To allow for safe and efficient marine navigation, NOAA charts the near-shore and offshore waters (see glossary on page 30) of the United States. While these charts illustrate channels, buoys and other items that are critical to navigation, the most fundamental information on the map is the nature and shape of the seabed, the water surface, and the interaction between the tides and the land-sea interface. Currently, NOAA has an established listing of critical backlog areas around the United States, primarily in Alaskan waters, that need to be surveyed to current hydrographic charting standards. The data reaped from these surveys will then be used to update existing nautical charts.

Hydrographic surveying, which determines the configuration of the bottoms of water bodies, involves a good understanding of the ocean's dynamics, its interaction with the land and the seabed, and the influence of meteorological factors. Specialized instrumentation has been designed to accurately and optimally map waters, but few companies have the capability to undertake such contract jobs. In 2004, one company took on the challenge of surveying significant waters in southeastern Alaska with an approach never before attempted.