To ensure the navigational safety of research vessels, Taiwan Ocean Research Institute (TORI) has commissioned an engineering consultant company to evaluate the maintenance options for channels leading to Xingda Harbor's headquarters and its anchorage area. The research also aimed at identifying the degree of damage that drift-sand has caused in the harbor area. Xingda Harbor is located on the coastline of Jiading in Kaohsiung County, alongside TaPower's Xingda power plant. Its adjacent coastal gradient is approximately 1/200, and due to the decreased amount of sand source from rivers, erosion marks the overall feature of its coastline. Analysis of the water depth changes shows that the channel section between the inner harbor and the anchorage exhibits a depth alteration of 10 to 20cm from August to October, 2009 (Figure 2); minor deposition of 20 to 30cm is also found in the berth area due to heavy rain on the land that brought silt in through the lagoons. It is also found that Typhoon Morakot has induced deposition in the port's seawall area (Figure 3), and that the five and six-meter depth lines have extended north. The research additionally shows that deposition near the channel port and inner channel is respectively caused by drift sand from the outer sea and by lagoon drainage. Data simulation further indicates that siltation in the harbor in the coming year will take place mainly between the northern and southern seawalls, culminating in a silt depth of around 0.2m to 0.4m. Within five years' time, the siltation will expand north to exceed the northern seawall, though the erosion there should shave the deposition depth to around 0.4m to 1.2 m. The southern breakwaters are expected to suffer from the most severe cases of siltation. It has been 12 years since Xingda Harbor last received a dredging job. To ensure the safety of TORI's research vessels, which will commence using this harbor in 2012, a report has been presented to Kaohsiung County. The institute requests a dredging project that would return the harbor to its original channel depth of eight meters and berthing area depth of seven meters. Approximately 383,000 square meters of silt will have to be removed to reach this goal. Continued monitoring is necessary to determine further dredging plans in the coming years.

　　With vigor and spirit, the Taiwan Ocean Research Institute (TORI) has been promoting the establishment of TaiCOAST—a national laboratory dedicated to the advancement of coastal technology research, providing research results to government agencies, the academia, national enterprises and the industries. Its aims are to make up for the restrictions that indoor laboratories are susceptible to, elevate the design quality of projects, and provide information needed for coastal management and policymaking. In April, 2009, a seminar of experts and specialists recommended the Xinwu area in Taoyuan County as a suitable location for TaiCOAST. From July to November, the institute further commissioned professionals to evaluate the viability of the site. The primary research goals are as indicated in Table 1. TORI welcomes further input from all experts and specialists.

　　Taiwan Ocean Research Institute (TORI) took damage prevention and reinforcement measures on behalf of the Lanyu coral reefs observatory. The institute retrieved the underwater lens used for real-time image observation for maintenance due to incoming Typhoon Parma in October, 2009. Lightening protectors were additionally installed in the server room, while circuit inspection and maintenance were performed later in December; an underwater camera was also added to complete the video connection. Images captured by the system are now viewable through the intranet, though further testing is required before opening up real-time online viewing to the public.

　　The Marine Resources & Disaster Prevention Division at Taiwan Ocean Research Institute (TORI) has successfully retrieved its sediment trap mooring system on December 8 to 9, 2009. The system was collected after completing a one month monitoring task of the submarine landslides southwest of the Ryukyu Islands. Preliminary analyses show a stable sediment flow in this region during winter. Findings from this research may become a foundation for establishing submarine landslide warning models in the future. This expedition also saw the successful testing of a newly purchased global positioning system with significant "cm-level" accuracy. This year the submarine landslide monitoring team of the Marine Resources & Disaster Prevention Division was able to deploy and retrieve the sediment trap mooring system twice in the sea area southwest of Taiwan. Substantial amounts of hydrology data and core samples were also collected during the assignments. All parties are welcomed to apply for access to the data, useful for climate change studies.

　To promote marine awareness and provide material for marine science education under the globe structure, the Ocean Information & Database Division of Taiwan Ocean Research Institute (TORI) has completed a map on global seafloor topography in both Chinese and English. The map may prove helpful in marine science education and related discussions. The just published map adopts the Taiwan marine territory as centerline, covers three oceans, and includes the topography under icecaps in Arctic and Antarctic. In its original size, the 300 dpi map is 36in in height and 87in in width— fit for large format printing. The institute has provided a copy to the National Museum of Marine Science and Technology for the "Deep Sea" special exhibition in December, 2009. TORI will also post the topography on its website for free download. All feedbacks are welcome.

　　In response to a growing need for deep sea drilling techniques both for research and application purposes, Taiwan Ocean Research Institute (TORI) hosted a deep sea sediment core experiment workshop together with National Taiwan Ocean University on November 27th, 2009. The participants were students and research personnel from marine related academic institutions in the country. The courses are designed to ensure that participants have a better grasp of the way marine cores are collected and processed. Students are given introductions to deep sea drilling equipment, research vessel OR2, sediment core processing, non-destructive assay, and sediment core color reflection measurement methods. Also included in the workshop is a guided tour to Marine Core Repository and Laboratory (MCRL). Students gained hands-on experience in taking and interpreting digital images of marine cores and in measuring marine core color reflection. At the end of the workshop, they boarded the OR2 for a first-hand experience in deep-sea drilling.

　　　New research vessels for Taiwan Ocean Research Institute (TORI) will be equipped with remotely operated vehicles (ROV) that can dive as deep as 3,000 m to extend the vessels' range of operation. The ROVs will generally engage in accurately positioned marine core sampling, image recording, hydrological data gathering, underwater observatory set-up, cabling, plugging/unplugging, and capturing of sea creatures. These tasks will be performed with scientists and technicians taking charge inside the control room, located on the main deck of the research vessel.

　　Taiwan Ocean Research Institute (TORI) has held training for its newly procured dual mode side scan sonar equipment, pressure and depth sensor, and marine data post-processing software. Staff from both the Biological Oceanography Division and Marine Resources & Disaster Prevention Division participated in the indoors training and actual testing on the sea. Participants learned to administer the software as well as to familiarize with the theory behind the system. Under the company of a technician from the equipment distributor, an actual testing was conducted just outside the Port of Kaohsiung. The new system will be used to map out the distribution of marine biology and marine habitats landforms surrounding Taiwan.

　　Shipyard staff from Taiwan Ocean Research Institute (TORI) paid visit to the US Scripps Institution of Oceanography research vessel, Roger Revelle, at the Port of Kaohsiung. Apart from observing the design concepts, a contract was signed with the Noise Control Engineering (NCE) consultant company, thus wrapping up the ship model test report. Issues regarding noise control and work description were also discussed during the meeting. A general layout was agreed upon and completed in November after numerous discussions and alterations. Main adjustments were made turning all staff cabins into suites. A more integral set of construction regulations also resulted, laying down a more solid foundation for the construction of research vessels.