The opening ceremony of “Maritime Technology Innovation Center” (MTIC) grandly commenced at Xing Da Harbor, Kaohsiung on January 11, 2021, marking a milestone of green energy project. The opening ceremony was involved with the participation of Mei-hua Wang, the Minister of Ministry of Economic Affairs; Cheng-wei Yu, the Director of Bureau of Energy, MOEA; Chi-mai Chen, Kaohsiung Mayor; Tai-hsiang Liao, the Director of Economic Development Bureau, Kaohsiung City; Chih-hsun Su, the Director of Public Works Bureau, Kaohsiung City; Ren-yi Lin, the Chairman of MIRDC; and Chiu-feng Lin, the President of MIRDC. In 2017, Executive Yuan planned one of the green energy projects in the Forward-Looking Infrastructure Development Program, which was the “Maritime Technology Innovation Center” set at Xing Da Harbor, supervised by Bureau of Energy, MOEA, and constructed by MIRDC. MTIC will become the platform where the government and agencies from various sectors develop maritime technology industries in the days to come.
In order to complete the underwater foundation as well as the technology, human resource, and development capabilities for maritime engineering in Taiwan, MTIC will establish the manufacturing capabilities for underwater foundation required for offshore wind energy, cultivate relevant talents, and set up industrial self-reliance capability of maritime technology in Taiwan by taking “maritime engineering,” “maritime talent competence”, and “marine technology R&D” as the cores. With the endeavor from various sectors, top technological teams such as Maersk Training and MARIN were finally introduced to Taiwan, and the project successfully started in May of 2019 and completed in 2021.
Cooperating with Maersk Training, the “Maritime Talent Competence Division” of MTIC gives a variety of courses regarding offshore wind energy provided by Global Wind Organization (GWO). MTIC also has an instructor team composed of 8 professional trainers certified by GWO, offering 10 professional courses and 16 GWO certification courses, which include basic safety and technical training as well as advanced rescue and enhanced first aid training, slinger and banksman training, blade repair, and other professional courses. MTIC serves as an institute of combining R&D and talent training required for offshore wind energy.
The opening also introduces the training program of Maritime Talent Competence Division at the Center. The helmets of the trainees represent the safety demanded by the industry. In addition, MTIC entered the MOU with Siemens Gamesa, Ørsted A/S, Vestech, Taiwan Cogeneration, and Taiwan Marine Heavy Industry, fulfilling the demand for instant working power.
MTIC is located at Qieding District, Kaohsiung City. It’s a famous fishing harbor in Taiwan thanks to the abundant catch of mullets in early days. As time goes on, it is transforming from home to mullets into home to green energy. The “Marine Technology R&D Division” in MTIC will introduce the capabilities of research institutes to develop the technologies relating to offshore wind energy, including underwater vehicle R&D, marine anti-corrosion technology, marine biotechnological resources, and operation & maintenance technologies. The Center currently is possessed of Underwater Vehicle R&D Laboratory, Marine Anti-Corrosion Engineering Laboratory, Underwater Structure Inspection Laboratory, Intelligent Aquatic Value-Added Laboratory, Maritime Biotechnology Product Development Pilot Plant, and Pre-treatment and High-pressure Processing Laboratory, and invites other manufacturers to enter and be stationed at the Center. In the future, MTIC will also combine with R&D capabilities of Marine Technology R&D Division and Taiwan Ocean Research Institute (TORI) to cultivate underwater technical services and underwater instrument industries.
The area of MTIC is up to 1,674 pings (approximately 5,000m2), and it’s estimated to let the companies enter in the first quarter of 2021, aiming at bringing up maritime technology R&D industries. Once fully prepared in Taiwan, MTIC will march forward to the international supply chain market, increase the green energy production capability and added value, and accelerate to promote Taiwan into the “Green Energy Development Center in Asia”. A deep-water basin project will be implemented in the second stage as well, becoming one of the key infrastructures in the offshore wind program completed in 2023 and providing one-stop service for industry R&D and talent training. Together with other agencies, MTIC will build an innovative network of maritime technology industries to become a new hub of international renewable energy.
MTIC promotes the localization of offshore wind energy engineering and technology and thus provides many employment opportunities in Taiwan. Besides, it also boosts the economy of regions surrounding Xing Da Harbor, becoming a zone that possesses technology and tourism benefits. In the meantime, MTIC will facilitate the transformation and upgrade of the harbor, turning into one of the most important bases of offshore wind energy in Asia-Pacific Area.