The first mission undertaken by this project is to create new bathymetric mapping for the areas shown on the previous web page. The German Hydrographic Office is taking the responsibility for providing project coordination, editing, conversion to digital media, printing, and distribution of the new bathymetry. Currently, participating countries include France, Germany, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Russia, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, United Kingdom, and United States. Meetings of the Editorial Board are held every second year and are typically convened in one of the countries of the Western Indian Ocean region.
Bathymetric mapping is the ocean-floor equivalent of topographic mapping on land.
Bathymetry, bathymetric data, and technical expertise are shared amongst all these projects.