Cagayan de Oro, Misamis Oriental—In a bid to strengthen its research and development arsenal, the Department of Science and Technology met 100 maritime experts, researchers, and naval engineers to map its next moves in strengthening science, technology, and innovation in its industry.
DOST Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development, in partnership with DOST Regional Office No. 10 convened the Conquering New Horizons: The 2022 Marine and Maritime R&D Roadmap Conference to discuss challenges and how DOST can support the industry.
In his opening address, DOST Secretary Fortunato T. dela Peña emphasized that all concerned stakeholders must work together to increase the country’s maritime outputs and develop new technologies for the industry to prosper.
“The Department of Science and Technology is one with you in this shared goal. We support R&D projects in the maritime sector to become more efficient, sustainable, and globally competitive through our calls for R&D proposals,” he said.
DOST PCIEERD Executive Director Dr. Enrico C. Paringit said that the goal of the gathering is to solicit science-backed and data-driven suggestions from experts in the field.
“With the issues hounding the industry, it is important engage our stakeholders and get their views on the best ways forward. We are hopeful that with the gathering of the best minds in the industry, we can craft initiatives that are better attuned to the needs of the marine and maritime industry,” he said.
In his welcome remarks, DOST 10 Regional Director Alfonso P. Alamban emphasized that greater collaboration with other regions and institutions can result to stronger synergism that will hasten the development of the industry and that DOST-10 hopes that this will forge initial agreements that will move the region forward for greater industry development.
Since 2017, DOST PCIEERD has partnered with the Maritime Industry Authority to implement the Science and Technology for Maritime Transport Applications and ensure that the country’s maritime transport industry will flourish from S&T activities and innovations on alternative fuels, and energy-efficient water, transportation technologies, renewable energy, modernization of merchant fleets, and intelligent transport systems.
By 2028, the goal of the sector is to have an integrated maritime safety, security, and surveillance, alternative systems for coastal, inland waterways and inter-island transport system, green supply chain management and energy efficiency for maritime transport, and green modernized maritime transport system through a Maritime R&D Hub based on the transport sector’s Maritime Transport S&T Roadmap 2021-2028.