Military Hydrographer Day in Russia Date in the current year: October 13, 2024

Hydrography is an applied science which deals with measuring and describing the physical features of water bodies (from rivers and lakes to seas and oceans) and coastal areas, as well as predicting their change over time. Its primary purpose to ensure the safety of navigation and support the development of all kinds of marine activities.

The active development of hydrography in Russia began during the reign of Peter the Great. All orders concerning the performance of hydrographic tasks were given to naval officers by the sovereign through the General Admiral. In 1724, naval officers entrusted with hydrographic tasks began to work under instructions from the newly established Admiralty Board. Between 1746 and 1755, the leading hydrographer in Russia was Alexey Nagayev, known for compiling the first atlases of the Bering Sea and Baltic Sea.

From 1777 to 1827, hydrographic surveys were successively carried out by a special drafting office, the Committee for the Promotion of Marine Sciences and the Improvement of the Artistic Part of Maritime Art (established in 1799), and the State Admiralty Department (established in 1805).

The Russian Hydrographic Service was established on October 13, 1827 as the Office of Hydrographer General in the Naval Ministry. The anniversary of its establishment is now celebrated as Russian Military Hydrographer Day. The Office was transformed into the Hydrographic Department in 1837 and into the Main Hydrographic Office in 1885.

During the Soviet era, the Main Hydrographic Office underwent a number of transformations and was renamed several times. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, it was renamed the Main Department of Navigation and Oceanography of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation in 1992 and the Department of Navigation and Oceanography of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation in 2006. The Department is the central governing body of the Hydrographic Service, responsible for the navigational and hydrographic support of the Russian Navy.

The Hydrographic Service is responsible for planning and conducting oceanographic, hydrographic and marine geophysical surveys, creating maps, atlases, sailing directions and other guidance materials for safe navigation, maintaining navigational aids and supplying navigation equipment, and performing other hydrography-related tasks. It is also in charge of subordinate military units and organizations.

Military Hydrographer Day in the Russian Navy was established in 1997. This is a professional holiday for all military personnel, veterans, conscripts and civilian personnel of the Russian Hydrographic Service. On the occasion of the holiday, the personnel and veterans of the Department of Navigation and Oceanography receive congratulations from the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy, the head of the department and other officials, as well as participate in various celebratory events.