The Ocean Affairs Council is implementing a research sponsorship program for the second year to foster technological innovation and applications to ensure sustainable marine conservation.
The OAC said it will offer NT$75 million (US$2.28 million) in research grants to 30 selected projects on topics spanning maritime protection and security, ocean pollution prevention, sustainable marine development and smart ocean, as well as surface and underwater vehicle technology development, which are all important subjects of global marine research.
According to the agency, the country’s abundant territorial waters and marine resources render it important for Taiwan to enhance marine technological prowess. This will ensure that local businesses are both globally competitive and meet environmental challenges such as climate change, it said.
In comparison to the NT$14 million spent last year, the increased amount underscores the importance the government attaches to marine technology development, the OAC said. The grants aim to facilitate research and development of marine technology and cultivate personnel, so as to lay an even stronger sustainable marine development foundation, the agency added.
In addition to the research sponsorship, the OAC launched the Marine Pollution Control Fund committee April 9 and Minister Kuan Bi-ling convened the first meeting the same day. The 17-member committee comprises academics and experts with a wide range of expertise and marks a major milestone in government policymaking, it said.
OAC statistics show that the fund has accumulated NT$210 million as of March this year. With an annual reserve of NT$50 million allocated since 2024, the goal is for the fund to reach NT$500 million in total to ensure the government has enough resources to respond to major marine pollution incidents, the agency added. (SFC-E)
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