The BAG format was designed to provide a container able to transfer all of the relevant information of a given bathymetric project.

[2][3] The format is supported by The Open Navigation Surface Working Group whose mission is to ensure its continued development.

Finally, the format metadata provide a way to describe the data, from collection to processing methods, from geospatial extents to the responsible party.

The Open Navigation Surface (ONS) project implemented the format to incorporate all of these requirements as well as be portable, platform neutral, vendor-neutral.

The use of the library was then demonstrated at Shallow Survey 2005 conference using a number of processing applications (i.e., IVS Fledermaus, CARIS HIPS, and SAIC SABER).