Lai launches marine survey vessels to bolster maritime research, security

Kaohsiung, Aug. 11 (CNA) President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) on Tuesday presided over the launch ceremony for two new marine survey vessels, reiterating the government's resolve to uphold maritime governance and national security through surveys of Taiwan's surrounding waters.

At the launch ceremony in Kaohsiung, Lai named the 100-ton-class and 300-ton-class survey vessels "Blue Ocean 101" and "Blue Ocean 102," respectively.

The vessels were built by CSBC Corp., Taiwan, following an open tender initiated by the National Academy of Marine Research (NAMR) under the Ocean Affairs Council (OAC).

Lai said that after entering service, the two vessels will collect hydrographic and biological data in the shallow coastal waters off Taiwan's main island and outlying islands to bolster the country's maritime governance and disaster response capabilities.

He noted that the ocean is a crucial domain in Taiwan's efforts to ensure national security.

"In recent years, China has used research vessels, coast guard vessels and cognitive warfare to carry out various gray-zone incursions, affecting regional peace and stability," he said.

"These developments repeatedly remind us that only by having a more complete understanding of the environment of our own waters can we safeguard national security and jointly protect the maritime order with the international community."

The government will continue establishing a national marine radar observation network to strengthen maritime security monitoring and support decision-making, Lai said.

It will also actively pursue a project to construct a 4,000-ton survey vessel to build a comprehensive survey fleet covering waters from coastal areas to the open ocean, he said.

At the ceremony, OAC Minister Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲) also underscored the importance of maritime research in efforts to safeguard national security.

"In recent years, China's research vessels have frequently entered Taiwan's surrounding waters to conduct maritime surveys and collect data, bordering on incursion and harassment," Kuan said.

"When we ask, 'What are they doing in our neighborhood?' we must also ask, 'How much do we know about our ocean?'" she said.

"Seabed topography, hydrology, ocean currents, and long-term accumulated marine data are the foundation of marine scientific research in peacetime, but they are also an important basis for the country to understand the maritime situation when facing security challenges."

The NAMR said the 4,000-ton survey vessel is scheduled to be completed in 2029, and the three vessels will cost a total of NT$6.32 billion (US$196 million).

The NAMR said the 100-ton-class survey vessel has a range of 500 nautical miles and is equipped with scientific instruments including a shallow-water multibeam echosounder, single-beam echosounder, acoustic Doppler current profiler, conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD) profiler and deployment systems.

The 300-ton-class survey vessel has a range of 1,500 nautical miles and is equipped with a deep-water multibeam echosounder, sub-bottom profiler and scientific three-frequency fish finder, according to the NAMR.