His Excellency the President of the Republic visits the Hydrographic Institute

His Excellency the President of the Portuguese Republic, Prof. Dr. Aníbal Cavaco Silva, visited the Hydrographic Institute on 9 January 2015.

On arrival, the Head of State was received by the Minister of National Defense, Dr. José Pedro Aguiar- Branco, the Chief of Staff of the Navy and National Maritime Authority, Admiral Macieira Fragoso, and the Director-General of the Hydrographic Institute, Rear Admiral José Luís Branco Seabra de Melo.

After the presentation of the Director-General of the Hydrographic Institute on the activity and resources existing at this Institute, his Excellency the President of the Republic went to the School of Hydrography and Oceanography and to the Divisions of the technical-scientific area that contribute to the knowledge and research of the sea and support the activities of the operational component of the Navy.

In the signing of the Book of Honor, His Excellency the President of the Republic, Prof. Doctor Aníbal Cavaco Silva expressed his appreciation for the visit through the following message:

“ It was with great pleasure that I visited the Hydrographic Institute, where I was able to verify the scientific and technological research and development capabilities of the marine sciences, which are placed at the service of the Navy and the Country.

With my visit I wanted to stress the importance I attach to the existence of Centres of Excellence that invest in the knowledge of the sea, which is so important for the future of Portugal.

I wish the military and civilians who serve in the Institute the greatest successes and continue the spirit of good service, for the prestige of the Navy and the Armed Forces” .

The IH, the body of the Portuguese Navy, operates in direct dependence of the Chief of Staff of the Armada, being the competence related to the definition of its strategic guidelines, as well as the monitoring of its execution, exercised by the Ministry of National Defense in conjunction with the Ministry of Agriculture and the Sea and with the Ministry of Education and Science.