Bathymetric data - Open depth data
Hydrographic surveys produce depth data for nautical chart production and other purposes.
Bathymetric data consists of depth points obtained from full-coverage surveys or soundings along a predetermined line. Bathymetric data is primarily used for the production of nautical charts, fairway planning and maintenance. In data produced with full-coverage depth measurement methods (echo sweeping and multibeam surveys), the point density is < 2m. When using other measurement methods (for example sounding along a predetermined line), the point density is 10–40 metres.
Public depth data is available on sea areas in Finland’s exclusive economic zone and the Vuoksi, Kymi and Kokemäenjoki watercourses. There is more detailed depth material in merchant shipping lanes and in small craft tracks, but access to this material requires separate authorisation. In other areas, the availability varies.
Enquiries related to bathymetric data: syvyysmittausaineistot(at)traficom.fi
The Territorial Surveillance Act (External link) limits the systematic survey of the topography of the sea bottom in Finnish waters and the recording of such data.
Official bathymetric data for Finland’s sea area (including regional waters) is available for viewing and download via the Baltic Sea Hydrographic Commission’s (BSHC) Bathymetry Database: http://data.bshc.pro/ (External link)
Bathymetric data is available on inland waterways as gridded data via an interface that complies with the Web Coverage Service (WCS) standard. Later on, the interface will also provide access to similar data, on sea areas in Finland’s exclusive economic zone.
Depth point data licence
The above-mentioned depth point data is licensed under the Creative Commons 4.0 By (External link) licence.
The Creative Commons 4.0 (External link) licence requires that you attribute the work in the manner specified by the author of the data.
Traficom requires that the source of depth data is attributed as follows:
“Source: The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom). Not for navigational purposes. Does not meet the requirements set for official nautical charts.”
Navigational purposes refer to all maritime operations, including route planning, positioning, determining the best course and ensuring the vessel's safe passage.
Open depth data
Nautical charts
Hydrographic data is compiled from a number of sources, the most important of which are bathymetric data, the fairway register, and the National Land Survey of Finland’s Topographic Database. The data is generalised into a range of scale levels for the corresponding nautical chart products. The object classes for which Traficom is responsible are available via the Download and View Service on the terms of the Hydrographic Data Licence or the CC BY 4.4 licence.
All hydrographic data belonging to the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom) is protected under the Copyright Act. Access to the data for anything other than navigational purposes is enabled with an open data licence or the Hydrographic Data Licence (certain exceptions apply).
Traficom's hydrographic data is primarily accessible via Traficom’s Download and View Service (External link) and web services. Most of the material can be downloaded via the services, free of charge, with an open data licence (see “Use of and licences for data”) with the exception of certain listed hydrographic data, which can also be downloaded free of charge for purposes other than navigational use when the conditions of the Hydrographic Data Licence (see “Use of and licences for data”, “Hydrographic Data Licence of the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom”) are met.
The navigational purpose shall be based on an agreement procedure. Enquiries regarding the procedure should be sent by email to copyright (at) traficom.fi
or via this form: PDF application/permit (pdf, 314.34 KB)
Navigational purposes refer to all maritime operations, including route planning, positioning, determining the best course and ensuring the vessel's safe passage.