Following the global trend of technological development, the International Hydrographic Organization – IHO has been transforming into the "digital age" for the last twenty years and for this reason is working intensively on the adoption and development of standards that will be implemented worldwide, and will serve standardizing the way digital data is collected, processed, exchanged and distributed. This paper aims to present the development of standards for a universal hydrographic data model and specifications for digital products that are being developed according to the framework developed by the IHO. In that sense, the IHO has developed the standard of the universal model of hydrographic data – Standard S-100. Along with the analysis of the standard, its structure is presented and explained. The prescribed framework of standards for the universal model of hydrographic data ensures the standardization of digital data and information that will primarily be used by hydrographic organizations. The higher goal is to ensure the safety of navigation through numerous technological innovations in the field of maritime affairs. The paper also presents the role of IHO and the Croatian Hydrographic Institute (HHI), the existing standards related to electronic navigation charts, the application of the universal hydrographic data model standard and the Register of Geospatial Information being developed within this standard.