expertise to joint environmental protection initiatives.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• PRIMAR RENC (Regional ENC Coordinating Centre): Regional coordinating centre for ENC distribution operated under IHO/WEND framework. HHI is an active PRIMAR member distributing ENCs through this channel, making PRIMAR a structural peer/counterparty in the international chart value chain with comparable IHO-compliant operations.
• Istituto Idrografico della Marina (IIM - Italian Hydrographic Office): Italian naval hydrographic institute and HHI's bilateral Adriatic cooperation partner. Directly comparable as a Mediterranean national hydrographic authority producing official charts and ENCs for overlapping waters, with shared data exchange arrangements and PRIMAR RENC participation.
• Service Hydrographique et Océanographique de la Marine (SHOM): French national hydrographic and oceanographic service, providing official nautical charts, ENCs, and oceanographic data. Mirrors HHI's mandate combining hydrographic surveying, nautical cartography, and operational oceanography, with an EU member-state governance structure and PRIMAR RENC distribution.
• United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO): UK's national hydrographic authority producing official ADMIRALTY charts, ENCs, and publications globally. Directly comparable to HHI as a state-designated hydrographic authority with full chart production capability, international distribution through a similar RENC-like network, and the same IHO S-57/S-100 standards mandate.

Broad incumbents

• NOAA Office of Coast Survey: U.S. federal hydrographic and nautical charting authority within NOAA. Comparable to HHI as a government-designated chart producer with regulatory mandate, though operating at significantly larger scale with international influence through IHO leadership and US-charting distribution networks.

Emerging players

• C-MAP (Navico Group): Commercial marine charting provider serving recreational and light-commercial markets globally. Comparable to HHI's chart products in customer overlap (yachting, small commercial) but competes on price, update frequency, and digital UX rather than regulatory recognition for SOLAS vessels.
• Navionics (Garmin): Commercial provider of electronic marine charts and navigational content acquired by Garmin. Competes with HHI in the recreational and yachting segment through derived ENC products, mobile apps, and crowdsourced bathymetry, offering a price-disruptive alternative for non-SOLAS mariners in the Adriatic.

Others

• National Ocean Service / Marine Cadastre (ESRI partnership): GIS platform provider supporting marine spatial data infrastructure including HHI's GeoAdriatic portal. Functions as enabling technology peer rather than direct competitor, but its dominance in nautical GIS tooling shapes the ecosystem in which HHI's spatial data services operate.
• International Hydrographic Organization (IHO): Intergovernmental organization coordinating national hydrographic authorities globally. While HHI is a member rather than a competitor, IHO is the standards-setting body governing HHI's chart production, ENC encoding (S-57/S-100), and capacity-building programs, making it a critical ecosystem peer.

Regional players

• Slovenian Hydrographic Office (Hidrografski oddelek, Uprava RS za pomorstvo): Slovenian national authority for hydrographic services operating in the northern Adriatic. Regional peer with comparable mandate (national charting, ENCs, hydrographic surveys) but smaller geographic scope, providing direct adjacency to HHI's coverage area and potential cross-border cooperation parallels.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hydrographic-institute-of-the-republic-of-croatia

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Hydrographic Institute Of The Republic Of Croatia