A professional naval officer, master mariner and Category A hydrographer, Captain Gary Hesling concluded a successful 33-year career in the Royal Navy in the summer of 2019. He commanded the Royal Navy’s hydrographic ships in his final role as Hydrographer of the Navy, was head of branch for some 450 environmental and geospatial specialists and was a non-executive director on the UK Hydrographic Office Board.
Gary vigorously promotes the utility of advanced sensors, autonomous technologies and automated information systems to collect, collate, fuse, analyse and display marine and maritime data in game changing formats and services. He is also a passionate advocate of the natural marine environment, understanding that modern, accurate datasets underpin every facet of maritime operations to enhance environmental sustainability, safety, marine resource management, energy, tourism and trade across the burgeoning international blue economy. Gary is a Senior Visiting Fellow at the National Oceanography Centre and is qualified as an APAEWE Expert Witness.
