Enhancing Sea and Air Rescue Capabilities: Establishing a Taiwan-Specific Offshore Wind Farm Joint Defense and Sharing Mechanism

Since the development of offshore wind in Taiwan, there have been multiple incidents requiring vessel and medical rescues at wind farms, underscoring the growing importance of ensuring the safety of wind farm personnel and equipment. In response to these challenges, the National Maritime Engineering Association (NMEA) organized a two-day "2024 Offshore Wind Marine Salvage and Emergency Response Summit" on August 15 and 16. The summit was structured around four key themes: policy, industry, academia, and medical care. It aimed to collaboratively discuss and develop a disaster prevention and emergency response system tailored to Taiwan's unique geographical environment and the specific needs of its offshore wind power industry.

The forum invited representatives from central agencies such as the Ocean Affairs Council, the Maritime and Port Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, and the Bureau of Energy under the Ministry of Economic Affairs. Wind power developers, supply chain stakeholders, academia, and international rescue organizations were also present to discuss risk assessment, disaster prevention, and the importance of interdepartmental collaboration. The forum aimed to share the latest technologies and domestic and international experiences to comprehensively enhance Taiwan's offshore wind farm emergency rescue response capabilities.

Guo-Zheng Zeng, Chairman of the NMEA, stated that hoping this forum will inspire further efforts, using civic collaboration to effectively promote marine affairs. Zeng envisions a win-win-win outcome for renewable energy, the marine industry, and maritime safety, believing that continued attention from the Ocean Affairs Council, the Ministry of Transportation, and the Ministry of Economic Affairs will further maritime safety efforts.

Guo-Lie Liu, Secretary General of the Ocean Affairs Council, mentioned that the Council is enhancing the Coast Guard's disaster relief and rescue capabilities by actively seeking budget allocations from the Executive Yuan. For the safety of the Taichung waters, the Ocean Affairs Council, the Ministry of Transportation, and the Ministry of Economic Affairs are working closely together.

Coast Guard Rescues People, Maritime and Port Bureau Rescues Ships, Energy Administration Establishes Cross-Unit Response Notification Mechanism

Jin-Ho Wu, Deputy Director of Central Branch, Coast Guard Administration, OAC, noted that the current risk factor for the central wind farm sea area is 40%, which is classified as moderate risk. To enhance sea and air rescue capabilities, plans include establishing a cross-regional joint defense system through emergency response mechanisms and integrating various wind farms to form a maritime coordination center to ensure the safety of personnel, vessels, and the marine environment.

Shu-Hsien Shen,Director of Marinetime Safety Division, Maritime Port Bureau, MOTC, highlighted the shortage of large tugboat resources in Taiwan, the lack of dedicated rescue ships and professional rescue teams, and limited rescue funding, all of which affect industry participation willingness. The Bureau is actively seeking budget increases to strengthen the capabilities of large tugboats, prioritizing deployment in central sea areas.

Hui-Ji Shen, Section Chief of the Electricity, Development and Management Division Energy Administration, MOEA stated that the Administration requires offshore wind power operators to establish disaster prevention plans and self-rescue capabilities. The Administration has also set up a notification mechanism with the Maritime and Port Bureau. MOEA mandates that offshore wind operators continuously enhance their disaster response capabilities through regulations and disaster prevention business plans, establishing principles for reviewing these plans.

Leveraging Developer Experience to Improve Taiwan's Offshore Wind Farm Rescue Mechanisms

JC Chao,Head of Site Offshore Wind Farm Operations, Ørsted APAC, noted that emergency issues inside wind turbines, such as summer heat hazards, often arise. Upon occurrence, maritime coordinators are notified immediately. However, in highly urgent situations, Chao hopes that the reporting process could be streamlined to allow direct contact with the National Rescue Command Center, facilitating helicopter rescue operations by the Ministry of the Interior's Airborne Service Corps, thus saving valuable rescue time.

Jim Chen, COO of SRE, emphasized that the effective operation and maintenance of offshore wind farms require a combination of routine maintenance, advanced monitoring, and robust emergency preparedness. Regular training drills, clear communication agreements, and comprehensive documentation are crucial for standard operating procedures and emergency response strategies.

Virak SAR, Assistant to the Head of Marine Installation and Operations Department EDF, pointed out that France's offshore wind farms have a rescue unit known as CROSS. While most search and rescue resources are official, they also integrate some private rescue resources. This task allocation mechanism during emergencies could serve as a reference for Taiwan.

Learning from International Experience: Strengthening Maritime Incident Response and Rescue Platform Development

Toshio Imamura, Business Development Department of Nippon Salvage, stated that ship accidents can include grounding, flooding, fires, emergency towing, and collisions. They have participated in salvage operations in Taiwanese waters, using remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROVs) for seabed surveys and recovery of sunken objects. Their work ships are stationed near Taiwanese waters, allowing for rapid response to maritime incidents.

Caren Hsiao, APAC Representative, Global Offshore Wind Health and Safety Organisation, introduced the UK's Offshore Emergency Response Forum (OREEF). She suggested that Taiwan could adopt a similar model. Rhys Jones, a marine renewable energy technical advisor at the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA), discussed key principles of emergency response planning.

Strengthening Supply Chain and Air Medical Response: Building a Comprehensive Wind Farm Rescue Mechanism

The second day's agenda focused on supply chain and air medical disaster prevention and response strategies. Ming-Tyan Chen, Administration Director of NMEA noted that disaster prevention and response plans for wind farms should be tailored to the specific characteristics of fixed and floating wind farms.

Carl Hsu, CEO of Union International Assistance (UIA), shared the urgency of maritime rescue timing, highlighting issues such as inadequate awareness of medical response timeframes and conflicts in resource allocation. Lien-Kwei Chien, Professors of National Taiwan Ocean University and Honorary Chairman, Taiwan Wind Energy Association suggested establishing a cross-departmental integrated emergency response and support mechanism, along with a common navigation safety and early warning system for wind farms.

Dr. Tai-Lin Huang, Tung's Taichung Metro Harbor Hospital, suggested establishing video and audio communication systems between offshore vessels and onshore emergency rooms. This setup would allow for immediate communication with land-based medical professionals in emergencies, aiding in the initial diagnosis of injuries or illnesses and providing appropriate first-aid guidance. Dr. Tzu-Chieh Lin, Director of Emergency Department of Taichung Veterans General Hospital, shared his experiences with on-site medical personnel at wind farms and emphasized the importance of remote medical guidance.

Other topics Including Jui-Chung KAO, Director of Center for International Maritime Convention Studies-NKUST, William Hsu, Associate Professor of National Taiwan Ocean University and Chung-Hsiao Lin, Head of Outfitting Section, Ship Industrial Department Ship and Ocean Industries R&D Center (SOIC) provides their insights on the Design and Construction of Rescue Ships.

20 Industry Leaders Collaborate to Boost Offshore Wind Farm Operations and Strengthen Sea-Air Rescue Capabilities

Kevin Wu, Asia-Pacific Director of OEG Renewables, stated that the company divides its services into four departments: Topside, Subsea, Marine, and Cable. Since 2018, they have been deeply engaged in Taiwan's offshore wind market, operating three personnel transport vessels. Wu hopes to participate in and support government policy-making to enhance Taiwan's maritime emergency response capabilities. Tsai Zhan-Hong, Business Manager of Jong Shyn Shipbuilding Group, noted that wind farm disaster prevention should not rely solely on foreign vessels; there are also excellent domestic companies capable of new ship construction and maintenance.

Lu Zi-Min, Project Secretary of Bright Future Homeland Security Co., Ltd., mentioned that the company focuses on underwater infrastructure and submarine cable inspection and maintenance, seeing a promising future for unmanned operations to reduce risks and costs. Scott Wang, Business Manager of the Metal Industries Research & Development Centre's Maritime Technology Innovation Zone, emphasized that the establishment of the maritime zone aims to support national wind power development by strengthening wind farm disaster prevention operations and safety training.

Xu Jie-Hui, CEO of Great Sea Energy Co., Ltd., stated that the company is actively expanding its offshore wind operation and maintenance (O&M) management and helicopter personnel transport services, as well as providing marine meteorological observation and personnel training. Xu noted that Taiwan urgently needs private sector involvement in maritime rescue to supplement the Airborne Police Corps' capabilities.

IX Renewables made its official debut in Taiwan. CEO Eric Kamphues stated that IX Renewables is an EPCI management and consulting company focusing on global wind energy projects, particularly in Taiwan and Japan. The company is currently developing Taiwan's floating offshore wind project, the Rui-Li Project. With over a decade of consulting experience in Taiwan, IX Renewables aims to deepen its collaboration with Taiwan. Eric emphasized the importance of environmental protection and local collaboration and expressed the desire to establish mechanisms to safeguard the oceans and address emergencies. He noted that all offshore wind developers share the common goal of ensuring ocean health to protect the industry and future generations. Taiwan representative Lars Hummel also mentioned that the Netherlands and Taiwan are similar in terms of national size and population density, necessitating marine development. IX Renewables has the capability to leverage these resources in Taiwan.

Chen Xin-Jun, Deputy Manager of Ho Lung Power Energy Co., Ltd., explained that the company is actively involved in the construction of the Greater Changhua offshore wind farm and is expanding its O&M business, including wind turbine, subsea foundation, and tower maintenance, with a strong emphasis on construction safety. Chen Bo-Yu, Special Assistant at Taiwan Glolitter Co., Ltd., stated that the company has sufficient resources in northern, central, and southern Taiwan to handle emergencies promptly and has developed emergency response plans.

Chloe Huang, Manager of DACC Marine Engineering Corp., noted that while the company has extensive maritime engineering experience, the rescue medical system still needs to be strengthened due to the unpredictable nature of the marine environment. All participants expressed the hope that by enhancing operation and maintenance capabilities and emergency response readiness, they can further support the development of Taiwan's offshore wind power.