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A New Nautical Chart for New York Harbor

First product of a multi-year, post-Sandy nautical charting plan

a close-up view of the new nautical chart for New York Harbor

High Priority Chart for Busiest Port on Eastern Seaboard

NOAA's Coast Survey placed a high priority on quickly completing the new chart since the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is so essential to the nation’s economy.

NOAA’s latest edition of Chart 12334 – New York Harbor will enable ships, barges, ferries, and recreational vessels to navigate more safely through New York Harbor. One of the world’s largest natural harbors, and the busiest on the Eastern Seaboard, New York Harbor suffered damages from Post Tropical Cyclone Sandy in October 2012.

“The new chart edition of New York Harbor is the first product of a multi-year, post-Sandy nautical charting plan,” says Rear Admiral Gerd Glang, director of NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey. “NOAA vessels and private contractors will be surveying Sandy-impacted coastal areas through this year and next, acquiring data to update nearly two dozen nautical charts on the East Coast.”

The updated chart, which includes new depth measurements and shoreline depictions, resulted from the efforts of several federal agencies. Following up on its survey response immediately after the storm, NOAA began acquiring more post-Sandy hydrographic data in April 2013, when a Coast Survey navigation response team searched for underwater storm debris and mapped the depths surrounding Liberty Island and Ellis Island. The surveys helped the National Park Service, which was working to reopen the Statue of Liberty in time for Independence Day.

The NOAA team also surveyed nearby shipping channels and the Global Terminal – the closest shipping container terminal to the harbor entrance – to provide more up-to-date navigation information for maritime commerce. In all, the team surveyed over 110 linear nautical miles. Data acquired by surveyors with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers also contributed significantly to the new edition, as did updated shoreline depictions acquired by aerial photography from NOAA’s National Geodetic Survey.

This chart is available as a traditional lithographic print, as a free PDF, or can be purchased from NOAA-certified print-on-demand (POD) chart sellers. Beginning in April 2014, the federal government will no longer producepaper nautical charts; however, paper nautical charts, updated to the time of printing, can always be ordered PODs.

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In response to Sandy, Congress passed a law which provides funding to NOS for mapping, charting, geodesy, modeling, marine debris, preparedness, resiliency, coastal recovery technical assistance, and other activities. Learn about the variety of projects and activities now underway. Learn more