The Coast Guard Administration established 12 ocean service stations in June 2021 and named after 12 zodiac animals which featured each local marine life: Lamna ditropis, Rhinopterus javanica, Pygmy killer whale, Aplysia parvula, Panulirus ornatus, Laticauda laticaudata, Pygmy seahorse, Mulloidichthys vanicolensis, Mud shrimp, Omobranchus fasciolaticeps, Rhinopias frondosa, and Sousa chinensis. The stations attract many visitors each year who come to learn about marine safety, ecological conservation, and marine scientific research.
To enhance the diversity and richness of the ocean service station, the Ocean Affairs Council has provided guidance and funding to the Coast Guard Administration to add virtual reality (VR) equipment to the 12 ocean service stations. The equipment includes a VR interactive game for marine safety education and five 360-degree panoramic videos of coast guard work experiences. The objective is to help visitors gain a deeper understanding of marine safety knowledge and the work of the coast guard.
The VR interactive game regarding marine safety education is a scenario-based question-and-answer game that allows visitors to experience the survival skills related to accidents at sea. The five coast guard work experience videos are themed as “coast guard work in northern Taiwan,” “coast guard work in the Kinmen, Matsu, and Penghu areas,” “coast guard work and ecology on Dongsha Island,” “coast guard work on the sea,” and “coast guard special service training.” They present real-life 360-degree views of coastal patrols, maritime law enforcement missions, special service training, and ecological experiences on Dongsha Island. Visitors will be welcome to take this opportunity to learn about the coast guard’s mission and provide more support.
Since 2024 is the year of the dragon in the lunar calendar, the Ocean Affairs Council and the Coast Guard Administration invite everyone to go prosperity like the “dragon” together and enjoy the new-build equipment. Visitors are welcome to visit the ocean service stations, enjoy the VR interactive games, and experience the work of the coast guard. They are also encouraged to check-in, take photos, and leave messages on the marine station’s fan page to help people learn more about the ocean and launch the “Love the Ocean” actions.
The Ocean Affairs Council and the Coast Guard Administration stated that they will continue to promote the government’s “Salute to Taiwan’s seas” policy and pursue the opening goal of the ocean. They will continue to promote the optimization of ocean service stations and the enhancement of exhibition equipment. They also hope to make the best use of these 12 stations to strengthen marine education and social education and continue to develop more diverse and rich resources to enhance people’s participation and cultivate the national marine culture.