Project Awarded to Consortium

GIS Software for German Waterways and Shipping Administration

After intensive research, the German Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration (WSV) has decided to implement its WaGIS (Waterways GIS) project using GIS software from Esri and database technology from Informix. The project was awarded to a consortium formed by CSC Ploenzke AG and Esri–Germany. The project is led by the Federal Waterways Engineering and Research Institute (BAW).

BAW is the research center for WSV and performs its investigation and research work in the fields of hydraulic engineering, geotechnical engineering, structural engineering, mechanical engineering, and information and communication technology.

WaGIS is an integrated information system for WSV and will serve as a geodata warehouse, giving all agencies of the administration access to data generated by various existing applications via the Intranet and Internet. In addition, WaGIS will make a series of databases publicly accessible through the World Wide Web.

WaGIS will consist of a number of distributed GIS servers based on Esri's Spatial Database Engine (SDE) running on top of the Informix Dynamic Server and will also use Esri's Internet mapping technology. While the individual agencies will continue to have full responsibility for their data, SDE allows all agencies access to the geodata warehouse. In addition to traditional GIS data, the geodata warehouse includes mapping data produced by MicroStation applications. By allowing the storage of native MicroStation design files (.dgn), Esri's SDE CAD Client software allows MicroStation users to fully participate with the geodata warehouse.

Users will access all information using a meta-information concept that turns the distributed server environment into a single virtual WaGIS server for data selection and analysis. The meta-information component (FDM) will be supplied by con terra GmbH of Muenster, Germany, an Esri–Germany Business partner and another member of the project team.

Development for WaGIS is scheduled to be completed in early 2000 with subsequent implementation in all agencies of WSV, reaching as many as 10,000 users.

For more information, contact Claus-Dietrich Werner (e-mail: CD.Werner@esri-Germany.de).

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