Technological innovation is the key to driving ocean sustainability! On August 23, 2024, the Ocean Affairs Council held the "Tech × Sustainability · Ocean Innovation Forum," inviting Taiwanese and American experts, academics, and business leaders to share insights. The event aims to showcase Taiwan's technological capabilities and achievements in ocean sustainability to the world through international forum exchange, and to open the door to greater cross-border collaboration.
Taking Ocean Research Out of the Lab
SOS! Not a Distress Call — A Showstopping Museum Display
Michael Kruk, Acting Director of NOAA's Technology Partnerships Office (TPO), offered an in-depth look at NOAA's experience in technology transfer at the forum. He noted that NOAA is committed to moving research and development outcomes out of the laboratory and into commercially viable products and services.
Michael used Science On a Sphere® (SOS) as an example. SOS can visualize vast amounts of data as a large animated globe, presenting complex Earth science to the public in an intuitive and eye-catching way — covering topics such as drought risk, marine debris distribution, and coral bleaching. More than 170 locations worldwide, including the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and other public science centers and museums, use SOS as an educational tool. Over 60 million visitors each year gain a deeper understanding of Earth science through SOS. This not only expands the reach of NOAA's technology but also strengthens the innovative competitiveness of the ocean industry.
Boosting Civic Engagement with AI Ocean
Liu Li-Hui, Deputy General Manager of Sustainable Brand PR at Taiwan Mobile, introduced the brand's innovative ESG project "AI Ocean," which similarly makes ocean research more accessible and enhances civic participation. He noted that the project was proposed by BlueTrend, leveraging AI recognition technology to build Asia's most comprehensive marine life database, helping to improve research efficiency and raise public ocean awareness.
AI Ocean began by mobilizing scuba divers and underwater photography enthusiasts, attracting 12,000 ocean citizen scientists who contributed over 21,000 photos of marine life. AI and cloud technology were then used to train an AI system to identify 150 marine species. Deputy General Manager Liu stated that by building a platform through technological innovation, the general public can participate in marine conservation: "Our goal is to get more people involved as ocean citizen scientists, using the power of technology to give everyone the opportunity to contribute to marine conservation." He emphasized that this data is not only valuable for scientific research but also serves as an important reference for formulating marine conservation strategies.
Facing the World's Oceans: Advancing Global Ocean Technology and Industry Together
"The ocean is the road to the world." Cross-border collaboration in ocean technology was one of the key exchange topics at this international forum organized by the Ocean Affairs Council.
One Phone Call, Twelve People! American Alliance Eager to Collaborate with Taiwan
Matt Classen, Executive Director of the American Ocean Alliance (TMA BlueTech), shared TMA's mission: connecting industry, academia, policymakers, and investors so that everyone can speak a "common language." After all, different industries have different terminology and communication habits, and starting a dialogue is the first step toward advancing the commercial application of ocean technology.
To promote global collaboration in ocean technology, TMA has also formed international trade delegations, previously attending the Sea Japan trade show in Tokyo. In November, Blue Tech Week will be held in San Diego, expected to focus on international ocean defense technology, ocean decarbonization technology, and building ocean resilience. Matt also shared his experience visiting Taiwan on this trip: unlike European countries, where arranging an exchange meeting requires weeks of advance notice, he contacted a friend the day before arriving in Taiwan to discuss potential collaboration — and the next day, 12 relevant stakeholders showed up to engage. He expressed great enthusiasm for further collaboration with Taiwan.
International Collaboration: Taiwan Can Help
On the topic of international collaboration, Associate Professor Wang Hsueh-Cheng of National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University's Center for Disaster Prevention and Water Environment Research shared his team's research achievements, including autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) that use artificial intelligence to enhance maritime safety. These technologies have earned recognition in global competitions and have also been applied to domestic maritime search and rescue missions. Associate Professor Wang mentioned that his team is currently working with international partners to expand these technologies into broader application scenarios.
Taiwan's Global Appeal in Ocean Technology
Volker Heistermann, Founder and General Manager of Mosaic Venture Lab, shared his perspective from an international venture capital standpoint. He noted that the global ocean technology market was valued at approximately US$5.6 billion in 2022, and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 5.6% through 2030.
Volker highlighted six key sectors: sustainable aquaculture, marine renewable energy, ocean cleanup, marine biotechnology, autonomous underwater vehicles, and ocean observation and data analytics. "Investors in these sectors are looking for innovative solutions — there are tremendous opportunities for both entrepreneurs and investors alike." He believes that Taiwan's rich industrial base, government support, and innovative ecosystem position Taiwan well to drive the development of its ocean economy.
Annual Tech Budget of NT$130 Million: Ocean Affairs Council to Accelerate Ocean Technology Applications
Ocean Affairs Council Deputy Minister Huang Hsiang-Wen noted in his opening remarks that the ocean is Taiwan's lifeblood — whether in terms of trade, transportation, or economic resources. An annual technology budget of approximately NT$130 million has already been allocated, with plans for a significant increase in the future to actively advance ocean technology applications.
The 2024 "Tech × Sustainability · Ocean Innovation Forum" strengthened cross-disciplinary exchange among experts from various fields. This not only supports future ocean technology policy development but also underscores the vital importance of technological innovation and international collaboration in advancing ocean sustainability.
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